Sonic Gloom

What's wrong with the Sonics? This might seem an odd question, because Seattle checked out at the All-Star break with a 32-15 record. But last season's NBA Finalists were 2� games behind the surging Lakers in the Pacific Division, having lost back-to-back home games to Chicago and Utah. Moreover, the Sonics had a disconcerting 0-7 record against the Jazz, the Lakers and the Rockets, their strongest Western Conference rivals. Coach George Karl blasted his troops after that 99-95 loss to Utah on Feb. 5. "The thing I hate about my basketball team more than anything else," Karl said after the game, "is they're not good teammates to one another. I think we have...too much pointing fingers and not enough camaraderie."

Looking for a translation? Houston's Charles Barkley says Seattle's biggest problem is obvious: All-Star forward Shawn Kemp. "I knew the minute he didn't show up on time for the preseason that they were in for a long, hard year," Barkley said, referring to Kemp's 26-day training-camp holdout. "They still might be there at the end, but they've got problems, and the biggest one is money. Money does two things: It hurts some guys' desire, and it makes other guys grope around the locker room. Shawn Kemp is mad because Jim McIlvaine makes more money than he does. A guy that talented should never come out and bitch about money. He should go out, play and make sure he gets what he deserves."

Asked if he knew Kemp well enough to pull him aside and tell him that, Barkley answered, "No. But he should understand that someone is always going to make more money than you, and it's not worth fracturing your team."

McIlvaine, a backup center for the Bullets last season, signed a seven-year, $35 million contract with the Sonics last summer. Though Seattle had hoped McIlvaine would shore up the middle, he has struggled with his new club, and at the All-Star break he was averaging just 19.0 minutes, 3.9 points, 3.9 rebounds and 2.3 blocks. In 1994 Kemp, a five-time All-Star, signed a seven-year, $25.4 million extension that took effect after the 1994-95 season.

When told about Barkley's comments before last Sunday's All-Star Game in Cleveland, Kemp shook his head emphatically. "That's got nothing to do with what's wrong with our team," he said. "We've got no chemistry right now. Anytime a team makes the Finals, then makes changes, you take a chance. You bring different guys in, and you have to teach them the way your team plays."

Kemp said he's tired of hearing he's jealous of McIlvaine and his fat wallet. "There's no dissension between us," Kemp insisted. "We work out together every day. I am telling you the truth when I tell you that the [preseason] holdout wasn't just about money." So what was the source of his unhappiness? "It had to do with management and a lack of communication," Kemp answered. "They always knew I'd be there by November 1 [opening night], but they hinted otherwise. I never asked them for another dollar. In fact, if they offer me an extension at the end of the season, I'm not sure I'd sign it. I want to see what direction this team and this franchise are going in first. They weren't interested in communicating that with me."

Seattle general manager Wally Walker, contacted in Philadelphia during the break, said the club couldn't even discuss restructuring Kemp's contract, which calls for a moratorium on any restructuring until October 1997. "We can't even imply intent until that date," Walker said. "It's a frustrating one for us."

Nonetheless, Barkley's comments echo what many other veterans were saying privately about Kemp during All-Star weekend. Asked if the whispering upset him, Kemp answered, "It doesn't bother me, because it's not right."

A Matter of Respect

Allen Iverson, the 76ers' rookie, hadn't uttered a single word or taken a single shot. But by Friday of All-Star Weekend he had been targeted for criticism by some of the NBA's 50 alltime greatest players, 47 of whom had assembled in Cleveland to celebrate the league's 50th anniversary and, apparently, to dissect the game and attitude of Philly's flashy point guard.