Courtside: McDyess’ waiver

It’s easy to believe Andy Miller when he says Antonio McDyess has been receiving feelers from more than half the teams in the National Basketball Association ever since the Nuggets bought out his client last Tuesday; needless to say, there’s a clear demand for a proven frontliner who can be had at midlevel rates. Nonetheless, the player agent is being more than disingenuous when he contends that every offer will be considered. After all, the 34-year-old supersub already had a cozy deal in place when the Pistons dealt him last week, and still he thought nothing of scuttling his two-year, $13.6-million contract and leaving a whopping $9 million on the table just so he could have the freedom to pick where to ply his trade. Which is not to contend that McDyess didn’t want to strut his stuff in Denver, or that he isn’t open to filling a roster spot in Boston, Cleveland, or even San Antonio. As enticing as setting up shop in these cities may be, he’s simply bent on going back to Detroit. Never mind that just about every other suitor is in better position to cut him much bigger paychecks; as far as he’s concerned, the $1.9 million salary cap exception the Pistons can put up under league regulations is more than enough to tide him over until his employer of the last four and a half years is able to up the ante in the coming offseason. Evidently, McDyess doesn’t believe the size of his salary to be the principal factor influencing his latest career choice; in this regard, he can empathize with Brent Barry, who opted to re-up with the Spurs as soon as it was practicable after being sent off to Seattle early this year. And assuming plans don’t go awry, the Pistons can expect his return to the fold by the second week of December, a development that can’t come fast enough in view of their ostensible lack of depth. There is, of course, something to be said about franchises taking advantage of the letter of the law in order to circumvent its spirit, and about players being rewarded for standing their ground. Then again, it’s not as if the Pistons pulled the wool over the Nuggets’ eyes. McDyess’ waiver was etched in stone from the get-go, and if squads continue to line up on his doorstep, it’s only because they’re hoping against hope that their courtship will sweep him off his feet. In their waiting, they would do well to wish for luck; they’re going to need it.