Fox Sports Recap - Rice Update

I was expecting someone else to do this, but so far no one so I will.

-Team doctors are expecting a better idea tomorrow. They don't want to "be surprised."

-Rice thinks he'll " be a Rocket". And it'd be "bad" if the trade didn't go through.

-He says the foot is ok, but since he is just starting rehab, no one is positive how well it'll respond, which is part of the hold up.

-Rice is going home to Miami today. Kind of weird if you ask me, since he should be coming back tomorrow.

-I made a better look, and Rice wasn't limping this time. He was wearing sandals.

-Fegan was on the phone. This cracked me up, as he sounded angry/worried. He said something about the team telling him Rice had passed his physical and was all ready to announce he passed, and that this was Les Alexander's doing by requesting a closer look at Rice. He expects the trade to go through. I keep thinking about the trade not going through, and Fegan having to find a deal anywhere close to that, and find a great deal of humor in it.

More if I remember it.

 

I take that with a grain of salt right now. Skimming through his posts, one of them claims that NY Post said Rice could be shipped for Raef Lafrentz.

Here's an NY Times story.
August 15, 2001

Concern About Rice's Foot Leads Rockets to Delay Deal
By MIKE WISE

Discuss the N.B.A.


The Glen Rice deal has hit a snag. Whether it is a minor setback or the first sign of a trade about to be rescinded will be decided over the next 48 hours.

What is clear is that the Houston Rockets postponed a news conference yesterday in which they were to introduce Rice, the three-time All- Star shooting guard/forward, as their newest franchise player. Rockets team physicians wanted more time to review Rice's medical records before making official the three-team deal with the Knicks and the Dallas Mavericks.

"We're optimistic things are going to work out," said Tim Frank, the Rockets' team spokesman. "Glen obviously still has three years left on his contract. More than anything, this is about our doctors making sure everything is fine."

The Rockets have until 12 p.m. Friday to approve the deal that will send Rice to Houston, Shandon Anderson and Howard Eisley to New York and Muggsy Bogues to Dallas. Houston will also receive Kyle Hall, the Mavericks' second-round draft pick.

If the Rockets do not approve the trade, all the players will return to their current teams. Anderson's six- year, $40 million deal — the amount the Rockets signed him for in order for him to become a Knick — would be voided.

Even though Rice missed only seven games because of plantar fascitis in his left foot last season, the injury hobbled him all season and forced him to repeatedly miss practices. Rice acknowledged to Houston TV station KRIV on Monday that his foot still has some pain, but added that he could play through the injury.

Doctors in Miami, where Rice lives, told him this summer that he would not need surgery. He wore a plaster cast for six weeks.

Frank said that the Rockets' owner, Les Alexander, the general manager, Carroll Dawson and the coach, Rudy Tomjanovich, wanted to be sure about Rice's health before approving the deal.

Rice played in 75 games last season and started 25. His scoring average dipped to 12 points a game, well below his 19.5 career average. But he was relegated mostly to a sixth-man role while adjusting to New York's offense.

He signed a four-year, $36 million deal last fall. With roughly $27 million and three years remaining on Rice's contract, Houston wants to be certain about its investment.

"I would not classify us as worried at this point," Frank said. "Obviously we're concerned. But we have a couple of days to get things sorted out."

Ever since the Knicks paid a portion of the former forward Charles Smith's contract in order for the San Antonio Spurs to acquire him in 1996, health problems have hampered the club's desire to move players. Most recently, Larry Johnson's back problems and Charlie Ward's arthritic knee — not to mention their expensive contracts — have made the two Knicks virtually untradeable.
New York Times.

 

If we nix this, it puts a DOUBLE whammy on Devil Fegan. Eisley needs to get out from behind Nash and Finley in Dallas, and he's also a Fegan client. The Knickerbockers wouldn't be able to take on Eisley if the deal falls.

The Knicks and/or Dallas and/or Fegan would have a lot of incentive to make sure this goes down, or there are bad feelings all around. It's all on them, and if this deal falls, we still have 10 mill in cap space, while they have disgruntled players. Kind of Hakeem reversed. Fun to see em squirm.

Mango-Maybe they thought it was better than what it actually is?

ESPN finally said something about it. Said Rice's foot could be a "dealbreaker". Really?

Falk is on our side. After this extra Sprewell stuff, Rice has to be liquidated. No way he can stay in NY.

One of the things to notice is that Rice is leaving town. I'd assume that means all their tests are done, and basically the staff is arguing over results. I'd guess if there's any legit concern, this deal will turned down.

So far all of the comments point to Rice passing (except some Rocket's PR guy, who said something like "we won't speculate on Rice's condition"), but actions speak louder than words.

And even if nothing extraordinary comes of this, at the very least, we suceeded in ticking off Fegan. Way to go.