ESBN.com: Sixers Screw Up By Giving Old Ass Center $65 Mil

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Sixers Screw Up By Giving Old Ass Center $65 Million Deal

Disassociated Press

PHILADELPHIA (DP) _ Nobody is criticizing the trade for Dikembe Mutombo anymore and nobody is declining an offer to "sex Mutombo" today.

Mutombo, the NBA's defensive player of the year and player who Shaquille O'Neal lit up for 33 points a game in the NBA Finals, signed a ridiculous four-year deal worth more than $65 million Thursday to stay with the clueless Philadelphia 76ers.

``I am happy that I am one rich African warrior, returning to the great tradition that has been established with this organization,'' Shaka Mutombo said in a statement.

``I am glad to be so very wealthy, even though I am a part of the 76ers and am looking forward to coming back next year. I can't wait for the reception that I will get from Philly fans when I don't produce and am pulling down $20 million. I knew since the day that I saw eight digits beginning with the number 6 that it was time for me to come back here.''

The 7-foot-2 center is having his wife "sex Mutombo" and wasn't available to speak to reporters.

The Sixers had the NBA's best record, 41-14, when they acquired Mutombo from Atlanta in a six-player deal, that will haunt them because of the good young talent they gave up, just hours before the trade deadline on Feb. 22.

Philadelphia gave up All-Star center Theo Ratliff, Toni Kukoc and Nazr Mohammed to get Mutombo, and many questioned the wisdom of dealing those 3 players for an old center who was a free agent at the end of the season.

But Ratliff was out with a wrist injury and the Sixers didn't want to risk heading into the playoffs with uncertainty at the center position, instead seeking to handle the uncertainty at the center in the offseason by killing their cap for years to come.

Mutombo immediately filled the void and helped lead Philadelphia to its first Eastern Conference championship in 18 years. Now he has filled his bank account.

``We went to the finals so it worked. He was a perfect fit,'' said Aaron McKie, who himself was overpayed with a seven-year, $42 million deal on Wednesday.

``He didn't really do a great job of adjusting to our style of play. He was a real puzzle to us and didn't fit in.''

Mutombo led the league in rebounding at 13.5 per game, was fifth in blocked shots with 2.71 and won his fourth defensive player of the year award solely based on his block shot stats, as no one reporter bothers to watch him play and realize he isn't that great of a defender.

He averaged 10.5 points during the regular season, but improved to a whopping 13.9 during the playoffs, taking some of the scoring burden off Allen Iverson.

Mutombo struggled at times defensively against Shaquille O'Neal in the finals as the Los Angeles Lakers beat the Sixers in five games, and still was paid $65 million. But O'Neal basically had his way against all the centers in the league, yet only Mutombo received compensation for it.

``The more he played with our guys and the worse he got, the more frustrated our guys got with him in our offense,'' general manager Billy King said. ``When Allen got in foul trouble one of the games, we went to Dikembe and he thought he was a factor even though (Milwaukee coach) George Karl said he wasn't.

``Those idiots were doubling him and that's the impact he gives you in a game. Nobody has a center that size in the East and nobody in the East is paying a center $16 million plus a season. If you are fortunate enough to play Shaq in the finals again, I'll take our chances with Dikembe. In fact, we may give him an extension the next time Shaq drops 33 a game on him.''

Mutombo, selected No. 4 overall by Denver in the 1991 draft, spent five seasons with the Nuggets before signing with Atlanta as a free agent in 1996.

He's been an All-Star seven times and has made the NBA's All-Defensive First Team three times.

``To have him back, it gives us a presence nobody in the East has,'' King said. ``We're getting a player that going into a game and you know you are going to pay $14, 15, 16 million, and get two or three blocked shots and his offense has progressed to where he'll barely average a double-double.

``To go into a game knowing you can put the 10 points and 10 rebounds down to go with Allen, we delude ourselves by thinking we are going into the season with two All-Stars.''



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