Thursday, February 6, 1997
COMMENTARY:
Warriors’ Mullin strong player but frankly just isn’t worth
it
By now you’ve doubtlessly heard all the buzz out of Oakland
about Warriors’ forward Chris Mullin wanting to be traded to a
contender so he can have a chance at a title before his career
ends. According to the rumors, the team would like to oblige their
"Dream Teamer" to repay all of his years of loyalty, but are leery
of making yet another bone-headed trade (see Hardaway, Tim; Webber,
Chris; Gugliotta, Tom; Gatling, Chris; Richmond, Mitch; Seikaly,
Rony; Hill, Tyrone; etc.)
The problem for Mully is two-fold: even if the Golden State
brass deem to grant him an early release from the mental asylum
that they call a team, their are only a few contenders who might
want a slow-footed but sweet-shooting small forward with a tendency
for physical breakdown.
The contenders in the Chris Mullin sweepstakes (to be held
sometime between now and the Feb. 20 trading deadline), in no
particular order:
Seattle and Miami: The Sonics would love a guy like Mullin to
come off the bench and spark the offense, and Mullin would likely
slide right into the starting lineup for the Heat, but what can
either of them really offer in return? What little bench they have
is made up of guys even older than Mullin, and with stars like
Payton, Kemp, and ‘Zo around, their draft picks aren’t likely to
come from the lottery any time soon. Hardly what the rebuilding
Warriors, who are demanding equal value for Mully, would want.
New York: No cap room, plenty of forwards and big guards.
Chicago: There’s an expression in advertising: "Don’t f#*k with
Fritos," meaning that if something works, leave it alone. True,
Mullin would be a perfect fit in the Bulls’ triangle offense (a
system which emphasizes ball movement and the ability to hit the
15-20 foot jumper), and yes, this is the obvious place for Mullin
to go if it’s a title he wants. But if you’re the Bulls, why tinker
with a team that is on a 70-win pace again?
Detroit: The Pistons might just be the most intriguing
possibility. Are they a young team or an old team? Their starting
lineup features such up-and-comers as Grant Hill and Lindsay
Hunter, side-by-side with senior citizens Otis Thorpe and Joe
Dumars. As of Wednesday they had the third-best record in the
league, so the addition of Mullin would only narrow the gap between
them and the Bulls. From the Warriors’ prospective, Detroit may not
have any draft picks to spare, but they do have an anonymous but
talented, stockpile of young players (e.g. Randolph Childress, Theo
Ratliff, Jerome Williams) that would fit Golden State’s needs.
Utah and Houston: The two most likely scenarios, the NBA’s
geriatric wards are each a player away from true contention. Mullin
could be that player. Both teams have a gaping hole at small
forward (Bryon Russell and Mario Elie? Please.) and are veteran
enough to quickly incorporate a new player into their systems. And,
in Houston’s case, there wouldn’t be any flack from the man Mullin
would replace in the starting lineup; he and Elie were high school
teammates and played together for a few years at Golden State.
Neither the Jazz nor the Rockets can really offer anything more
than draft picks, but those will at least be worth something in a
year or two when the bulk of these teams’ talent retires.
My prediction is if the Rockets get Mullin (and if he’s healthy
for the playoffs), they take the Bulls in seven.
Lakers: Why? Unless it’s as a role model or tutor for Kobe
Bryant, there’s just not a need for him on this team. Yes, his
three-point shooting would provide useful air-cover for Shaq, but
at what price? Magic’s return last year proved just how fragile
this young team’s chemistry can be, and Jerry West would have to be
hesitant to take that chance again. And, Mullin’s presence might
retard the growth of the Lakers’ three heralded rookies by cutting
into their playing time. Mullin, we love ya’, but you’re just not
worth it.
Kariakin is a Daily Bruin columnist. E-mail responses to
rkariakin@media.ucla.edu.