[Ira Winderman]
Odd deals go down in record time
January 24, 1999
<snip>
Rick Pitino continues to see talent
where others see none. Of adding former
Florida flunky Dwayne Schintzius to his
camp roster, the Celtics coach said,
"Dwayne Schintzius is someone to combat the
Geigers, the Ewings, the people who get the
great size on their roster, because he's a
legit 7-3." Schintzius and "legit" in the
same sentence -- this truly is a bizarre
offseason. Schintzius sat out last season
following ankle surgery. . . .
<snip>
Celtics General Manager Chris Wallace,
the former Heat scouting director, has
dropped 55 of the 246 pounds he was
carrying when he arrived in Boston 18
months ago. "I look like the Ally McBeal of
general managers now," Wallace said. . . .
Yes, that is former Heat center Stacey
King in Philadelphia's camp. Those
King-Benoit Benjamin matchups during
scrimmages should be worth the price of
admission.
Shot-gun wedding
Orlando's Danny Schayes, on having his
rights renounced by the Magic, only to be
brought back for a $1 million paycheck
hours later. "This is the only occupation
where you could get an annulment first and
then consummate the relationship," the
former Heat center said. . . .
Speaking of basketball relationships,
Jazz power forward Karl Malone said his
previous demands for a trade were a case of
emotional frailty. "By me saying I wanted
to play for another team, that was said in
heat of the moment, like with your wife
sometimes," Malone said. "How many times
have you said something to your wife or
husband that you wish you hadn't?" . . .
Backup center Mark Pope made no bones
about just wanting any contract to return
to the Pacers. "If they give me the per
diem, I'm there," he said. "But no less
than per diem. You've got to draw the line
somewhere." . . .
Yet again, Blazers guard Isaiah Rider
is attempting to redefine himself. "I want
to play basketball," he said. "I don't want
to break rules or fight the organization
and the system and be a knucklehead." . . .
Working out with the Lakers last week,
free-agent ingrate Olden Polynice (who
since has signed with Seattle) offered this
about Los Angeles power forward Elden
Campbell: "They can't give him away.
They're trying to, but nobody will take
him."
Chicago blues
Sure, center Bill Wennington said, his
Bulls will stink. It's just that they won't
stink as often as during a normal season.
"That's where this 50-game season comes in
handy," Wennington said. "If there ever was
a good time to be bad, this is the time,
because you won't be able to be bad as long
as you otherwise would." . . .
All the salary-cap space next summer
apparently won't allow the Bulls to conceal
what the glare of Michael Jordan had
obscured all these years. Of possibly
waiting on an extension with the Grizzlies
and instead signing to play in Chicago next
season, forward Shareef Abdur-Rahim said,
"It's kind of cold over there." That from a
guy in Vancouver. . . .
Cavaliers forward Shawn Kemp, on the
media mass at the United Center for
Jordan's retirement announcement, "That's
the fullest that arena is going to be for
almost two years."
Copyright 1999, Sun-Sentinel Co.
and South Florida Interactive, Inc.