He doesn’t play as much as he’d like, and he knows he can contribute. But it’s all about what’s best for the team and what’s best for the game. What a unique thought, eh, Stephon Marbury?
No one is going to or should compare Toni Kukoc to Marbury, the angry Knicks guard whose spectacle with coach Larry Brown last week was contemptible and an embarrassment to the NBA.
In summary, Marbury said Brown’s way of coaching is not working.
“I think the people in New York want to know what he’s going to do as far as us winning. What happened in the past is in the past,” Marbury said, adding he thought Brown was showing “insecurities.” That was in response to Brown saying, “I never left any team in worse shape than I got it. Think about me, and think about the guy who’s talking.”
Everyone in the NBA was appalled by the puerile scene, so I thought about talking to one of the true pros of the game, Kukoc. Some would point to Drazen Petrovic, but Kukoc probably was the first big European figure to make an impact on the NBA. He was recruited heavily by the Bulls in 1991 and went on to become an NBA Sixth Man winner and a key player on three championship teams.
Kukoc, 37, is playing less than he ever has for the Bucks. He was scoreless in one brief appearance this month and had just bit parts in seven games last month.
“I know there will come a day when I have to say goodbye to basketball,” Kukoc says. “But I don’t feel that way yet. I still feel I can play 15 to 20 minutes every once in a while and help a team.”
But he isn’t about to complain. Actually, despite the perception, most in the NBA don’t.
“My thing is always the team you play for, trying to make the best of it,” Kukoc says. “You don’t go out and say, `I want to be traded, I’m not playing.’ That shows no loyalty at all. What is the point of that?”
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This is the 13th season for Kukoc, the Bucks being his fourth stop, and more than ever Kukoc appreciates Chicago. He said he has learned that the Bulls, and especially coach Phil Jackson, understood what it takes to be successful.
“For some reason, we had everything going toward one goal,” Kukoc says. “I’ve played with a few teams where everybody doesn’t have the same idea of how things are supposed to be done, helping each other on the court, liking each other off the court. I have not seen that often. In Europe, my home team had that and then when I went to the NBA, we had that. So for me, it seemed normal. It’s not that it is bad guys, but they all have their idea of how it is to be done and they’re not willing to give in.
“My eyes were opened once I left Chicago. You then understand why Phil wanted mature players. It’s more important guys know the game than being athletic. You’ve got to have some athleticism, but a knowledge of the game is more important. It’s more important than even talent. You’ve got to have talented individuals, but you have to have five guys willing to work with each other with guys coming off the bench to work with each other. Basketball is more team oriented than soccer, hockey. That’s who wins the championships.
“Look at San Antonio and Detroit. Detroit, they have a good point guard, but you can name five better. But [Chauncey] Billups is great for that team. Rasheed Wallace, Rip Hamilton, Ben Wallace, Tayshaun Prince, you can say for all their positions there are better guys, but with each other they make a perfect team. That’s why they win games.”
Everyone quotes Marbury. But they should listen to Kukoc.
Now back to Marbury
It seems obvious by now that the guy who must go in New York is Marbury, especially with a more likable and manageable Steve Francis on board.
The one deal that makes sense for both sides is to send him to Minnesota. Although most around the NBA figure another playoff flop will have the Timberwolves trolling for offers for Kevin Garnett, they’ll probably take one more shot with Garnett and try to get a fourth-quarter finisher.
Marbury may be the best possibility. Of course, he forced his way out of Minnesota after telling team officials he couldn’t play with someone (Garnett) who made more money. But you figure Marbury would be amenable now to ABL, Anyone But Larry.
The Knicks would have to get something, so figure the Timberwolves could give up Trenton Hassell, a Brown-type role player, while the Timberwolves would be eager to dump the long, unwanted contracts of Troy Hudson, Marko Jaric and Eddie Griffin. With the contracts of Marbury and Garnett ending together, the Timberwolves could make a case to ride it out with them and then rebuild while adding a player in the off-season to accommodate Garnett.
Pip’s scouting report
Scottie Pippen has been watching some college basketball lately, and if the Bulls are interested, he likes Arkansas’ Ronnie Brewer.
