Garnett: the Wolves' do-everything man

Flip Saunders has BIG plans for Kevin Garnett this season.

The Timberwolves' coach wants the 7-footer to play help defense inside. He wants him to be the point man for the full-court traps. He's expecting him to be the main man in scoring, rebounding and shot-blocking.

Oh, and by the way, he wants the big guy to shut down the other team's top scorer.

"I look at KG as being a very special player, like a Bill Russell or a Michael Jordan or a Larry Bird,'' Saunders said. "We've got to get over the fact that he's 23. He's been in the league four years and he's one of those elite guys. It's almost a slap in his face to say, 'Can he do that?' He'll do whatever it takes to win.''

To a fault. There are stretches in each season when Garnett is dragging tail. Over the course of a full preseason, 82 regular-season games and, no doubt, what the Wolves hope will be their longest playoff drive ever, the team will need to make sure it doesn't ask too much of the slender 7-footer.

"(Flip is) pretty good at taking care of me, and I've always been open with him,'' Garnett said. "But he's the coach and if that's what's best for the team, then so be it. I invite the challenge. At the same time, I'm no bellhop.''

He'll be asked to do everything but this season.

Around the rest of the Midwest Division ...

• Michael Finley is ready to assert himself as the leader of the Mavericks.
• With Denver's crowded backcourt, Chauncey Billups might be the odd man out.
• The Rockets play the Blazers four times. That's four opportunities Charles Barkley and Scottie Pippen have to continue their little feud.
• Their trio of stars are old enough to father some of the players in the NBA, yet the Jazz committed nearly $100 million to John Stockton, Karl Malone and Jeff Hornacek over the next several years.
• Sean Elliott is likely out until January, so Chucky Brown seems to be the guy at small forward for the Spurs.
• The Grizzlies' new owner has the cash to sway the NBA board of governors into permitting a move to St. Louis -- and it could happen.

Uneasy Rider

The Atlanta Hawks knew they were taking on some serious baggage when they traded for talented, but troubled, guard Isaiah Rider.

It did not take long to find out just how much baggage.

Rider was a no-show at the team's media day in Atlanta, missed the team bus to training camp in Chattanooga and missed the team's first two days of workouts.

The Nelsons' future in Dallas depends on players like Gary Trent.(Allsport)

The Hawks front office was not happy. "We expected there to be some rocky moments,'' said general manager Pete Babcock. "We didn't want it to start this way, but it has."

Rider did finally make it to camp after a talk from Lenny Wilkens convinced him that the team was heading in the right direction. How long he sticks around is anybody's guess.

Around the rest of the Central Division ...

• Paul Silas is having a hard time containing his enthusiasm for this year's Hornets.
• The future of Toni Kukoc in Chicago is uncertain.
• The Cavaliers will go as far as big Zydrunas Ilgauskas' tender feet will carry them.
• If Bison Dele retires it will leave a gaping hole in the middle for the Pistons.
• Zan Tabak appears to be the guy to step into the role Antonio Davis played for the Pacers.
• Glenn Robinson is anxious to put a rocky offseason behind him and move on with the Bucks.
• All of the sudden Toronto isn't such a bad place to play.

Kobe gains "Little Bro" status

One of the biggest shortcomings of last year's Lakers was the lack of chemistry between the team's superstars, current (Shaquille O'Neal) and budding (Kobe Bryant). O'Neal, in particular, seemed to have a subtle contempt for his younger teammate.

That evidently has been cleared up, thanks to Shaq's appearance at Bryant's 21st birthday party.

"The relationship is definitely better," said Bryant, who is being referred to as "little brother" by O'Neal.

On Bryant's 21st -- Aug. 23 -- he held a private party at Mamagaya's Restaurant on La Cienega. "I invited (Shaq), hoping he would come," Bryant said. Sure enough, Shaq did.

"It was nice," Bryant said. "He came through, man. He was in there dancing and having a great old time."

The smooth relationship between the two could go a long way toward the Lakers making a run at an NBA title under first-year coach Phil Jackson.

Around the rest of the Pacific Division ...

• With Mookie Blaylock the Warriors want to run more and play pressure defense.
• Forward Maurice Taylor is viewing his probable last year with the Clippers as an "audition."
• The Suns are trying to shake their "wuss" tag.
• Damon Stoudamire has shown improvement in his shooting skills thus far in Blazers' camp.
• The Kings are going to benefit from Nick Anderson in more ways than one.
• Gary Payton said he will be looking to pass more to his Sonics' teammates. That remains to be seen.

What's up Doc?

If Doc Rivers didn't know any better, he might be tempted to accuse the Magic of the old bait-and-switch trick. You know, it's like the department store that advertises a great sale, only to tell the customers that the items advertised are no longer in stock.

When Rivers was hired as the Magic head coach earlier this summer, he had reason to believe Nick Anderson, Horace Grant and Ike Austin would be returning from the team that tied for the best record in the Eastern Conference last season.

There was also a chance that free agent guard Penny Hardaway would be lured back as well, even though he had several clashes with management, including retired coach Chuck Daly. Rivers spoke at length with Hardaway on several occasions over the summer. But the Magic finally decided to trade the four-time All-Star to Phoenix after Hardaway balked at the idea of signing a contract that included incentives.

So much for that. All those veterans are gone. And 17 players, many of them new, are having to meet and greet each other at Magic camp.

Around the rest of the Atlantic Division ...

• Rick Pitino is just trying to forget and move on after the "shock treatment" that was the Celtics' 1999 season.
• The big question hovering over Knicks' camp is: When will Latrell Sprewell show up?
• Some things never change. The Nets are still banged-up going into the 1999-2000 season.
• Allen Iverson is dropping the word "championship" in Philly .
• First-year coach Gar Heard won't be without great talent as he tries to turn the Wizards into winners.
• For the Heat to compete in the East they need a big year from Tim Hardaway.