 |
 |   |
|
EVENTS Fantasy Central Inside Game Multimedia Central Statitudes Your Turn Message Boards Email Newsletters Golf Guide Cities Work in Sports
CNNSI.com GROUP
COMMERCE |  |
Jordan welcome NBA must address conflict of interest issues
Posted: Thursday January 20, 2000 09:07 AM
Having Michael Jordan join the Washington Wizards' organization would be beneficial for the NBA in any number of ways. But there is one aspect that should concern league officials: the potential conflict of interest involving Jordan and David Falk, his agent and business partner. Among Falk's clients are Juwan Howard, Jalen Rose, Keith Van Horn, Rod Strickland and Kerry Kittles. Would Falk steer players he represents to the Wizards, or away from their division rivals because he has a financial interest in Jordan's success? Would Jordan be more likely to sign Falk's clients or be more generous to them in contract negotiations because Falk has helped him make millions in the past? Even if none of those things happened, Jordan's motives could be questioned every time he made a move that involved a Falk client, even indirectly. That's why his first move, whenever he joins an NBA front office or ownership group, should be to sever all business ties with Falk. Taylor madeAnother Falk client, Clippers power forward Maurice Taylor, would seem to be one of the most attractive players on the block as the February 24 trade deadline approaches. But one general manager tells me that Falk and Taylor, whose contract expires at the end of this season, have put out the word that he will not re-sign with any team that trades for him this year. Why? Taylor and Falk are apparently so angry that owner Donald Sterling refused to offer him the maximum $71 million extension that they want to make sure the Clippers can't find a taker for him. That would allow Taylor to walk away at the end of the season with Sterling getting nothing in return. Kemp over the hill?The Cleveland Cavaliers and Philadelphia 76ers talked about a deal that would have sent Cavs forward Shawn Kemp to the Sixers for center Matt Geiger and guard Larry Hughes. But Philadelphia backed away from the deal because Kemp will make $45 million over the next two years. The Cavaliers have found that Kemp isn't the explosive player he was even a few years ago. Extra weight, combined with the pounding he takes when he plays out of position at center, have made Kemp what one scout described as "a very old 30."
Sports Illustrated senior writer Phil Taylor covers the NBA and appears regularly on CNN/Sports Illustrated and CNN's This Week in the NBA.
| ||||||||||||||||||||
