Ratliff: 'It's a dirty business'

Theo Ratliff says Sixers were not up front

 DETROIT - Monday, Theo Ratliff settled on a new home, one he believed he and his family would live in for at least several years. Tuesday, he "adopted" Sayre Middle School in West Philadelphia as part of a community outreach. Wednesday, he underwent surgery on his right wrist in Durham, N.C.

And on the fourth day, he was traded. Just like that.

The NBA's shot-blocking leader, his right hand and wrist wrapped in a bulky splint, gone.

And when reality set in, when Ratliff realized what had just happened, how his world had just been turned inside out, the pain, frustration, disappointment and anger came flooding out.

"It's a dirty business," Ratliff said early yesterday morning. His being traded by the Sixers to the Atlanta Hawks with Toni Kukoc, Nazr Mohammed and Pepe Sanchez for Dikembe Mutombo and Roshown McLeod wasn't yet official, but all signs pointed to it being a done deal.

"Sometimes I guess they have to do dirty things to make things happen like they want it to happen," Ratliff said. "Sometimes you just have to do dirty things in business."

The diplomacy of Wednesday night, when he met with reporters at halftime of what became a 107-91 victory over the Vancouver Grizzlies, was up in smoke.

This was an unhappy man.

The postsurgery painkillers he had taken began to wear off in the early hours of yesterday, and as Ratliff attempted to cope with that and with what he was sure was an impending trade, his mind began to race.

"The thought occurred to me that, with the surgery, everything got rushed," he said. "They already had everything in their plan of what they were trying to do."

"It's unfortunate that Theo thinks his surgery was rushed," Sixers general manager Billy King said last night. "Regardless whether he had the surgery this week, next week or in two weeks, Atlanta was willing to make this deal."

In fairness, the Sixers were jockeying with the New York Knicks and other suitors for Mutombo, and the Hawks were patiently sifting through the offers, trying to decide whether to pull the trigger now or wait until the summer when sign-and-trade options might be even more attractive. Suddenly, the Knicks were out. Everyone else was out. The Sixers were in.

Ratliff said he just sat there, waiting for someone to tell him what was up.

"No one spoke to me, talked to me when I came [Wednesday night]. All this stuff going on, they know they're definitely trying to do it. . .I couldn't get a straight look in the eye from any of the coaches. I didn't ask them anything; [it was] just a matter that you get the vibe. More and more I think about it, I've been pretty much getting it all week.

"Nobody said anything to me, [and] they're the ones who put the deal on the table."

Said King: "In regard to him saying he should have been talked to, you don't want to say to a player, 'We may trade you,' and then if it doesn't happen, go back to him. It is business, sometimes an unfortunate business, but a business we all chose to be part of. It's a reality.

"In the same breath, when players are free agents and choose to leave franchises that aren't winning to go to a title contender, no one says they're making a bad choice."

King said he more than understood Ratliff's discontent.

"All these players should be upset," he said. "If they weren't upset, it would mean they didn't care about winning.

"I hold no animosity toward Theo. In fact, I thank him, I thank Toni, Pepe and Nazr, who were a vital part of our success. I can only say thank you to them. If there are hard feelings, I can only apologize. But my job is to do what's best for the franchise."

Ratliff was a huge part of the Sixers' magical season. He thought he was a major part of their future. He thought making the All-Star team for the first time meant something. He thought leading the league in blocks meant something. He also, deep down, knew better.

"What people might be missing is that, when we acquired Theo and Toni, they were earning below market value and we gave them both big contracts," King said. "When you think about it, Theo was basically unproven when we got him from Detroit. When we signed him, some people said we overpaid."

But, again, King said he more than understood Ratliff's unhappiness.

"You have people smile in your face, act like you're the greatest thing in the world," Ratliff said. "At the same time, they still won't give you the common courtesy to even mention [anything].

"I'm a realist. I know it's always a possibility that things happen. Nobody is in a position where they can't be traded, especially when you know there is a team looking to trade away a guy, to try to get something before he gets away [in free agency]. It's always a possibility.

"I've been on the block so many times, it's not like it's a surprise. I guess that's why guys have a certain attitude toward their team. You can say all the right things, say this, say that about a guy, how great he is, how he's the future, this and that. At the same time, they won't give him the common courtesy about being dealt for somebody else. Like I said, it's a dirty business as far as that."

King, clearly, wouldn't agree with that.