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For Sale: Used Parts, Like New, Still Working

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League for sale.

Real prospects, not just the hungry and desperate who usually play at the June pre-draft camp in Chicago, turned up, a sign of how even everyone is, outside the top dozen.

Meanwhile in the stands, the coaches, assistants and general managers try to stay awake.

The kids on the court are not so much the lifeblood of the league anymore, as pawns in a bigger game. After years of ever younger undergraduates declaring, the draft isn’t where the action is now, unless you’re the San Antonio Spurs and about to inherit Tim Duncan.

Everyone else is more concerned with fire sales threatening to break out everywhere. A year before the next

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big free-agent class hits the market, several teams are thinking of cashing in their chips while they may and opportunists are lining up for a chance to bid on:

Shawn Kemp, Seattle SuperSonics--His contract isn’t running out but he is.

He has decided the media and front office have made it impossible to stay in Seattle. The SuperSonics say they won’t trade him but may have to bow to the power play.

Of course, they’re being underwhelmed with offers. Said General Manager Wally Walker of speculation the New Jersey Nets would give them Jayson Williams and Jimmy Jackson:

“Great, two guys with one year left on their contracts.”

Antonio McDyess, Denver Nuggets--One year from free agency and, next to Kevin Garnett, considered the plum of the 1996 draft.

He’s reportedly so upset with the mess in Denver, his people have told new Nugget boss Allan Bristow he won’t re-sign in ‘98, leading to speculation Bristow may move him now.

Lots of teams would be interested in McDyess, including the Lakers.

Vin Baker, Milwaukee Bucks--One day you’re untouchable, the next you’re touchable.

This young, 6-foot-11 two-time all-star had become exasperated with the program and had a public spat with Coach Chris Ford. His contract is up in two years--Glenn Robinson is locked up for six--and the Bucks need a center.

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Lots of teams would be interested in Baker, including the Lakers.

Joe Smith, Golden State Warriors--A year from free agency, thought to have been looking eastward since he first flew west.

No one has delivered any ultimatums, but the imploded Warrior franchise has about as much chance of re-signing him as it does of making the finals in this century.

Jerry Stackhouse, Philadelphia 76ers--Another ‘96er on the bubble.

He’s talented and wants to stay, but he doesn’t shoot well enough to complement a penetrator like Allan Iverson. The 76ers, desperate for a big man, are leery about doing a deal now and paying $5 million-plus for their second-best guard.

Scottie Pippen, Chicago Bulls--One year left on his deal and owner Jerry Reinsdorf wants some younger blood so Pippen could go, title or no title.

People close to him think Pippen might even welcome the chance to sign a long-term deal now, at 31. Next summer, he’ll be a year older and, with younger prospects on the market, will have less leverage.

Derrick Coleman, 76ers--You want him, you’ve got him.

The 76ers want out from under his moods, injuries, $8-million salary for next season and $5-million buyout clause for the one after that. Pat Riley, looking for the missing piece in the Miami puzzle and convinced that a good team would revive Coleman, was interested at the trade deadline and may try again.

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Williams, Nets--A tremendous young rebounder with a year left on his contract.

A New York native, he should be a Net for life, but Coach John Calipari is easy to upset and the irrepressible Williams has mastered that art. Williams is campaigning for a trade, even going on a Washington talk show to plead with the Bullets, er, Wizards, to pick him up.

Jackson, Nets--One year left on his contract and the team has two other shooting guards, Kendall Gill and Kerry Kittles. The Cavaliers have long coveted the Ohio native.

Patrick Ewing, New York Knicks--Longshot but he’s a free agent and Cablevision’s frugal Charles Dolan, who now owns Madison Square Garden, is carrying a mountain of debt.

Ewing reportedly has been muttering about moseying to Miami to join his buddy, Alonzo Mourning, and his beloved Riley if the Knicks come up short on the deal he wants--four years at $15 million.

However, Knick insiders think Ewing got a wink from management last summer, before he threw in with the effort to recruit Allan Houston.

Dennis Rodman, Bulls--You want him, you got him.

