Michael Stewart May Be Coming To Boston... For A Meeting

[Way Of The Ray <wayray@ix.netcom.com>]

                                   [THE SACRAMENTO BEE]
                                Petrie: Close to the vest -- Is he
                                poker-faced or just bluffing?

                                By Martin McNeal
                                Bee Staff Writer
                                (Published Jan. 18, 1999)
     
                                Kings vice president Geoff Petrie is
                                not showing his free-agency cards,
                                can't see them himself or doesn't have
                                any.
    
                                "Totally noncommittal" was how Petrie
                                described his public stance on his
                                attempt to make free-agent headway
                                Sunday night.
                
                                Petrie admitted to meeting with
                                free-agent center Michael "Yogi"
                                Stewart and his agent, Bill Duffy.
                                Though Petrie wouldn't say so, Stewart
                                may be on his way out the door in
                                search of much more guaranteed cash.
  
                                Stewart and Duffy are headed to
                                Toronto tonight to meet with Raptors
                                officials and then could move on to
                                Boston.
    
                                "I have a good feeling that Yogi and I
                                will know what's up by Tuesday
                                morning," said Duffy, who also met new
                                Kings owners Gavin and Joe Maloof and
                                lame-duck owner Jim Thomas.
    
                                It was clear by Duffy's tone that he
                                was disappointed in the Kings' offer.
    
                                "I guess we have a different
                                perception of Yogi's value," said
                                Duffy, 39. "I'm looking at it in terms
                                of his future value. The Maloofs are
                                great guys, and it was great to meet
                                them. It was interesting to sit down
                                with owners that were my age. I know
                                they are at least in my range."
   
                                Stewart appears to have options with
                                several teams that are willing to pay
                                him more. In some instances, he would
                                receive more playing time than he can
                                expect in Sacramento. Toronto and
                                Boston have designs on Stewart as a
                                starter, while the Kings prefer to
                                have the shot-blocker deluxe come off
                                the bench.
   
                                Orlando also is interested in Stewart
                                and has approximately $3 million it
                                could spend on him.

                                The Magic hopes to sign free agent
                                Isaac Austin, whose agent, Paco
                                Belassen, also has talked seriously
                                with Petrie. If Austin does not sign
                                with the Magic, however, Orlando could
                                turn to Stewart.

                                Sacramento has continued its
                                conversation with the representative
                                of forward Clifford Robinson, Brad
                                Marshall. Early on, it appeared that
                                Robinson was headed to Detroit, but
                                his price may have been too steep.

                                Robinson also is tied to the Antonio
                                McDyess situation. If McDyess moves to
                                Denver, as many people expect, that
                                would clear more than $7 million of
                                salary-cap space on Phoenix's roster.
                                The Suns then would be much more
                                attractive financially to Robinson,
                                who last season was paid far under
                                market value, receiving a $1 million
                                league exception with the Suns.

                                The 6-foot-10 Robinson likely would be
                                the first frontcourt fall-back for the
                                Kings if they cannot sign Vlade Divac
                                or Austin. Not far behind Robinson
                                could be another former Phoenix
                                player, John "Hot Rod" Williams.

                                Petrie and other league executives may
                                have more time to work on their
                                free-agent matters. Commissioner David
                                Stern and players association
                                executive director Billy Hunter told
                                the league's rookies that the
                                beginning of training camp likely will
                                be pushed back until Wednesday or
                                Thursday while the collective
                                bargaining agreement is put to paper.

                                Meanwhile, Petrie is attempting to
                                sort through truths, half-truths and
                                out-and-out lies that are part of this
                                process.

                                "I think you can define whether there
                                is any interest or any chance of
                                getting a player," he said. "Beyond
                                that, people are mulling their
                                options. Really, there are seven or
                                eight players, then there are a lot of
                                guys, and behind them are a lot of
                                other guys. I'm getting calls from
                                what agents say they think their
                                players can get.

                                "Some say their players can get $5
                                million when really they probably can
                                only get $1.75 million or just the
                                veteran exception." <snip>
                              
                                   Copyright © The Sacramento Bee