| | You can make a pretty good bet today that by month's end Shawn Kemp will be in Portland and Brian Grant will be able to step in as the starting power forward with the Miami Heat.
|  | | Shawn Kemp gets noticed more these days for his contract and girth than for points and boards. |
People who know say this is a done deal, awaiting only detail work. Assuming that all goes well I would like to place in nomination the name of Jim Paxson of the Cleveland Cavaliers for the honor of executive of the year.
That's right, the general manager who will come out of this with the contracts of Dan Majerle, Clarence Weatherspoon and Chris Gatling is making the big move here.
No. I haven't lost my mind, because Cleveland will have regained control of its future.
A few months ago, Kemp appeared to be the man least likely to be dealt anywhere. He has tarnished his career with selfish and willful performance that only worsened after he landed in Cleveland for more than $90 million three years ago. His huge weight gain, his churlish attitude, his disregard for the welfare of anyone but himself made Kemp an enormous burden in Cleveland. Fans in the blue collar town couldn't relate to him at all.
But his contract, instigated by ex-Cleveland coach Mike Fratello and ordered by owner Gordon Gund, is one of the scariest in the history of professional sports. Here's why: In the final two years of his contract, when Kemp will be 33 years old and maybe 10 times that number in pounds, he will be paid $21.5 million and $25 million. That he makes $11.72 million this season and $12.66 the next winter is scary enough.
This might not matter to Paul Allen, to whom a payroll tax is only a mosquito. But Kemp is coming off the kind of season that scares more prudent men. While averaging 17.8 ppg., he shot .415 because he can't go inside much any more. Since he was out of shape and averaged 4.5 personals, Kemp only averaged 31 minutes a game. Anyone who saw him ranting at referees and scowling at teammates knew that four more years of Kemp would utterly bury the Cavs.
Will he be a better man in Portland? Not likely. For one thing, he won't start and he won't like that. He won't get a lot of shots when he plays and he won't like that, either. Kemp playing behind Rasheed Wallace may look good on a depth chart, but these are two emotional children. You wouldn't let them play in the same room.
That brings us to Grant, who stands to make $90 million with the Heat. That's a nice wage for a guy who has never averaged double figure rebounds, and last scored 14.4 ppg. with Sacramento in 1995-'96, his second year in the league. Grant missed 58 games the following season, 34 games in '98-99 and 19 last season when he produced 7.3 ppg., 5.4 rebounds.
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| Grant |
Grant is no Karl Malone, but he is a solid citizen and a pretty good player, maybe a lot better than P.J. Brown but certainly not as durable. Still his presence in a Miami uniform is enough to scare one NBA executive.
Nets president Rod Thorn noted a lineup of Grant, Alonzo Mourning, Anthony Mason, Eddie Jones and Tim Hardaway and said, "Heck, can you believe that front line. Wow! Wow! That'd be tough. I would say they would become a prime contender. I give Pat Riley credit. He's doing a heck of a job of getting ready over there."
With the Heat fading, Riley had to strip his bench to improve his lineup. Voshon Lenard and Otis Thorpe are gone. This deal removes the venerable Majerle, who threatens retirement, plus Weatherspoon and Gatling, who was acquired two months ago (and can't be moved until Aug. 26 by league rules).
If Grant goes down or Mason continues his self-destructive habits, the Heat will have a tough time. If they hold up, Riley's good gamble might get him to the NBA Finals where Shaq and Kobe can make everything irrelevant.
Around The League
Let met tell you my Jerry West story.
It was April 29, 1970, West sank a buzzer shot, three-quarters court, over Willis Reed's desperate reach, in the third game of the NBA Finals at the Forum. Worth two points in those days, West's heave pushed the game into overtime before the very under-appreciated Dick Barnett saved the Knicks in a 111-108 game.
Overcome with emotion, West sat in the training room and wept for a long time while a group of New York writers waited on him. With the hour already late, one of our group asked the Lakers trainer to ask West if we could talk to him about the game and his magical shot.
The trainer whispered our request to the devastated Lakers guard, who said he would be with us in five minutes. And he was. West pulled himself together and talked through his tears. I don't remember a word of it, but I will never forget the gesture.
Remember when Magic Johnson decided last season he would adopt Allen Iverson and help him grow up? Well, Johnson staged his annual summer game for black college charities. Iverson promised to be there and was a no-show. Does he also blame this one on Larry Brown?
In Dallas Mark Cuban is still peddling the same load of trash. He offered Hot Rod Williams, Shawn Bradley and Robert Pack to Cleveland for Shawn Kemp. Last spring he tried to package that group to Atlanta for Dikembe Mutombo. At least he's going to get Howard Eisley any day now for the the middle class exception to man the point. Of course, that also gives the Mavericks 18 players. Note that's a few too many.
Jeffrey Denberg, who covers the NBA for the Atlanta Journal-Constitution, is a regular contributor to ESPN.com. | |
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