Bibby battle rages on - Shortly after
Vancouver Sun
columnist Gary Mason scribbled earlier this week that
Mike Bibby might be the most likely of the Grizzlies' to be
moved,
Rick Pitino quickly
waded in. 'If that
is true, you're getting a dominating-type point guard for the next 10 years,'
Pitino told the
Boston Herald. 'But again, that's conjecture whether
(Bibby being shopped) is true and I don't want to come off
tampering. The Celtics have tried for months to get PF
Othella
Harrington, and are struggling at 9-15 with a
broken backcourt and
three potential first-round draft picks to dangle as bait. Grizz
coach Sidney Lowe said Pitino's comments were
out of line - 'it just sends a
bad taste in the players' mouth, management, the team' - but left Bibby's status
open to interpretation. 'I told Mike not to listen to what he's hearing,' said
Lowe. 'I told him don't think about that, don't worry about that stuff.' Bibby
has recently balked at providing the kind of hard-nosed intensity and leadership
Lowe is demanding. Bibby, who will likely be difficult to re-sign when his first
contract is up, does say the team needs a shakeup. 'I think we do need a change. ... you just need to go with
something different,' he said, though he
didn't know what that change should be. 'I've been thinking to myself, and
I talked to my mom and stuff - if [trading him] is what they think is best, then
that's best for the team. 'I love all the guys here, regardless of what happens.
But like I say, if there needs to be a change, they're the top people in charge
and it's their team.'