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 The skinny on Penny CNN/SI's Larry Smith talks to insider Stephen A. Smith
Posted: Monday July 26, 1999 09:10 PM
NBA insider Stephen A. Smith of the Philadelphia Inquirer was courtside in San Juan at the Tournament of the Americas Olympic qualifying tournament when he spoke with CNN/SI's Larry Smith Sunday evening. Among the topics of interest were Tim Duncan's future in San Antonio and the skinny on Penny ... Hardaway that is. Larry Smith: Stephen, Tim Duncan is the NBA's hottest young superstar in leading San Antonio to the NBA title. But he has only one year left in his contract. So will he be in Spurs' silver and black after next season? Stephen A. Smith: The likelihood of that is yes, but at the same time anything is possible. I spoke to Tim Duncan Sunday after the U.S. blew out Argentina and Tim told me there are no guarantees. The fact of the matter is, the San Antonio Spurs are trying to get a new arena. In the event that they are not successful in that quest, then they plan on moving. If they move somewhere that Tim does not want to move to, he has told me that he will be in another uniform instead of a Spurs uniform. So really a lot if riding on whether or not San Antonio is successful in getting that new arena. Larry: Well it's one week until NBA team can resume signing rookies and free agents. Of course, one of the biggest names out there is Orlando's Penny Hardaway. We've heard about the Los Angeles Lakers for a while but now maybe another team is interested. Stephen: The Phoenix Suns are definitely interested. I spoke to Jason Kidd Sunday and he told me that he plans on meeting with Penny Hardaway next week and convincing him that Phoenix, the Land of the Sun, is the place to be. But right now, they are in the running with the Lakers and even though both team want him it's really a long shot because both teams are capped out. So in order for them to have any chance of getting Penny Hardaway, the likelihood is that a sign-and-trade deal would have to be done. With the Lakers it would be Glenn Rice who's approaching the last year of his deal with the Lakers and they are looking to move him possibly, if they can get something in return. So if you are talking about Orlando getting some compensation for losing Hardaway, Rice would likely be included in that sign-and-trade deal. And with Phoenix, there's been rumors out there for weeks that Tom Gugliotta could end up in Orlando for Hardaway in the event that Penny tells Phoenix that's where he wants to come and he goes to Orlando and tells them to do something about it. Otherwise the Magic are going to lose him for nothing because he did exercise his option on his contract. But both of those scenarios are longshots right now. But still, that's what is out there. Larry: Well, there's talk of the Sacramento Kings re-acquiring Mitch Richmond but I'm sure he wouldn't mind going home to South Florida. Stephen: There's no question about it. You are talking about Pat Riley, South Florida and the beach, for crying out loud. Who could blame him? Not only that, they are a contending team which is something the Washington Wizards are not right now. But in order for that to happen, again, it would have to be a sign-and-trade deal. Miami is capped out. They have absolutely no money to offer Mitch Richmond and in order to get him, they'd have to throw somebody like either P.J. Brown or Jamal Mashburn. Maybe a Keith Askins coupled with Mashburn to get in to the range of giving Mitch Richmond exactly the money that he covets. And even then, Miami can't outmatch Washington and what the Wizards have to offer him. But I spoke to Richmond Sunday night and he said if he's not going to get the money that he wants, which is anywhere in excess of $11 million per season from the Wizards, then he would not mind going to a contender for a little bit less. especially, if it's the Miami Heat.
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