Howard and the Heat: the distance is startling

Sporting News, The, Jan 20, 1997 by Shaun Powell

First oft let's not feel sorry for Juwan Howard.

He'll make more money over the next seven years, $105 million, than some countries. He recently talked about plans to build a house with eight bedrooms indoor and outdoor swimming pools, a bowling alley, a theater and a basketball court.

"I want elevators inside my house," Howard says. "That's always been a dream of mine."

But Howard's fairy tale, which began the day he re-signed with his beloved Bullets after a controversial contract with Miami was voided, hasn't turned out so perfect.

When the Bullets played the Heat earlier this week, How-ard returned to Miami for the first time since he was property of the Heat for 18 days last summer. What a contrast. Since their divorce, Howard and the Heat appear to have gone in different directions. Recordwise, Miami is among the top five teams, and Pat Riley is doing one of the all-time great coaching jobs. Meanwhile, Howard and the Bullets are mired in surprising mediocrity, partly because of Howard's initial struggles. And Howard's well-earned good-guy reputation has been dented by a drunken-driving charge last month.

Can you imagine how good Miami would be with Howard? Riley's team is lacking only in talent now. The Heat have two All-Stars and 10 role players. Riley has hypnotized players such as Voshon Lenard into believing they're big-time performers.

With Howard's ability to score 20 points a night, the Heat would've had their much-needed front-line scorer to accompany Alonzo Mourning and would have the tools to put a scare into the Bulls come play-off time.

Riley doesn't like to talk about the woulda-coulda-shoulda in regard to Howard anymore. It's done. Miami is moving on. But Rifey's sore point--other than with David Stern, who nixed the deal--is with Howard and the fact the he didn't fight the matter.

And Riley's point is valid. Two weeks after smiling and holding up a Heat jersey for the TV cameras, Howard was saying he wanted to be in Washington all along. That kind of two-faced betrayal is what disappointed Riley.

"I had to do what was best to take care of me," Howard said recently.

Life with the Bullets could be better. Sure there is Chris Webber, Howard's college teammate and friend. And there is Jimmy Lynam, a coach Howard cares for deeply.

But the Bullets are finding out it's hard to become a contender.

They're the exact opposite of the Heat. They have talent, but they haven't clicked. Slow-footed Gheorghe Muresan, the league's Most Improved Player last season, hasn't improved any further and is slowing down the offense. Howard is getting toasted by quick small forwards and is more effective defensively at power forward--except that's where Webber excels. The Bullets also lack a reliable shooting guard and are in the uncomfortable position of depending heavily upon 3-point specialist Tim Legler when he returns from knee surgery.

Unlike the Heat, the Bullets are no lock for the play-offs. And if they fall into the lottery again, team owner Abe Pollin who spent a lot so he could bring a decent squad to a new arena next season, won't be happy. Lynam could be gone and changes could be made.

Had Howard gone to the Heat, he would have had a do-anything-it-takes owner in Micky Arison, a coach who has authority, a reliable center and 50 victories a season, not to mention a warm-weather residence from November through March.

"There were times during the season when I envisioned what it would be like if I was playing with those guys," Howard says. "I can't sit and lie to you and say I haven't. But I'm happy to be in a Bullets uniform."

We'll see how he feels in April.

Changing address

Cedric Ceballos was an Arizona kind of guy, anyway. He began his career with the Suns. He left the Lakers in midseason last year for Lake Havasu in a snit over his role. So maybe it's appropriate that he's back in a Suns uniform. With Phoenix looking to run with Jason Kidd, Ceballos will thrive in the up" tempo game.

But was the Ceballos trade good for the Lakers?

What the Lakers basically did, trading Ceballos (and Rumeal Robinson) for Robert Horry (and Joe Kleine), was surrender some of their offense for defense and additional 3-point shooting.

Although Ceballos averaged more than 21 points a game last season and is a terrific baseline scorer, his defense was suspect and a sore point with coach Del Harris. The Lakers also are hoping Horry, a dud in Phoenix, will revive his career now that he's back playing with another forceful center. Horry excelled in Houston because defenses left him alone to double on Hakeem Olajuwon. In Phoenix, defenses did not double on Kleine or Hot Rod Williams.

Also, Horry is capable of guarding big guards, small forwards and even power forwards, which he did two years ago during the Rockets' second title run. Defense has been in short supply in Lakerland for years.

Here's what the Lakers don't want to see from Horry: his towel-throwing skills, which are the best in the league, as proved by Horry's toss in Danny Ainge's direction. If Harris ever starts sweating during a game, he'd just as soon wipe himself off without Horry's help.