THE Pacers, weary of waiting for ESPN’s confirmation of my week-old news-breaking story that Isiah Thomas will replace Larry Bird as their new coach, plan to hold a press conference either tomorrow or Tuesday to announce as much.
Sources say the Wizards have granted Darrell Walker permission to leave his new (five-year guarantee) job as personnel director to join Thomas for his first duty (at any level) on the sidelines. The two are tight from their days together in Toronto when (part owner/president) Thomas controlled the organization and gave Walker his head start as a head coach.
Only two coaching positions – Nets and Clippers – remain vacant.
Kings assistant Byron Scott and Eddie Jordan appear to be the leading candidates to succeed Don Casey in New Jersey. Both are superior individuals and professional. They have everything Doc Rivers had going for him when he was put in charge of the Magic … plus plenty of coaching experience.
The Nets can’t go wrong with either choice.
Or energy secretary Bill Richardson. A natural job progression after the Los Alamos debacle. After all, none of their information is worth anything.
Or George W. Bush. Let’s face it, they have a lot to learn from the Texas governor. Nobody executes better than Bush and nobody executes worse than the Nets.
Or Dennis Miller. Who’s ABC kidding? What’s one more clown on the Nets’ payroll?
Or Fred Hickman. This way, Lucious Harris is assured to get one MVP vote.
Or Mark Jackson.
The free agent-in-waiting, who lives in New Jersey during the offseason, is the perfect teacher to educate, regulate and back up Stephon Marbury for the next three years. You can’t find better schooling. Where are you going to find a better head for the game other than on John Stockton’s shoulders?
(Derek Harper, who quit the Mavericks’ front office last week, would be another excellent pick if inclined to coach)
Already, Rick Pitino has identified Jackson as the next great “can’t-miss” coach. The Celtics’ boss would love to pry away one of the league’s exemplary leaders from Indiana and designate him player/assistant/voice of reason, someone Kenny Anderson can emulate and Antoine Walker and Paul Pierce are guaranteed to listen to and learn from.
Of course, the only way you can earn the categorical respect of your teammates and keep their undivided attention is by producing. You can’t hope to accomplish such objectives by sweating occasionally, or sitting in street clothes.
You’ve got to be able to perform, something Jackson proved once again throughout the regular season, the playoffs and especially in The Finals. As the tension mounted and the margin for error diminished proportionately with each loss and possession, Bird relied on Jackson more and more when Travis Best injured his shoulder and exposed himself as a pointless guard.
Which is more motive than ever, now that I think about it, for the Pacers to make sure they re-sign the 34-year-old Jackson (three years, $4 million per) and don’t insult him out of town by offering him a one-year-deal even if it’s for, say, $6M.
Aside from the Celtics, I know of at least three teams – the Blazers (looking to move Damon Stoudamire’s $11M annual salary, if possible, and get bigger at the point), the Cavaliers (Brevin Knight is being shopped) and the Raptors – prepared to reach out for Jackson come July 1.
Forget about the Nets; if I’m Thomas, I keep Jackson exactly where he is. Next, I promote him to assistant; who do you think was coaching the Pacers, anyway? Then I make him the team chaplain whether or not the Simon brothers need another reason to justify Jackson’s contract.
As for the Paper Clips’ opening, owner Donald Sterling is always looking to save paying a salary for as long as possible. Still, he promises to have a man in place by the next L.A. riot.
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SHOULD Jerry West, 62, decide he can’t take the stress and strain (“I just don’t handle it very well at all”) another day after 38 years as a Laker, he’ll forfeit $12M over the next three seasons. That’s a monumental sacrifice, considering this was the first time the executive VP ever banked major money ($4M) in his career. In one lump sum, no less, prior to the beginning of the season.
“I know my body and I’m not sure it can take it any more,” West told me. “I refuse to feel like I feel this year. In fact, I’ve felt like hell for the last 2½ years.”
If West divorces himself from the Lakers, it’ll be a complete withdrawal. No consultant status, no nothing. He will, however, remain as NBA logo … at least until the league figures how to sketch a player cowering at the sight of a specimen bottle.
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SIXERS sources dispute the notion they intend to sign and trade Toni Kukoc in a three-way trade involving Jamal Mashburn and Glen Rice; three guys who disappeared for games at a time during the playoffs.
“Our aim is to sign and keep Toni,” said a Philly connection, “and he wants what we want. Yes, he played poorly in the playoffs, but he got us to 24-10 in the regular season. Toni will be fine, given a training camp to adapt to Larry [Brown] and vice-versa. Tyrone Hill struggled after we got him [for Tim Thomas] at mid-year and look how he played this season. We tried like hell to trade him last summer. It’s a good thing we couldn’t.”
So, in other words, Kukoc is assured of remaining a Sixer?
“No, I wouldn’t entirely rule out a trade,” the sources hedged. “But if we’re going to deal him, trading Toni for Mashburn is not one of the first ones we’d pursue.”
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J.R. RIDER isn’t bashful about talking about possibly Pat Riley’s Heat next season for the $2M exception and it still could happen. However, there’s another franchise on the prowl whose coach (Rick Adelman) and system (loosey goosey) he’d fit in exceedingly better and would be less likely (excuse me for temporarily losing my grip on reality) to disrupt.
According to a Rider confidant, J.R. says he’s more apt to sign with the Kings, who recognize they can’t count on the fragile, erratic Nick Anderson.
This just in: Shaq has graciously offered to buy Rider a new police car.
It’s a living lock, say sources, Tracy McGrady will sign with the Magic. t! The Raptors’ free agent has ruled out Chicago as his only other option. “I don’t feel the city,” he tells friends … Orlando is going all-out to knock an additional $3M off its cap ($18M currently available) in order to sign two free agents (Tim Duncan and Eddie Jones or Tim Thomas) other than McGrady.
Things to look for: the Kings to waive Darrick Martin … Pistons assistant Larry Drew to switch allegiance to Leonard Hamilton in Washington … Tiny Archibald to be alongside Brown on the 76ers’ bench next season … the Bulls to make a strong pitch ($6M per) for Rashard Lewis, whose Sonics are prohibited from offering their restricted free agent more than $3.9M and $4.5M for two years … Detlef Schrempf to retire.
Marbury says he’s looking forward to someday being robbed of a championship ring.