According to Pistons Coach & GM Doug Collins, "just about
every deal" made before Thursday's trading deadline was "to clear
money" under the cap. Collins: "Nobody makes trades to help
their team anymore." In Tampa, Bill Fay writes, "The message to
the fans is the same one baseball sent years ago and football is
following now: Don't get too attached to the players on your
favorite team. This is not a good trend for basketball" (TAMPA
TRIBUNE, 2/25).
STERN REPRISAL? "If you think the league has forgotten
David Falk's role in the attempted decertification of the union
last year, you're wrong," according to ESPN's David Aldridge.
While Falk has always received All-Star tickets through the
league, this year they "mysteriously" wanted a request in
writing. Aldridge: "He did that, and then the league told him
there were no tickets for him. He got tickets anyway through a
friend, and he's got a long memory. He told the league and
reminded them since he has seven All-Stars in the game this year,
next year he might just have a vacation for all his players in
Bermuda -- maybe around the second week in February"
("SportsCenter," 2/23).
