sport374.htm

[David A Wickerham <aw623@freenet.buffalo.edu> (by way of wickerhd@nyslgti.gen.ny.us (Dave Wickerham))]

   The Denver Post Online
   
                                   Sports
                                      
                    Other paths exist to track Van Horn
                                      
   By Mike Monroe
   Denver Post Sports Writer
   
   June 22 - Don't give up on seeing Keith Van Horn in a Denver Nuggets
   uniform after Wednesday's draft.
   
   The Denver Nuggets haven't.
   
   Though the Friday trade that sent Clarence Weatherspoon and Michael
   Cage from the Philadelphia 76ers to the Boston Celtics for Dino Radja
   blew out of the water Denver's proposed trade of Ervin Johnson and the
   fifth pick in the first round for Cage and the second pick - to be
   used to draft Van Horn - it may have created one possibility that
   still could bring Van Horn to Denver.
   
   Here it is:
   
     San Antonio, of course, makes Wake Forest center Tim Duncan the
   first pick.
   
     Philadelphia uses the second pick to draft Colorado guard Chauncey
   Billups.
   
     Boston makes Texas Tech center/forward Tony Battie the third pick.
   
     Vancouver drafts Van Horn.
   
     Denver takes Bowling Green point guard Antonio Daniels.
   
     The Nuggets trade the rights to Daniels, plus veteran guard Dale
   Ellis to the Grizzlies for the rights to Van Horn, plus Grizzlies
   forward Eric Mobley.
   
   Voila! The Nuggets get Van Horn and they get to keep Johnson.
   
   The Celtics hold the key to unlocking the scenario. Because they gave
   up Radja, their best big man, and got only a small forward and a power
   player long past his prime, they now need a big man. Battie is the
   second-best big man available, and Boston may use the third pick to
   take him.
   
   Celtics coach Rick Pitino has Battie on his very short list of players
   on which he is willing to expend the first of the Celtics' two
   first-round picks, the third choice overall. The others are Billups
   and Van Horn.
   
   Billups, most believe, is at the top of Pitino's short list; Battie at
   the bottom.
   
   But if the 76ers draft Billups, the Celtics might see Battie as a
   better pick than Van Horn.
   
   Don't laugh at the notion Philadelphia might take Billups. Rookie of
   the Year Allan Iverson, who played the point last season, would become
   the 76ers' shooting guard, which is what he is anyway, with Billups
   manning the point and defending the big guards. Jerry Stackhouse would
   move down to Weatherspoon's small forward position, with Radja at
   power forward.
   
   Battie's stock has gone up and down like an over-the-counter high-tech
   initial public offering, but appears to be on the rise again, at the
   most opportune of times for him. It now appears unlikely he will not
   be one of the top four picks.
   
   The Van Horn scenario, though, is a long shot.
   
   Here is what is most likely to happen for the Nuggets on Wednesday:
   
     The first four players taken, in order, are Duncan, Battie, Van Horn
   and Billups.
   
     The Nuggets use the fifth pick to take Cincinnati's Danny Fortson,
   the muscular forward who reminds observers of Calvin Natt, at least as
   far as his physicality and athleticism.
   
     The Nuggets trade Johnson to the Toronto Raptors for the ninth
   selection, plus Popeye Jones, then use the ninth pick to take Antonio
   Daniels, who slides past six, seven and eight. Whatever they do
   Wednesday, the Nuggets can't afford to be timid ... or wrong
   
   Camp Kemp 
   
   Sonics management still is angry with Shawn Kemp for his oh-so-public
   demand to be traded and vow he never would wear a Sonics uniform
   again. But they insist they can bridge the obvious gap between their
   star forward and the organization.
   
   Coach George Karl last week said he doesn't see any trades that would
   help the Sonics, and that he thinks everything will work out with
   Kemp.
   
   "There's been a lot of situations where players have said things and
   then months later regrouped and moved forward, and that's my desire
   right now,'' Karl said. "I don't think we should throw away the great
   years that we've had, that foundation that we built. Shawn has been a
   big force in that. I just don't think it's time for a change.''
   
   "I'm not going to deny that his commentary is disappointing. But
   analyzing how he did it, why he did it, that's too much judgment of
   him. I still want to hear it, man-to-man and across my desk.''
   
   "We have to get better this summer and trading Shawn Kemp probably
   doesn't make us better.''
   
   Fast breaks 
   
   What do you do if you've got one of the last five or six picks, as do
   the Rockets, picking 24th? "We can always take Tim Duncan,'' Houston
   coach Rudy Tomjanovich said, "if he slides.'' ... How much is it going
   to cost the Knicks to re-sign Patrick Ewing, a free agent represented
   by David Falk, who got $12-$14 million-a-year deals for Pat's pals,
   Alonzo Mourning and Dikembe Mutombo? At least that much, and the
   Knicks had better be quick about it. "I'm cautiously optimistic,''
   Falk says. "I will say this: As an expression of good will for
   everything he has done for the Knicks the past 12 years, I would like
   to see it get done in one day.'' ...
   
   Pat Burke, the 6-11, Irish-born center from Auburn, hopes to cash in
   if he's picked in the first round. "I'm looking to get that big Irish
   Spring endorsement,'' he said.
   
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