Expected to be a free agent in three weeks. There’s speculation the Lakers are interested. Say it ain’t so, Jerry West.

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Of course, on the plus side with Rodman, the Lakers would be better rebounders and no one would ever notice anything Nick Van Exel did wrong again.

Chris Mullin, Warriors--He would help any good team and has one year left on his contract.

Most of the teams with high draft picks have expressed a willingness to trade down or out, such as Boston’s Rick Pitino, devastated at losing Duncan and willing to part with his Nos. 3 and 6 choices. This could be wild.

GET YOUR KIDS WORKING ON THOSE Xs AND O’s

The surprising thing is not that Chuck Daly, soon to turn 67, changed his mind and took the Magic coaching job--it’s that he turned it down in the first place.

Check out this package:

* Three seasons at $5 million each;

* Use of a $1 million home for $1 rent;

* Two “exotic cars”;

* Two country club memberships;

* A $500,000 salary for his top assistant, Brendan Suhr;

* A per diem to cover expenses. The joke going around coaching circles is that Daly will get $301 a day, or $1 more than Riley gets.

Riley is still working for a paltry $3 million, meaning he’s tied for fourth in his own division, behind Pitino, $6 million; Daly; Larry Brown, $4.5 million; and even with Calipari. And Detroit doubled Doug Collins’ $1.5 million salary last week, making him Riley’s monetary equal.

However, Heat owner Micky Arison, the Carnival cruise Line scion who trails only Magic/Amway magnate Rick DeVos in sheer wealth among NBA owners, should be bringing Riley up to scale any day now.

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I’m guessing Riley will get $7 million, two cruise liners, an island of his choice in the Florida Keys and an increase in his per diem, to $302 a day.

WE’RE HAVING A SALE ON RAIN MAN GEAR

Not too opportune a time for that Reebok commercial in which Kemp asks if there’s something more he should do?

Show up?

Grow up?

These days the young are very restless, indeed. After a season of outrageous behavior, sulking over his contract, late arrivals, no arrivals, no explanations, etc., Kemp has concluded he has been underpaid, wronged by stories suggesting he has a drinking problem and will never return.

Magic Johnson played for years at $3 million when it wasn’t even top pay on the Lakers, assured by Jerry Buss that he would be taken care of. Michael Jordan played for years at $4 million, assured that Reinsdorf would do the right thing. Kemp, who has a seven-year, $37-million deal--which the SuperSonics would surely redo--decides he’s a victim.

Guess George Karl’s plan to have Kemp and Gary Payton assume leadership roles by making them co-captains isn’t working out so hot.

So far, Payton has demanded to be consulted on personnel decisions and Kemp has announced he’s gone. It’s assumed around the league that Karl, long estranged from owner Barry Ackerley, will leave next summer when his contract runs out.

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Let’s just hope Kemp goes somewhere they never make the playoffs and doesn’t do any more commercials.

NAMES AND NUMBERS

News flashes from the pre-draft camp: Long Beach State’s James Cotton, who came out early, hasn’t turned heads. Unless he wows someone in individual workouts, he isn’t expected to go in the first round. . . . Charles O’Bannon is still considered a first-round pick but may drop into the 20s.

Top prospects besides Duncan: Tony Battie, Ron Mercer, Chauncey Billups, Keith Van Horn, Tracy McGrady, Tim Thomas, Adonal Foyle, Antonio Daniels. . . . Next group: Kelvin Cato, Danny Fortson, Brevin Knight, Derrick Anderson. . . . Next group: Austin Croshere, Anthony Parker, Mark Sanford, Olivier St. Jean, Jacque Vaughn.

In case you haven’t noticed, the Clippers, choosing 14th, need a center. “Anyone who has to duck entering that door, we’re interested in,” says Coach Bill Fitch. For an early guess, we’ll say Villanova’s 6-11 Jason Lawson. . . . Best point guard in camp? One scout nominates former Providence sophomore God Shammgod, a super ballhandler who busted by everyone at will. One little problem: God can’t shoot a lick.

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