Just as the Eastern Conference is exploding with excitement because of the return (and possible return) of former stars, the Western Conference finds itself in the sad position of having to say goodbye - to troubled players. These sendoffs may have significant implications on the impending playoffs.
Everyone knows that Michael Jordan is allegedly contemplating yet another comeback, this time with the Washington Wizards. This call is questionable because, even if he does return, he may not be the Jordan of old. Still, talk of a Jordan comeback has sparked interest in the NBA for all the right reasons - because of what he can do on the court and for a team.
Similarly, the Miami Heat's Alonzo Mourning is back on the basketball court after missing most of the season fighting a degenerative kidney condition. Mourning is now on medication, which seems to have the disease under control, and he is playing basketball again because of his love of the game.
While perhaps not quite as talented as Jordan or Mourning, there is no denying the skills of the Portland Trailblazers' Shawn Kemp and the Los Angeles Lakers' J.R. Rider. However, both players have checkered pasts and, in recent days, their problems have come to the forefront of the NBA. These are just the latest problems for the two teams most NBA experts expected to battle for the Western Conference title - as they did in last year's epic seven-game battle in the Western Conference Finals.
Since his trade from the Seattle Supersonics to the Cleveland Cavaliers after the 1996-97 season, Kemp has gone from being a high-flying, above-the-rim player who epitomized a graceful dunker, to an overweight and inconsistent forward. Despite his increased weight, however, Kemp has managed to average 18.0, 20.5, and 17.8 points per game in his three seasons in Cleveland.
Kemp returned to the West Coast this off-season when the Cavs traded him to the Blazers. Portland coach Mike Dunleavy expected Kemp to be a key contributor in the Blazers' run for a title after falling just short of making it to the NBA Finals last year. Instead, in 68 games, Kemp has contributed only 6.5 points and 3.8 rebounds a night.
The Kemp tragedy continued last week when the beleaguered star checked himself into a drug rehabilitation center for cocaine abuse, and he will miss the rest of the season. The disclosure comes at a terrible time for the Blazers, as they have struggled in the past few weeks, dropping from the potential number one seed in the playoffs to the sixth spot (if the playoffs were to start today).
To top it all off for the Blazers, the team's third leading scorer, Bonzi Wells, is officially out for the season after tearing his anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) in the second quarter of Portland's win over Golden State on Friday.
It's not much better in Los Angeles, where Kobe Bryant and Shaquille O'Neil continue to feud, and coach Phil Jackson's comments about Kobe only add fuel to the fire. While Bryant has missed all but 11 minutes of the Lakers' last ten games due to an ankle injury, the guard hoped to return to action last night.
If the Kobe, Shaq, Phil drama was not enough for the Lakers, it appears that the team may release problem child J.R. Rider. The Lakers were supposedly set to let go of the shooting guard on Monday, before Rider pleaded with Jackson and general manager Mitch Kupchak to give him one last chance. Rather than releasing him, management decided to put him on the injured list, and could activate him during the playoffs if they need more depth.
Rider, the man who was expected to help replace Glen Rice's scoring punch, has averaged just 7.6 points per contest, continually has complained about lack of playing time, and has been perennially late for games and practices throughout the season.
Rider's biggest behavioral problem occurred in early March when the league suspended him for five games for violating the NBA's anti-drug policy.
With the near crisis situations in both Portland and Los Angeles, it is looking more and more likely that neither of the two preseason Western Conference favorites will end up in the NBA Finals. Rather, the San Antonio Spurs and the Sacramento Kings, the one and two teams in the West, appear to be on course for a meeting in the Western Conference Finals.
