NBA these days is a fool's paradise
Friday, July 16, 2004
BUD POLIQUIN
POST-STANDARD COLUMNIST
It turns out that all these years later, Jack Bruen, who's probably nodding over a celestial beer at this very moment, has been proven to be right. He's the one, after all, who watched Adonal Foyle duck through Colgate University's door on his way to the NBA seven years ago ... and then boldly described a future few others saw.

"I think," said Jack, the dearly departed coach of the Raiders, "that Adonal is going to be the next Hakeem Olajuwon."

Well, the young man moved into that realm earlier this week ... and never mind, already, that he's coming off a season for the Golden State Warriors during which he averaged 3.8 rebounds and 3.1 points and 1.0 block. Or 3.8 rebounds and 3.1 points and 1.0 block more than a rhododendron bush.

You see, Foyle - a terrific fellow who's nevertheless largely served Golden State as only a caddie and has offensive skills

that remain stuck in the Jurassic Age - dipped his toe in the Olajuwon pool by signing a five-year contract with the Warriors worth $42 million. Which means that the financial fact of the matter is Adonal can now buy just about anything Hakeem has hanging in his closet or parked in his garage.

"Adonal Foyle?" repeated Dolph Schayes Thursday morning. "When I heard that name, I thought I'd better call up Danny and tell him, 'Get in shape.' I'm afraid I'm long gone, but if Adonal Foyle can get that kind of money, Danny could back up Shaq in Miami for ... what? Five million a year? I mean, why not?"

Dolph, of course, is the 76-year-old former forward of the Syracuse Nationals who, after serving once upon a time as a 6-foot-8 professional basketball supernova, still lives and works among us. Danny is Dolph's 6-11 son, who is 45 and played for seven NBA teams across 18 NBA seasons before settling in Florida. And Adonal, 29, is the 6-10 blacksmith who has logged all of 18.8 minutes per game with Golden State since signing on with that sad outfit in 1997.

Economically speaking, however, this is a clear case of bottoms up. But Dolph, who topped out with those old Nats at $21,000 a year, has no beefs.

"It's unbelievable what's going on out there," he said. "I mean, it's crazy. I played 15 years and I averaged about $15,000 ... and I was happy as a clam. I mean, how much money do you really need? But God bless them."

Uh huh. God bless Adonal Foyle. And former Orangeman Etan Thomas (six years, $38 million). And Kobe Bryant (seven years, $137 million). And Kenyon Martin (six years, $82 million). And Carlos Boozer (six years, $68 million). And Steve Nash (six years, $65 million). And Marcus Camby (six years, $60 million). And Manu Ginobili (six years, $50 million). And Mehmet Okur (six years, $50 million). God bless them, every one, because as of this week when each became a basketball sheik, they can all afford a podiatrist for every toe.

But then, in this NBA free-agent season gone wild, there are all those others, so many of whom are faceless and seemingly as disposable as sandwich bags. Would you recognize Mark Blount if he showed up on your doorstep? Doesn't matter. The Celtics just gave him $41 million for six years. Hedo Turkoglu? That's not a fungus; it's a guard and the Magic just anointed him with $39 million for six years. Troy Hudson? Nope. Not a city on a river. It's another guard and the Timberwolves just awarded him $37 million for six years.

Amazing, isn't it? From Quentin Richardson in Phoenix (six years, $45 million) to Stephen Jackson in Indiana (six years, $38 million), from Marquis Daniels in Dallas (six years, $38 million) to Brian Cardinal in Memphis (six years, $37 million), from Rafer Alston in Toronto (six years, $29 million), to Brian Skinner in Philadelphia (five years, $25 million) ... well, from all of those NBA ports to all of those Brent Barrys and Michael Doleacs and Gordan Giriceks and Carlos Arroyos (total contracts: $67 million) it's truly a wonderful life.

"As long as it's not coming off the back of the little guy, it's OK with me," Dolph said. "But you wonder, 'Where's the money coming from?' I guess they get a lot of it out of television, so if Budweiser goes up 10 cents a bottle ... And I guess they get a lot from all the licensing stuff, so if kids want to buy jackets for $200 apiece ... Hey, the money must be there or the owners wouldn't be paying it."

And thus, ithas forever been ... you know, on one level or another. Why, Schayes remembers that telephone call he received from Nats owner Danny Biasone some 45 years ago. The one during which Biasone advised his franchise player that George Yardley, then commanding an $18,000 salary, had just been acquired from Detroit. Which meant that Dolph was going to get a $2,000 raise from his $16,000 wage because, Biasone said, it just wouldn't be right for another Nat to pull down more than he did.

"So," recalled Schayes, "when Yardley got to town, I gave him a big hug."

That was back in the late '50s, when an extra 40 bucks a week meant something a whole lot more than the mere fill-up at the gas station it does today. But we're in the here and now ... and Adonal Foyle - Adonal Foyle, God bless him - is on the front end of a deal worth $42 million. And, uh huh, that inspired the obvious question of Dolph, a member of the NBA's all-time 50-man roster.

"I'm surprised that you'd ask," he said, "because you should know the answer." Pause ... one, two, three.

"Today," Dolph Schayes said, "I'd get, like, $80 million."

And, don't forget, he's 76.

• The next Hakeem