NBA NOTES : It’s a Deal That’s Easy to Refuse

Don Casey, the latest victim to coach the Los Angeles Clippers, understands that Don Sterling, the hanging judge of NBA owners, knows little about the NBA. Two years ago Sterling suggested the Clippers might win the NBA title. They finished 17-65.

Anyway, Casey wants to say farewell forever to Danny Ferry because Casey knows he has an inept team that will only be good enough to make him the fifth ex-Clippers coach since 1983. So Casey wants to trade Ferry for help.

“We have enough young players and draft choices,” Casey said. “We need glue and substance. To get a quality NBA player, you have to give up something -- future draft choices or Danny Ferry.”

Trading Ferry is nice in theory, but it will take a pretty dumb team to acquire rights to him now. First of all, Ferry has a five-year contract in Italy, although he can get out of it after each season. But if an NBA team trades for his rights before he agrees to a contract here, he and his agent -- the very difficult David Falk -- have unbelievable bargaining power. Suppose the San Antonio Spurs offer Willie Anderson and a future No. 1 for Ferry, and the Clippers accept. Falk then tells the Spurs, “Boys, it will cost you $3 million a year.” What do the Spurs do?

Presumably, the Spurs and other teams understand this problem, even if the Clippers do not. The teams that can take a chance on trading for Ferry’s rights are the expansion teams, who are going nowhere this season anyway. And even they wouldn’t be very smart because Ferry is proving he is not a franchise player in Italy. He will only be an excellent NBA player if he is surrounded by superstars.

The only other team that might be interested in making a trade and waiting a year for Ferry is the Washington Bullets, whose GM is Danny’s father, Bob. Bob’s only problem in trading for his son is that he no longer would get free trips to Rome, London and Monte Carlo, which was his payoff from the Italian team that signed Danny. Besides, Bob would have unique negotiating power. If Danny held out, Bob could send him to his room.

But no smart team -- or playoff contender -- is going to trade for Ferry a year before he can play. That means the Clippers’ only alternative is to make a bad trade, which is not exactly a longshot.

Within the next week, a national publication will feature the hilarious suggestion that the Atlanta Hawks’ Jon Koncak will win the Most Improved Player award this season. The person who made that selection obviously listened to Koncak talk about how hard he worked during the off-season and how that is going to make him so much better than the player who averaged 4.7 points last season. And perhaps the prognosticator remembered that Detroit Pistons GM Jack McCloskey once said that as a starter during a limited stretch last season, Koncak averaged 14 points and 10 rebounds (not true, he averaged 7.6 rebounds and 6.4 points during a 15-game stretch when he started).

Perhaps the moon was in bad position, or, as Flip Wilson used to say, “The Devil made me do it.” Anyway, my mistake was made during a weak moment. My new and improved pick for the Most Improved Player award is the Suns’ Dan Majerle, who has been excellent during the preseason.

Meanwhile, the preseason has not been an enriching experience for Koncak, who is making $2.5 million in the first year of a six-year, $13.2-million deal. Utah’s Karl Malone, who is making more than $1 million less than Koncak this season ($1.45 million), went to Atlanta last week and promptly buried Koncak. During the first 7 1/2 minutes of the Hawks-Jazz game, Malone had 10 points and Koncak, who was trying to guard him, had four fouls. Malone finished with 26 points in 26 minutes while Koncak, who was booed by the home fans, had two points in 11 minutes.

“Every night,” Malone said, “he’s going to run into it. When you make that kind of money, you’ve got to expect it. It’s not a personal thing with me. I don’t feel like I have anything to prove to him. But a lot of guys will say, ‘Look at all his money. Look at what this guy’s making.’ Then they’ll go out and try to kick his (butt).”

Koncak must be relieved that Malone did not take personal offense to the contract. If the Mailman is angry the next time he faces Koncak, Wilt Chamberlain’s 100-point record could be in danger.

Around the league

--The report that the Denver Nuggets had tried to sign 6-9 Yugoslav forward Toni Kukoc emanated from Yugoslavia and were inaccurate. The Nuggets are interested in Kukoc, an outstanding shooter, but he will not be eligible to be drafted until 1990.

--During Los Angeles Lakers pregame introductions, Magic Johnson always was introduced first and Kareem Abdul-Jabbar last. Now that Abdul-Jabbar has retired, Johnson has taken his place and moved to the fifth spot in introductions.

--Sam Perkins reported to the Dallas Mavericks camp weighing 270 pounds, which was the result of a summer weightlifting program and a hearty appetite. Two years ago, Perkins weighed 230. One of his strengths has been running the court, and the Mavericks hoped he could play at the same time as Roy Tarpley, a 7-foot sprinter. But Perkins is carrying a little too much baggage to run.