THROUGHOUT the NBA, wise guys are wondering if former Maverick assistant coach Kiki Vandeweghe is still on Mark Cuban’s payroll. “He must be getting deferrals,” a Midwest Division coach wryly maintains.
At the same time, the New York media would’ve sanctified Scott Layden and glorified him with sacred scripture had the Knick GM been able to unload as many intolerable contracts in one fell swoop as his Nugget counterpart did moments before the trading deadline.
True, by eradicating long-term obligations to Nick Van Exel, Tariq Abdul-Wahad and Avery Johnson, at the cost of Raef LaFrentz, perhaps the league’s most wanted free agent-in-waiting, Denver solidified itself as ghastly for the next season and a half.
Meanwhile, having acquired (among other things) Juwan Howard, whose contract expires after next ($20.625 million) season, the Nuggets are assured sinful salary-cap elasticity at a time when prominent free agents such as Tim Duncan, Jermaine O’Neal and Jason Kidd figure to be available.
Not that having a storage bin of space (as of now, there is $17.5M on their future books) guarantees a team of locking up quality players (see Bulls). However, for whatever it’s worth, Kidd and Antonio McDyess are best buds from their Phoenix days. So much so that Kidd beseeched Nets president Rod Thorn to trade for McDyess prior to this season. An offer of Kenyon Martin and Keith Van Horn was made, but it was determined McDyess needed surgery.
As they say, “Some of the best trades are the ones you don’t make.” Still, should Kidd eventually re-join McDyess, maybe it would’ve behooved the Nets to make the deal and suffer the immediate injury consequences.
Nawww, no way!
At any rate, imagine if Layden had “sacrificed” Marcus Camby, Shandon Anderson and Charlie Ward for Howard. Imagine how thrilled New Yorkers would be today – despite Friday’s 115-92 somnambulate swamp soiree – at the thought of finally getting some instant low post/ultimate cap relief a la Juwan.
Then again, imagine how misguided they’d be.
Fact is, the Knicks, as currently constructed, wouldn’t have been anywhere near the cap after ’02-’03. Had they obtained Howard and renounced him when his pact terminated, they would’ve still been hovering around the $70M mark, exceeding what the cap figures to be at that time by about $20-25M.
Why, then, do some Knick beat writers insist on thinking Howard might be included in their daily coverage come summer? More important, what on earth makes them believe he’d be available? Oh, I see, the Nuggets gave up LaFrentz to gain the plasticity Howard (and Tim Hardaway) furnishes them with and, four months from now, they’re going to relinquish it.
Obviously, the beat writers know something I don’t. Maybe they’ve discovered Ernie Vandeweghe still draws deferrals from the Knicks.
Fact is, almost every team in the league, exempting the Clippers, is over the cap and must manage its ramifications each time a trade, signing or extension is contemplated.
Fact is, there is no shortcut around the Knicks’ cap miseries. No backdoor play toward gaining personnel maneuverability. No secret formula for success. No quick fix.
Fact is, in order to renovate the team’s roster, as well as reverse its losing mentality, it’s going to require common sense, ingenuity, boldness, patience, more than a fair amount of luck and a presence on the sidelines who will command the players undivided attention and sincere respect . . . as opposed to their current “Gall For One, One For Gall” credo.
Fact is, if Layden can’t handle his assignment and its accompanying restrictions, by the time the Knicks free themselves from the muck, Camp Cablevision’s James Dolan will on his third marriage.
The Nets, incidentally, are now 20 games over .500 (37-17) for the first time since Roy Boe sold Julius Erving to the Dutch for $24 and some magic beans.
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The Bulls are now 2-0 since Travis Best and Jalen Rose hit town as a result of their 91-83 United Way win over Phoenix. Bailin’ Jalen (22 points, six turnovers) played all 48 minutes Friday. . . . Nice of Kobe Bryant to torture the six or seven remaining Hornets fans. First he begins his pro career by politely declining to play in Charlotte. Then, Friday, he visited town and beat the Buzz at the buzzer.