From patricia@kestrel.Austin.Lockheed.COM Mon Jul 4 18:01:42 1994 Received: by shrike.Austin.Lockheed.COM (4.1/1.49); Mon, 4 Jul 94 18:01:34 CDT Received: from flamingo.Austin.Lockheed.COM.attd by kestrel.Austin.Lockheed.COM.attd (4.1/SMI-4.1) id AA21816; Mon, 4 Jul 94 18:01:35 CDT Date: Mon, 4 Jul 94 18:01:35 CDT From: patricia@kestrel.Austin.Lockheed.COM (Patricia Bender) Message-Id: <9407042301.AA21816@kestrel.Austin.Lockheed.COM.attd> To: pj13488@austin.lockheed.com Subject: nibbles Status: R The following is taken from the Dallas Morning News (except where noted). I tried to include only new stuff that I haven't reported on before. 4/27 Sacramento announced the retirement of assistant Mike Schuler. 4/30 Houston named Bob Weinhauer vice president of basketball operations. 5/1 John Salley (Mia) on the playoffs: "When the playoffs come, I don't worry if my hair is not combed, if my breath is bad, if I haven't flossed." 5/6 The full run down on the voting for the All-Rookie Team: First team votes in parentheses. The voting was done by the NBA head coaches. A first team vote was worth 2 points and a second team vote was worth 1 point. First Team: Chris Webber (GS) (26) ....... 52 Anfernee Hardaway (Orl) (26) . 52 Vin Baker (Mil) (20) ......... 46 Jamal Mashburn (Dal) (20) .... 44 Isaiah Rider (Min) (14) ...... 38 Second Team: Dino Radja (Bos) (11) ........ 35 Nick Van Exel (LAL) (4) ...... 26 Shawn Bradley (Phi) (3) ...... 21 Toni Kukoc (Chi) (2) ......... 19 Lindsey Hunter (Det) (1) ..... 15 Others receiving votes: Calber Cheaney (Was) (2) 11; Chris Mills (Cle) (1) 11; Sam Cassell (Hou) (1) 8; Antonio Davis (Ind) 7; George Lunch (LAL) (3) 7; Rodney Rogers (Den) (1) 6; P.J. Brown (NJ) 4; Popeye Jones (Dal) 2; James Robinson (Por) 1. 5/14 The Atlanta Hawks have made plans to build a new arena that could be completed by the 1996-97 season. Although the new location is not set, it will probably be in the northern suburbs. Stan Kasten, Hawks president, said that the Hawks need their own arena with about 100 luxury boxes (the Omni has 16) and a capacity of about 20,000 (Omni seats 16,510). It is estimated to cost $125 million. 5/21 Dallas released assistant Tony Newell. 5/29 You've probably heard what the Players Association is asking for in the new collective bargain (no cap, no restricted free agency, no draft, more money), but here are some things that the league (owners) is asking for besides the rookie cap: removal of certain loopholes in the salary cap (but not a hard cap), limiting all contracts to no longer than 4 years, not allowing clubs to re-sign their own unrestricted free agents, and limiting any unrestricted free agent who changed teams to 110% of his previous salary. 5/29 (While the Hou-Uta series was still going on) Jeff Hornacek when asked why he and his wife planned to have a child during the playoffs: "Hey, I was with the Sixers." 6/1 San Antonio named Gregg Popovich vice president of basketball operations and Jack Diller president. 6/2 Sacramento named Geoff Petrie vice president of basketball operations. 6/2 Washington named Bob Staak assistant coach. 6/2 What the playoffs were worth to a team: Category Per Team Total Best regular-season record $192,000 $192,000 Best conference record $168,000 $336,000 2nd-best conference record $135,000 $270,000 3rd-best conference record $100,000 $200,000 4th-best conference record $80,000 $160,000 5th-best conference record $66,000 $132,000 6th-best conference record $45,000 $90,000 First-round playoff participants $87,000 $1,392,000 Teams in conference semifinals $103,000 $824,000 Teams in conference finals $171,000 $684,000 Losing team, NBA Finals $684,000 $684,000 Winning team, NBA Finals $1,032,000 $1,032,000 --------------- ------------ Playoffs Pool $6,000,000 6/3 Orlando announce that they would not exercise their option on forward Larry Krystkowiak. 6/3 San Antonio named Sam Schuler director of player personnel. 6/4 Utah announced the retirement of trainer Don Sparks. 6/7 Denver announced that they would not exercise their option on forward Kevin Brooks. 6/9 LA Lakers announced that assistant coaches Bill Bertka, Larry Drew, and Michael Cooper will return next season. 