NEW YORK -- Fired SuperSonics coach Bob Weiss was hired for three reasons:

First, he came exceptionally cheap, $1 million per for two seasons, three tops, the cheapest of 30 head coaches.

This is what happens to your value when you idle for 11 seasons at the same place panting for a promotion.

Ownership saw no need to invest beaucoup bucks in anyone but the departed Nate McMillan after Ray Allen got opulently rewarded ($80 million) to re-sign for five years.

The prevailing feeling in and out of the Seattle organization is the team greatly overachieved last season when it captured the Northwest Division and came within a trifecta by Allen of extending the Spurs to seven games in the Western Conference semifinals.

In light of their center-by-mediocre committee and defensive deficiencies management believed the Sonics were still very much a work in progress.

Second of all, Allen all but handpicked Weiss, campaigning for him covertly and overtly.

Basically, he appreciated his low key style.

McMillan never stopped pushing and prodding and demanding.

Allen and Rashard Lewis and others looked forward to softer critiques, painless practices and easier living, and celebrated the radical changes, at least until their bout with inconsistency couldn't be reversed.

Lastly, team president Wally Walker and GM Rick Sund hoped to preserve as much continuity as possible within their control.

McMillan had bolted to Portland, Antonio Daniels was recruited by Washington and Jerome James suckered the Knicks into favoring him with a five-year, $29 million deal.

In addition, three players opted for one-year deals that guaranteed some strife.

Vladimir Radmanovic, who amazingly rejected a $42 million, five-year extension, didn't disappoint; he staged an open revolt of non-dimensional play.

The question is, why was Radmanovic ever given an opportunity to accept such a windfall?

After only 30 games, 13 of them wins, essentially the same three reasons that got Weiss hired got him fired.

I'M TOLD that an outraged David Stern lodged a complaint with the Pacers concerning management's ruling to place Ron Artest on the inactive list indefinitely.

Sources say Phil Jackson has coveted Artest since he took the job.

Kobe, too, is heavily endorsing his procurement as well. Yet Lakers' management continues to resist sacrificing Lamar Odom, its only means of obtaining Artest.

Having written that, when Indiana finally cuts its umbilical cord to Artest, there is a chance it may make a luxury tax type decision which would give the Lakers and other suitors some maneuvering room; you know, settle for draft picks, expiring contracts, perhaps even the Suns' $3.6 million trade exception (they're looking to be chosen into any deal if it'll get them another shooter) versus demanding relatively equal talent owning an extended warranty.

Part of that design would be trying to recruit Latrell Sprewell for the remainder of the season.

Obviously the Pacers crave his brand of hardcore defense, that is, if he's still capable of providing it.

In the meantime, an L.A. source reveals the Clippers, rather than give into the temptation to turn over chronically injured Corey Maggette (averaged 59 games in seven seasons) to the Hawks in a three-pronged package that would have netted them Artest (with Al Harrington returning to Indy), asked Sam Cassell to reach out to his former teammate with the Timberwolves.

I'm unsure if contact was made. Sprewell apparently now represents himself and isn't the easiest guy to keep track of or track down; he's believed to be back in his hometown of Milwaukee.

Somehow I get the feeling The Boston Herald isn't buying into Sunday's disclosure about Danny Ainge's newest blueprint ("If you fail to plan you, plan to fail," he's fond of preaching) to dump long-term commitments, including, if not leading off with Paul Pierce $31 million in compensation over the next two years.

Since the Celtics are going nowhere meaningful lately, if ever, as constructed, Ainge is hoping to lock and reload with freshly scrubbed and prized aptitude to get the adrenaline of the team, its coach and the fans pulsating.

But don't go by me. Don't go by my sources that the industrious Futile Lord is trying to concoct four- and five- and six-team trades in an effort to trade Pierce, Ricky Davis, Mark Blount and Raef LaFrentz.

Or that Ainge is the one making the offers involving any of the four or the whole shebang, not fielding them.

After all, I'm only the guy who tipped off the Boston media last year around this time that the Celts were talking serious business with the Hawks about re-acquiring Antoine Walker.