Two things are certain in New Jersey: Alonzo Mourning does not want to be here, and – judging by the way the center played last night in the paint – he is not going to let his desire to be moved somewhere else affect his play for the Nets.
Mourning clearly was the Nets’ most powerful inside player last night in a 112-80 Meadowlands loss to Phoenix, scoring 12 points and landing seven rebounds in 16 minutes of play. In fact, if Mourning can string together a few more nights like the ones he’s orchestrated against the Suns and on Friday night in Chicago, the less “untradeable” he becomes.
In keeping with a trend prevalent among Nets players these days, Mourning, who was welcomed back with open arms by the organization following last season’s kidney transplant, has expressed a desire to be bought out or traded after the Nets were dismantled by their penny-pinching new owner. Along with Jason Kidd, Mourning has been one of the more vocal players to criticize Bruce Ratner’s breaking up a contending roster. Nets GM Rod Thorn called ‘Zo “untradeable” in Chicago on Friday, maintaining that with his medical history and salary, no team would want any part of him in a deal.
Mourning has three years and $17.8 million left on his existing Nets contract and reportedly is seeking a $14 million buyout of the three years remaining on his $22.6 million contract – a number Thorn is unwilling to pay. The Nets, according to published reports, have offered to pay a total of $6 million, meaning that $2 million would count against their salary cap for each of the three seasons.
Mourning, for his part, said he’d be glad to obtain his freedom at much less than $14 million.
Mourning also promised the situation would not dampen his attitude or play, and last night he looked healthy, full of energy and grizzly as ever in the first back-to-back action he’s faced since returning from the transplant.
Mourning was a dynamo under the hoop, pulling at arms, spinning opponents around and landing a few crushing forearms and shoulder bumps along the way. And that was just on the offensive end of the floor, where Mourning was unstoppable in the first half against Phoenix center Amare Stoudemire. As he began to heat up, ‘Zo went over Stoudemire and Steve Nash for a hard two points while the Nets trailed by 13.