6/18 Milwaukee waived center Mike Gminski. 6/18 Philadelphia waived center Moses Malone. 6/22 LA Lakers promoted general manager Jerry West to executive vice president of basketball operations and assistant general manager Mitch Kupchak to general manager. 6/24 Philadelphia named Maurice Cheeks, Ron Adams, and Tom Thibodeau assistant coachers. 6/25 Avery Johnson (GS) will become an unrestricted free agent July 1. 6/28 The NBA Players Association filed suit in Federal District Court in New York against the NBA, claiming that the salary cap, draft, and the right of first refusal rules are illegal under antitrust laws. The suit is in response to one filed by the NBA for a declaration of rights so that the terms and conditions of the collective bargaining agreement, which expired June 23, would remain in effect. 6/29 Clarence Weatherspoon exercised the option in his contract that makes him a restricted free agent. (Again, this is considered just a "give me more money" maneuver.) 6/29 A district court judge, acting on the Player Association's antitrust suit, granted a temporary restraining order preventing any NBA team from signing [or renegotiating a contract] any rookie or veteran player until the court hears the players' request for a preliminary injunction. A preliminary hearing is scheduled for July 8. The injunction prevents any free agents from signing with a club and also puts a damper on trade negotiations as contracts can not be adjusted to meet salary cap trading rules. [Taken from Justin Ridge's NBA News so that I don't have to re-type it all.] THE 1994 NBA DRAFT ------------------ PICK TEAM PLAYER COLLEGE POS HT WT ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 1. Milwaukee Glenn Robinson Purdue PF 6- 8 225 2. Dallas Jason Kidd California PG 6- 4 205 3. Detroit Grant Hill Duke SF 6- 8 225 4. Minnesota Donyell Marshall Connecticut SF 6- 9 195 5. Washington Juwan Howard Michigan PF 6-10 250 6. Philadelphia Sharone Wright Clemson C 6-11 260 7. LA Clippers Lamond Murray California SF 6- 7 220 8. Sacramento Brian Grant Xavier PF 6- 8 237 9. Boston Eric Montross North Carolina C 7- 0 275 10. LA Lakers Eddie Jones Temple SG 6- 6 182 11. Seattle Carlos Rogers Tennessee State PF 6-11 220 ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 12. Miami Khalid Reeves Arizona PG 6- 1 197 13. Denver Jalen Rose Michigan SG 6- 8 208 14. New Jersey Yinka Dare George Washington C 7- 0 250 15. Indiana Eric Piatkowski Nebraska SM 6- 7 215 16. Golden State Clifford Rozier Louisville PF 6- 9 235 17. Portland Aaron McKie Temple SG 6- 7 209 18. Milwaukee Eric Mobley Pittsburgh C 6-11 260 19. Dallas Tony Dumas Missouri-Kansas City SG 6- 6 186 20. Philadelphia BJ Tyler Texas PG 6- 1 175 21. Chicago Dickey Simpkins Providence PF 6- 9 247 22. San Antonio Bill Curley Boston College PF 6- 9 220 23. Phoenix Wesley Person Auburn SG 6- 6 190 24. New York Monty Williams Notre Dame SF 6- 8 207 25. LA Clippers Greg Minor Louisville SG 6- 6 210 26. New York Charlie Ward Florida State PG 6- 0 200 27. Orlando Brooks Thompson Oklahoma State SG 6- 4 194 ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 28. Dallas Deon Thomas Illinois PF 6- 9 232 29. Phoenix Antonio Lang Duke SF 6- 8 220 30. Minnesota Howard Eisley Boston College PG 6- 3 180 31. Orlando Rodney Dent Kentucky F ? ? 32. Washington Jim McIlvaine Marquette C 7- 1 240 33. Philadelphia Derrick Alston Duquesne PF 6-11 225 34. Atlanta Gaylon Nickerson NW Oklahoma State SG 6- 3 185 35. Sacramento Michael Smith Providence PF 6- 8 232 36. Boston Andrei Fetisov Russia C ? ? 37. Seattle Dontonio Wingfield Cincinnati SF 6- 9 240 38. Charlotte Darrin Hancock Kansas G ? ? 39. Golden State Anthony Miller Michigan State F ? ? 40. Miami Jeff Webster Oklahoma SF 6- 8 225 41. Indiana William Njoku Canada F ? ? 42. Cleveland Gary Collier Tulsa G ? ? 43. Portland Shawnelle Scott St. John's C ? ? 44. Indiana Damon Bailey Indiana PG 6- 3 200 45. Golden State Dwayne Morton Louisville SG 6- 6 190 46. Milwaukee Voshon Lenard Minnesota SG 6- 4 205 47. Utah Jamie Watson South Carolina F ? ? 48. Detroit Jevon Crudup Missouri PF 6- 9 241 49. Chicago Kris Bruton Benedictine, SC G ? ? 