|
 |   |
|
EVENTS Fantasy Central Inside Game Multimedia Central Statitudes Your Turn Message Boards Email Newsletters Golf Guide Cities Work in Sports
CNNSI.com GROUP
COMMERCE |  |
Many questions, no answers in Atlanta
Posted: Monday April 10, 2000 01:15 PM
NBA insider Stephen A. Smith of The Philadelphia Inquirer spoke with CNN/Sports Illustrated's Andre Aldridge about the comings and goings in the league on CNN's "This Week in the NBA."
Andre Aldridge: There's a beautiful new arena in Atlanta, but that's about the only positive thing you can say about the Hawks. What does the future hold for the Atlanta Hawks management team?
Stephen A. Smith: Well, you just said it, the new arena is the most positive thing about the Hawks right now. If you look at their situation they have relegated themselves to being arguably one of the laughingstocks of this league.
You constantly hear reports that Lenny Wilkens may or may not be there after this season. You have a lot of people saying that Isiah Thomas is a leading candidate to replace him. They point to the fact and that Thomas has sold his home in Michigan and is building a house in Atlanta. But I spoke to Isiah Friday night and he told me that he and his family have been building that house for the past year, that it has absolutely nothing to do with the Hawks organization or an imminent job offer. He is building a house in Atlanta because that is where he and his family want to live and that's all there is to it.
Then there is the Pete Babcock situation. Everyone is saying the Hawks need a big name general manager but team president Stan Kasten has not indicated that he will let go of Babcock. So you are looking at a team that is in shambles, especially with the new luxury tax coming into play. They don't seem to have a plan and that is unfortunate.
AA: The Blazers are the third seed in the West, they have won a lot of ball games, they have good players. But should Mike Dunleavy be concerned?
SS: Oh, yes, he should be concerned. They have won over 50 games but they have been struggling as of late. Remember Paul Allen paid a lot of money to put this team together and he did not pay this money so that these guys could go back to the Western Conference finals, get swept and watch the NBA Finals on television. That is not what Paul Allen is paying his money for. He wants results, he feels that this team is deep and has the personnel to get the job done. And if they don't have a good showing in the playoffs, if they don't go deep into the Western Conference series and play well, probably against the Lakers, Mike Dunleavy could very well be looking for a new job this summer.
AA: With George Lynch out, Toni Kukoc is starting for the 76ers. Kukoc would prefer to start, but the Sixers actually have a better winning percentage when he comes off the bench. Stephen, what's best for Philadelphia, Kukoc starting or coming off the bench?
SS: I think Kukoc coming off the bench because when he comes off the bench, then you have George Lynch in the starting lineup and he gives the Sixers that defensive presence, that tough rebounding, rough, rugged and raw kind of play that the they so desperately lacked in their three-game losing streak to close out that five-game West Coast swing. Coach Larry Brown has said on many occasions Lynch gives them that toughness, which is what they need. Then they get Kukoc's offense coming off the bench and that is when they are at their very best.
| ||||||||||||||||
