| Why Isn’t The Harrington Deal Done? Authored by Andrew Perna - August 17, 2006 - 10:44 pm
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Earlier this week it was reported by several major sports new outlets that the deal may if fact finally be completed this week. However, the week has hit it’s midpoint and Harrington is still without a contract in Atlanta and fans from Indiana to Georgia are scratching their heads wondering when, if ever, this deal will get done.
To pass the time while things remain idle, fellow Pacer fan Hoophead (Brandon Rucker) and I have come up with ten reasons for the constant delay in this now epic deal, for your entertainment.
10. Commissioner Stern refuses to allow the Hawks to agree to another lop-sided deal.
Rasheed Wallace to Detroit, anyone?
9. The Simon’s won’t part with the three million dollars the Hawks need to pay for their rising legal bills.
Three big ones isn’t exactly chump change, but to pay that to watch John Edwards look dapper on the bench in custom-tailed Armani suits could be hard to swallow.
8. Billy Knight cries every time he sees Boris Diaw on Sportscenter.
Hindsight is vibrant in Technicolor clarity.
7. Donnie Walsh is trying to convince Mark Jackson, Reggie Miller and Rik Smits to come out of retirement to re-form the 2000 NBA Finals team.
The problem with this are the obvious sticking points: a premium insurance policy, pension plans and along with a rich endorsement deal with BenGay.
6. Larry Bird is tied up in Ron Artest's basement.
And he’s still grasping at straws in trying to get something, anything for him. Peja Stojakovic? Gone. Al Harrington? Well...
5. The Hawks are under the impression that Harrington is a restricted free agent.
For all intents and purposes, Harrington is ‘restricted,’ but only by his own predicament, and perhaps by default of a tough and now bone-dry marketplace. The Pacers are his only hope, despite the fact that he’ll be in a lower tax bracket than, say, Nene of the Denver Nuggets.
4. The Pacers need to waive someone to prevent them from turning their roster into NFL size.
If, and when, Operation: Harrington is completed, the roster would expand to 18 players/contracts, 15 of which would be fully guaranteed. Add in a few Training Camp invitees in October and the Pacers could suit up 24 players and play exhibition games against themselves.
3. Seeing John Edwards on the bench in a suit.
He may get mistaken as an official from the Pacers’ front office. Or perhaps a player’s agent. Or, more likely, a U.S. Senator.
2. Sarunas Jasikevicius stole Harrington’s jersey.
Al has called Sarunas Jasikevicius numerous times about the possibility of getting his old number back and Sarunas is too busy crossing things off the honey-do list created by his new Miss Universe wife.
1. The Hawks are afraid if they take on any of Indiana's future draft picks they might pass up a guy like Chris Paul again.
‘Nuff said...
On a more serious note, Pacers CEO Donnie Walsh told the press early this week that he has been in serious discussion with owner Herb Simon and that he expects a ‘breakthrough’ in the proceedings sometime this week. Fans have been speculating endlessly as to what has caused the current delay. In a recent interview Conrad Brunner of Pacers.com stated that he believed people will be surprised by the complexity of the trade once it takes place.
Brunner also speculated from what is arguably a rather intimate angle within the organization that after Harrington is acquired, there will be more moves on the horizon. Nothing else the Pacers could do would be of the magnitude of getting Al back in a Pacers jersey. They would just simply be gravy, as most of the moves earlier this summer have been.
Enough with the appetizers, it’s time to deliver the main course.
Better ideas? Think of any other reasons why the deal is still in park? E-mail me at Andrew.Perna@RealGM.com with any reasons you think the deal has stalled....
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