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Different team, same Isaiah

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Posted: Wednesday October 06, 1999 11:58 AM

Even in a contract year, Isaiah Rider is still ... Isaiah Rider. His new team, the Atlanta Hawks should not have been surprised that he was a no-show at media day, and on the team's first day of practice. Don't expect the Hawks to be fazed by all of this, though. Rider will be a free agent after this season, and Atlanta did acquire Jimmy Jackson for insurance purposes. As one Hawks source told me: "We sent a first rounder to the Clippers for Lorenzen Wright instead of Jimmy Jackson specifically for this situation. We don't look so dumb after all, do we?"

Scottie Pippen is a Portland Trail Blazer, and it has everything to do with money -- specifically, Brian Grant's contract. The Blazers forward, mentioned in nearly every Portland trade rumor over the last several months, was never going anyplace because of the $45 million he's due over the next five seasons. Any team that trades for Grant will have to give him, up front, 15% of whatever remains on his contract PLUS pay his annual salary. League owners just finished off a seven-month fight over conserving money. Don't expect that trend to end any time soon.

Aside from the exemplary play of rookie Baron Davis, who's had his way with starting point guard David Wesley all summer long, the Charlotte Hornets have another player to be excited about these days. His name is Derrick Coleman. According to several Hornets and coach Paul Silas, D.C. is in the best shape in years, clearly ready to fight for a starting job with Anthony Mason. "If he stays in shape and stays ready, we'll have one of the toughest teams in the East," Silas said. If he doesn't, Mason will be starting, which won't be pleasant -- especially not for D.C., who's never sat on the bench in his basketball life in a non-injured year.

Stephen A. Smith covers the NBA for the Philadelphia Inquirer and is a regular contributor to CNN/SI.

 

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