“He has a lot of my characteristics,” says Pippen, now a main studio analyst for ABC-TV’s NBA games with Dan Patrick and Mark Jackson. “He’s very talented and can be a solid point forward. He works defensively all over the place, more than any of the top players I’ve seen. (As for his unconventional shot), after watching Shawn Marion shoot, I don’t judge a shot. I’d take him over the big names, [Adam] Morrison and [J.J.] Redick. Maybe the one kid, Morrison, is a first-round pick, but Redick looks like a second-rounder to me unless someone is looking for that kind of player who can [just hit a shot]. But I don’t know about him at the NBA level. The NBA game isn’t built on coming off all those screens. You can challenge a small guy like that. I haven’t seen him beat too many off the dribble. [Rudy] Gay is nice, the LSU guy (Tyrus Thomas), I see a lot of upside with him.”
Assist to Cartwright
Nets coach Lawrence Frank was explaining to reporters how the Nets sniffed out a Lakers last play to clinch a win last week. But Jackson said he realized Nets assistant Bill Cartwright saw what was coming. “He was my assistant [on the Bulls] and played for us,” Jackson said. Nets assistants are not permitted to speak to reporters, but Frank said of Cartwright: “He’s invaluable. Here’s a man who was an all-time great prep player, college All-American, NBA All-Star, NBA champion, and he’s as modest and humble as anyone you’d ever find.”
Vice advice
The night before a game in cities like New York, Miami and Los Angeles can be distracting for teams, so Cavs coach Mike Brown tried something different. He designated the Miami trip as one on which players should bring wives or girlfriends. The Cavs lost. . . . As Larry Brown gets more confused in this lost Knicks season, he was asked about Jamal Crawford and said, “I’ve been blessed coaching a lot of great kids. But he’s at the top of the list.” . . . Ron Artest said he was so sure he would be traded from the Pacers to one of the L.A. teams that he got an apartment in Hollywood and signed a nine-month lease. Could be an interesting off-season for the Kings as a result. . . . The Rockets’ Tracy McGrady is out with back problems again, no surprise to those who knew him in Orlando. They say he rarely ever practiced or worked out in the summer to strengthen his back. . . . With the 76ers stuck with the contracts of Allen Iverson and Chris Webber, fingers are starting to point at coach Maurice Cheeks and a supposed lack of good strategy. Meantime, in Boston there continue to be rumors that coach Doc Rivers may want to leave after this season. His family never relocated from Orlando.
Double dribbles
The Spurs are sitting Manu Ginobili because of a leg injury and seem willing to give up the top seed in the West, if necessary. Said coach Gregg Popovich: “That’s the classic dilemma: You want to keep going to win the division, but what’s more important? Being healthy or winning the division?” . . . You can call Jackson a Kobe Bryant fan. Said Jackson, who once labeled Bryant uncoachable: He’s the “consummate pro. On game days he’s here maybe 2 1/2 hours before the game working on things. A lot of players aren’t pushing themselves to that extra effort. He brings the best that he can bring to every game. His effort is pure.” . . . First the Spurs’ Brent Barry had a big few weeks after almost being traded to the Hornets. Now it’s Steven Hunter who is averaging 17 points and 5.8 rebounds the last four games for the 76ers after his trade to the Hornets was rescinded last month.
Final shots
Ray Allen said the Sonics should retain interim coach Bob Hill, who probably will get to stay with the franchise in poor financial condition and not looking to pay a big-time coach. Allen also endorsed Bob Weiss, who was fired after 30 games. . . . Rockets coach Jeff Van Gundy is on flopping patrol, first saying of Detroit’s Reggie Evans, “I’m so sick of watching him flop. I can’t stand it.” And then saying of the Nets’ Jason Collins, “When will Jason Collins hit the floor first? I have it in the first minute. The first possession.” No word if Andres Nocioni was insulted. . . . Clyde Drexler, Terry Porter, Detlef Schrempf and Damon Stoudamire have been mentioned as potential future investors in the Blazers to bail out billionaire Paul Allen. . . . Minnesota assistant Randy Wittman has the endorsement of Mavs owner Mark Cuban and Knicks GM Isiah Thomas to be the next Indiana University coach. . . . Seattle Mayor Greg Nickels said, “The world won’t end” if the Sonics leave town. He suggested they look at Bellevue, Wash., for an arena.
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