On the eve of the regular season, the Milwaukee Bucks cleared salary-cap room so they could sign All-Star forward Anthony Mason. To do that, they had to send Scott Williams and his $4.6 million contract to Denver.

Nothing wrong with that. You do what you can to get better.

But . . .

"The next time George Karl gives us a speech about loyalty, call Scott Williams," said Orlando Magic Coach Doc Rivers.

He was referring to a speech made in the spring of 1999, when the Magic were making a playoff run with a low-budget roster. It was no secret then that the Magic would lose some of those players after the season, when they cleared cap room and then signed Grant Hill and Tracy McGrady.

According to Karl, that was somehow unethical.

"I think they are using disloyalty against the players who are winning for them now," Karl said. "To spin it any other way makes me sick because there is spin all over this game, too much spin and not enough truth."