Kukoc gives Philadelphia more freedom to maneuver

Sporting News, The, Feb 28, 2000 by Dave D'Alessandro

I won't miss the trade deadline, because general managers derive such pleasure from being deceptive, while all they're doing is partaking in the same annual scavenger hunt to find some goober they probably should anoint as The Guy Who Will Make Us Less Awful Than We Were Yesterday.

I won't miss the trade deadline because an increasing number of these rumors are being spawned by website geeks who you'd swear were incapable of engendering anything after being exposed to all those hours of PC radiation.

I won't miss the trade deadline because some tabloid twit regards "conversation" between teams as a basis for a "potential deal" because they had "serious discussion" about actual players on their rosters--overlooking the fact that this is all that general managers can do 28 times a day to justify their absurdly inflated salaries.

And I won't miss the trade deadline because some chat show gasbag will report the rumor as fact, call in an "expert" to proclaim whether it is "good" or "bad" for the team, and then basically ignore the team for the rest of the season regardless of what happened because pitchers and catchers are doing something more important, such as jumping jacks.

Just the same, I congratulate the Philadelphia 76ers for actually doing something worth yakking about before the deadline passed last Thursday. In one magnificent stroke, they transformed a run-of-the-mill second-rounder into a legit title contender by addressing a half-dozen glaring needs with the acquisition of a single player.

Toni Kukoc is a better post scorer than anyone they had.

Toni Kukoc is a better catch-and-shoot player than anyone they had.

Toni Kukoc is a better off-the-dribble passer than anyone they had.

Toni Kukoc is a more playoff-experienced player than anyone they had.

Toni Kukoc is more of a magnet for double-teams than anyone they had.

Toni Kukoc is a better long-range shooter than anyone they had.

Upshot: "It means I don't have any more excuses," Allen Iverson says. "It's going to be tough for people to double-team me and leave him open on the floor. It'll be tough to defend and stop him in the post. I think he helps us with his all-around game, because he can pass, and he can shoot. And he has the leadership we need, because he's been there. He adds a whole lot."

That about covers it.

Larry Brown and Billy King really went about this the right way after signing on with an NBA laughingstock two years ago. Did they make mistakes? Sure, two whoppers: They botched a chance to twin Keith Van Horn and Paul Pierce up front, instead settling for Tim Thomas and Larry Hughes. But they also stripped the roster, took some chances and rebuilt with a heavy emphasis on defense. They patiently waited for Iverson to become a superstar, which he did, right on schedule. They surrounded him with very tough, selfless, defensive-minded role players. And now they've added a major piece to ensure that Iverson isn't the only one who has to carry the offense every night anymore, as Kukoc is one of the most versatile offensive players in the league.

"This puts us in a position to be as competitive as anybody in the East," says King, the G.M., and it's really hard to dispute that. The Sixers were a modest 27-23 when they made this deal--good enough to grab a spot in the first tier of the playoffs, seize the homecourt for the first round, and probably advance to the second.

But Kukoc changes all that. Versatility is the name of the game nowadays. The players to watch in the East are guys such as Latrell Sprewell, Jalen Rose, Eddie Jones, Vince Carter and, of course, Grant Hill--guys who can play two positions, match up with three, put numbers up across the board and score from any place on the floor. Kukoc can do all that, and he's 6-11.

Sure, he's not a very good defender, but the Sixers have a surplus of great defenders. George Lynch can guard fours and Kukoc can guard postup threes. Theo Ratliff is a top-five shot-blocker. Tyrone Hill is still an excellent post defender. Eric Snow is one of the few point guards in the league who can guard any two-guard, which may be his greatest asset.

Brown will find a way to make Kukoc a matchup headache every night. "I can pretty much do everything," Kukoc agrees. "I know myself, I know my game. I think I can bring a lot of different things to an offense."

Mostly, Philly has waited until now to bring a suitable sidekick to Iverson's floor show. They should make a splendid tandem: Not only is Kukoc remarkably creative offensively, he also learned during the Chicago dynasty how important it could be to just stay out of the star's way, work with the rhythm of the offense and get in the fight position for his knock-down shot.

About the only misgiving one could have about this trade is the doubt surrounding Kukoc's plans. I don't recall him ever mentioning Philadelphia as one of the cities he'd like to settle in. When he becomes a free agent this summer, the Sixers may learn that he has no plans on sticking around. For now, it seems like a risk worth taking: Herb Rudoy, his agent, has told King that Kukoc isn't making any plans to disappear after the season--isn't even making plans to make plans. That's an underrated blessing. Had Glen Rice been brought aboard, his agent's preoccupation with preparing his client for the next gig would have been a distraction for the rest of the season.