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Much talk, little action People are talking, but no one's backing it up
Posted: Friday January 21, 2000 10:11 PM
With the NBA trade deadline nearly a month away, there's lots of talk about the Lakers' Glen Rice -- but not a lot of action. Toronto would love to have Rice, but they're aware there's no way he'd stay with the Raptors once he becomes a free agent this summer. The Miami Heat are interested but, for now, have given up on him, because they need Toronto or Chicago to do a three-way deal, and neither team is obliging. And the Sixers would love to have him, but don't want to pay Rice $14-million. But sources say that Rice is willing to be flexible. "L.A. is putting out the word that he wants to start at $14 million, and it's simply not true," one source said. "He wants to average $14 million over the life of his contract." Several league officials are wondering why the Lakers don't just give the 32-year-old Rice the three-year deal at the average he wants. Then again, the Lakers are winning while Rice's minutes are diminishing. Advantage: Lakers. Old habits die hardSacramento's Chris Webber is averaging 25 points, 11 rebounds and nearly two blocks per game. "He should be a starter on the All-Star team," Kings GM Geoff Petrie said.But he won't be. Some league officials are saying that Karl Malone is likely to get the nod over Webber simply because fans are accustomed to voting for the future Hall of Famer. "Obviously, Webber should be a starter," one Western Conference official said. "If he isn't, it doesn't speak well for the voters, not with the year he's having." Washington power struggle?Much has been made about the fact that Michael Jordan has apparently been given complete control to make all basketball decisions for the Wizards. But while Jordan says he has the power to overrule GM Wes Unseld, if they butt heads the matter would have to be taken to Wizards' majority owner Abe Pollin, who still has the power to overrule Jordan."Wes will still have some significant power, because everyone knows he has Pollin's ear," one Atlantic Division source said. "That situation is going to be very interesting." Especially if Jordan wants to make any immediate coaching changes. Stephen A. Smith covers the NBA for the Philadelphia Inquirer and is a regular contributor to CNNSI.com.
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