50. Phoenix Charles Claxton Georgia C 7- 0 265 51. Sacramento Lawrence Funderburke Ohio State PF 6- 9 250 52. Phoenix Anthony Goldwire Houston G ? ? 53. Houston Albert Burditt Texas PF 6- 8 230 54. Seattle Zeljko Rebraca Croatia C ? ? Absolutely no (zero, zilch) trades occurred during the draft. Trades that were being worked on but fell through: Chicago gives up Scottie Pippen and the 21 pick to Seattle for Shawn Kemp, Ricky Pierce and the 11 pick. New York tried to trade up with their 24 and 26 picks for Golden States' 16 pick. Dallas sends their 19th pick and a future 1st round pick to Seattle for Seattle's 11th pick. Detroit sends Sean Elliott to Seattle for Seattle's 11th pick (a popular pick). And many others. Now, there are many rumors still flying around about who actually used their pick for someone else and other trades still in the works, some of which need to rework a player's contract to fit under the cap. 7/1 Dallas exercised the option year on forward Popeye Jones. They also announced that they will not be extending a qualifying offer to forward Randy White and will not exercise the option year on guard Tim Legler making both unrestricted free agents. 7/1 TRADE: Indiana traded forward Malik Sealy, guard Pooh Richardson, and the rights to draft pick Eric Piatkowski to the LA Clippers for guard Mark Jackson and the rights to draft pick Greg Minor. 7/1 Detroit in trouble??? As you may have heard, Grant Hill refused the Dallas Mavericks' invitation to visit Dallas. Dallas had the 2nd pick of the draft. Shortly after being drafted by Detroit at #3, reporters asked Hill why he refused to visit Dallas. Hill: "I couldn't say it beforehand, but it was a plan. After I visited Detroit, I called (director of player personnel) Billy McKinney and asked him how I could get the situation in my hands, make sure I came to Detroit. He said, 'Don't visit Dallas.'" Hill then laughed and said, "See, I'm already listening to management. Actually, I thought it was a respectful way of getting my feelings across to Dallas." According to the article, "it is unclear whether McKinney's statement to Hill, if true, would be a breach of NBA rules." It sounds like tampering to me and I'll be interested in hearing what the league has to say about it. 7/2 TRADE: Golden State traded the rights to draft pick Anthony Miller to the LA Lakers for a 2nd round pick in 1995. 7/2 LA Lakers renounced the rights to center Danny Schayes. 7/2 Minnesota bought out the final 4 years on forward Chuck Person's contract (about $2.1 million), making him an unrestricted free agent. 7/2 Anfernee Hardaway (Orl) exercised the option in his contract that makes him a restricted free agent. 7/2 Portland tendered qualifying offers to guard Jaren Jackson and center Kevin Duckworth and is not exercising the option year on forward-center Reggie Smith. 7/2 Utah released forward Tom Chambers and center Mark Eaton. Utah also extended a qualifying offer to forward Bryon Russell and picked up the option year on John Crotty. 7/2 Michael Jordan in response to the current rumors that he will return to basketball next year: "I just don't like to say never; I don't like to close doors - but if you want me to say it: OK - never. I will never play basketball again, except recreationally." RUMORS: 7/1 RUMOR: Seattle is still in the market. This one has Ricky Pierce and draft pick Carlos Rogers going to Golden State for Sarunas Marciulionis and Byron Houston. This one is rumoredly being held up by the Players Association's lawsuit as the Warriors would need to guarantee Houston's non-guaranteed contract. 7/2 RUMOR: Bill Curley, San Antonio's 1st round pick, may be traded to Detroit for Sean Elliott. [Sounds kind of low for Elliott to me.] Other rumblings: Dominque Wilkins visited Greece to talk with Panathinaikos who offered him $7 million for 2 years and a ton of perks. Wilkins is an unrestricted free agent who most likely will not re-sign with the LA Clippers, but other NBA teams are interested in him. Toni Kukoc also received a lucrative offer from an European team about a month ago. Chicago seems committed to keeping him, but Kukoc does have a clause in his contract where he can leave after his first season (ie, now).