Subject: nibbles

From: [email-masked] (Patricia Bender)
Date: Mon, 4 Jul 94 18:01:35 CDT

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).