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Tuesday, August 29, 2000
LAHAINA -- Tim Hardaway's knees are swollen, ice packs wrapped around them. A grueling practice for the U.S. Olympic team is over and the Miami point guard is hurting. Hardaway has
hard time with Heat’s
lack of ‘love’Associated Press
If his body is sore, his ego is throbbing.
"I deserve a lot more respect than I'm getting," Hardaway said.
He has watched the Heat overhaul its roster this summer, swinging deals for Eddie Jones and Anthony Mason from Charlotte and Brian Grant from Portland.
The trades, expected to be completed this week, will transform Pat Riley's mechanical and methodical Eastern Conference team into everybody's finals favorite -- a team capable of trading blows with whomever emerges from the West.
With three new starters to complement Alonzo Mourning, the Heat have all the talent and improvisation to finally make sweet music on the court. There is but one problem: they have no maestro. At least not one under contract.
"And without that," Mourning said, "you have a lot of noise and nothing else."
Hardaway, who turns 34 Friday, is an unrestricted free agent who has seen almost every other significant player for the Heat be compensated financially -- everyone except himself. He watched P.J. Brown sign a $36 million contract and Mourning procure a $100 million deal several years ago. Even his backup, former University of Hawaii standout Anthony Carter, has been re-signed by Miami.
As Jones and Grant prepare to sign contracts in the neighborhood of $90 million, Hardaway is seriously considering taking his talents elsewhere to secure the last payday of his career.
"I'm dead serious," Hardaway said. "I'll go play for a contending team like the Pacers. I'll go somewhere where they appreciate me. Right now, I'm getting no love from the Miami Heat."
Hardaway is the only player on the Olympic team not under contract with his team.
Miami coach Pat Riley and Miami general manager Randy Pfund are expected to fly to Hawaii this week to meet with Hardaway and watch him scrimmage. The Olympic team will play exhibition games at the Stan Sheriff Center Thursday against Canada and Saturday against the U.S. Select Team.
