That's the same amount of time Smith would have to play with another team until he got his full Bird rights. So giving Smith an Early Bird deal in Minnesota wouldn't provide the Wolves with any extra benefit. For what it's worth, I think loyalty is important. And here's a guy that wants to stay where he is. The league should figure out a way to make that happen.
Different places conduct business differently.
That one thing you may or may not have listened to in shootaround can make or break your season. Allen Iverson is already is trying to be more of a leader. Word is he invited new Sixer Vernon Maxwell to stay with him until he finds a place. And he's already bought Mad Max some duds until Max's clothes come across the country. The problem was, they retroactively fined him for being overweight, covering the period from July 1998, to the end of the lockout, when they actually weighed Rogers.