I think GM Bickerstaff needs to pick on some other player beside a guy who has a reputation of being meek. i'm sure if it were someone like Stephon Marbury or Steve Francis he might have not have been able to get away with what he said. You don't give up on a player after nearly 1 1/2 season, especially someone who is averaging nearly 10 points a game and someone who got injured. All in all there are many kind of General Managers in the NBA, there are the ones who are like Jerry West quite sure of himself, really cares for his players and are tactful and careful not to demean others , and ones who are tactless and blames others publicly for his or her own failure to lead.

 Anonymous -- 4/06/2006 1:51 AM  

If a GM has to denigrate a player after firing him then this was a personal vendetta and not a business decision. This episode show more of Bickerstaff's lack of character then Kareem's alleged lack of effort. Seeing how Charlotte has accomplished nothing under Bickerstaff, this might be the start of excuses for the soon to fired GM.

 Anonymous -- 4/06/2006 6:36 PM  

Bickerstaff's trying to shake up a losing team and send a message going into the offseason. Whether that is "fair" to Rush is besides the point (though if there really is any potential liability for defamation, that should have given him pause). The fact that Brevin Knight, a respected veteran and leader on the team, spoke publicly in favor of it speaks volumes. Players are loathe to comment about other players - teammates or not - in a negative way. IMHO, that shows that the release was not only warranted, but welcomed by the players.

I agree that Bickerstaff is generally a poor GM (take a look at last year's draft when he seemed to consider only players from N. Carolina), but this move is justifiable.

 ken -- 4/06/2006 9:00 PM  

Let's not forget that truth is a defense to a claim of defamation. If you think Bickerstaff's comments are injurious to Rush, I wonder what you'd think about his teammates and coaches talking about him dogging it in practice during depositions. The chance of a lawsuit here is less than zero.

 SC Editor -- 4/07/2006 1:59 AM  

Thanks for these comments. SC Editor is right: truth is a defense to a claim of defamation, and that is a good point. But do we know the truth here? And can we handle it? Let's not forget that Brevin Knight is the recipient of Bernie Bickerstaff's generous decision to pay him $4.4 million this season and $4.6 million next season, along with a buyout option for the 2007-08 season. He is also the recipient of the team's decision, with Bickerstaff’s blessing, to annoint him as team captain. I’m sure he feels a strong sense of loyalty to Bickerstaff. So I might take he says about Bickerstaff’s decisions with a grain of salt, at least as long as he remains in the employment of the Bobcats. And without other, more verifiable information, I don't think we can say that the chance of a defamation suit is "less than zero."

 Michael McCann -- 4/07/2006 7:12 PM  

Truth isn't the only issue. It is also that Bickerstaff's statements may be mere expressions of opinion.

What if Bickerstaff had said "I think Kareen Rush is a poor NBA player"? That wouldn't be defamation, IMO. In this case, he has said -- though not in so many words -- "I think Kareem Rush does not give maximum effort." He's entitled to that judgment. Rush is entitled to refute it in the media (and I bet he will). It isn't a proveable fact (on either side).

Note also that Bickerstaff's statement was carefully worded. He said the team was about hard work. Then he said Rush didn't fit in. Although the inference is clear, he did not literally say Rush didn't give maximum effort.

I can't figure out why Phil Jackson would jump in the middle of this. What does he care, and why get embroiled in a controversy that he has no stake in? Because he likes Rush personally? That's a stupid reason to wage a media battle, and certainly not what his employers pay him for. Besides, Rush may have worked hard for L.A. but not very hard for Charlotte.

 ChapelHeel -- 4/10/2006 11:27 AM  

thank you

 kurtlar -- 2/11/2009 6:03 PM  

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