Maloney waived by Warriors, Allen waits

As Jerome Allen moved a step closer to making his NBA roster, Matt Maloney, Allen's counterpart in last year's starting Penn backcourt, was waived by the Golden State Warriors last night. Maloney was one of three players battling for the fourth guard spot on the Warriors roster. With the regular season set to begin tomorrow night. Maloney and guard Phil Handy were both released last night, leaving former Boston Celtic and Milwaukee Buck Jon Barry with the final guard spot. Maloney saw limited playing time in the preseason and shot just three for 12 (.250) with two assists. He was not drafted in June, but was brought into training camp by the Warriors and survived the first round of cuts in October. When Penn coach Fran Dunphy last talked with Maloney a few days ago, last season's Ivy League Player of the Year seemed upbeat about his performance with the Warriors. "He thought he had played real well," Dunphy said. "He sounded like he knew that was the only thing he could control." Maloney's pro prospects are still very much alive, Dunphy said last night. The CBA's Grand Rapids (Mich.) team drafted him in the second round, and if he plays in the CBA there is the possibility that he could get called up by an NBA team in midseason to replace an injured or cut player. Allen, the 1993 and 1994 Ivy League Player of the Year, was drafted by the Minnesota Timberwolves with the 49th overall pick in June. He has looked solid in his point guard role in the preseason. Allen's prospects were helped significantly last night when the Timberwolves released guard Darrick Martin, meaning there are now only five guards on the roster. "If they decide to keep five guards, he's in good shape," Dunphy said. Allen signed a one-year contract with the Timberwolves for the rookie minimum of $200,000. Dunphy said last night he was not sure if the money was guaranteed as of now -- if it were guaranteed, the Timberwolves would have to pay Allen even if they cut him. "The guaranteed portion of the contract hasn't necessarily kicked in," Dunphy said. "When it will, I don't know." One sure way for Allen to earn his salary is to make the team. In the preseason he looked solid in his point guard role. His shooting -- he was 12 of 32 from the floor in the preseason, good for 37.5 percent -- could use some work, but he did dish out 22 assists, good for 3.1 per game and second on the team.

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