ANY TEAM interested in getting on the fast track to an NBA championship should look at the list of free agents coming up next summer - and bring the checkbook.
Denver's Dikembe Mutombo, Chicago's Michael Jordan and Miami's Alonzo Mourning become free agents after this season. But perhaps the highest bidding will be for Orlando's Shaquille O'Neal.While O'Neal makes $5.7 million this year, he isn't close to the highest-paid players in the league. New York's Patrick Ewing - who said during the NBA lockout last summer that "nobody could prosper" under the current system - is pulling down $18.7 million for this season's work (which includes a balloon payment). Clyde Drexler weighs in at $9.8 million, followed by David Robinson ($7.7 million, Joe Dumars ($6.9 million), Chris Webber ($6.5 million) and A.C. Green ($6.4 million).
O'Neal is expected to sign a league-maximum 7-year deal that should net him about $100 million. Informal talks have gone on between O'Neal and the Magic, but any new agreement can't be signed until July 1.
O'Neal's agent Leonard Armato told the Orlando Sentinel he isn't anxious to see Shaq leave Orlando. "I don't see him leaving the situation he has," said Armato. "I don't see any reason why he won't spend the rest of his career in Orlando."
Added O'Neal, "My house is here. My dog is here. Of course, I'd like to stay here."
STAR POWER: The best skiers in the world were in town last weekend for the World Cup races at Park City, while on the same weekend, a few miles down the hill were the world's best basketball players.
As Italian superstar Alberto Tomba was preparing for Saturday's giant slalom competition Friday night, Michael Jordan, Scottie Pippen, Karl Malone and John Stockton were playing hoops at the Delta Center.
And the World Cup skiers took notice.
"The NBA is a big deal to foreigners," said USSA vide president of operatons and customer services Tom Kelly. "When they come to town, my phone starts lighting up from people wanting tickets to the Jazz games."
Though none of the skiers were able to attend the Jazz-Bulls game last Friday - they were awaiting the start order of Saturday's races - many were able to catch the game on television. Several foreign media representatives, however, did go to the game."They just love the NBA," continued Kelly.
"Everyone was fired up for the Jazz game," said Daron Rahlves, the only American skier to make the cut in the giant slalom.
Freelance writer Paul Robbins, who lives in Vermont, agrees that pro basketball is an attraction to the world's best skiers. "Tomba may know Michael," said Robbins, "but Michael may not know Tomba."
LOW PROFILE: Despite the rash of high preseason predictions for the Utah basketball team, coach Rick Majerus continues to downplay the reviews.
"Those are guys who don't have cable TV that are picking us that high," Majerus told the Los Angeles Times. "All you have to do is turn on the TV. We have a nice club. I don't even know if we can win our league."
Majerus continued by saying the Top 10 predictions shouldn't be a problem for the Utes, because, well, news is slow in coming to the Beehive State. "Luckily, living in the land that time forgot, we don't get many papers and magazines out here. They're delivered late."
HOUSE HUNTING: Financial World magazine says the way to make money in pro sports these days is get a new building that can bring in huge sums from luxury suites, special seating, concessions, ad sinage, parking and the hosting of non-team events.
The magazine lists a number of pro sports franchises and how far below the league average their venue revenue is. The New Jersey Nets' and Philadelphia 76ers' venue revenues of $500,000 for the 1993-94 season were listed at 91 percent below the league average.
The article adds that though the New York Yankees' 12-year, $486 million deal with the MSG cable network makes them the most valuable franchise in baseball, they won't make near that much once the current deal expires. After that, even the expansion Arizona Diamondbacks can expect to be more valuable than the Yankees - unless the Yankees get a new stadium of their own.
QUOTEFILE: Majerus on media members who picked his team high in the preseason rankings: "Those are guys who ate with me and I picked up the bill."