i'm a big max fan. i always felt that this was about max dogging it coming back from his injury, bird calling him out for it, max denying that was true and resenting bird's words or belief on the subject.(i belive bird in this situation but what do i know)
i don't think max likes bird. i think bird probably rarely thinks of max but probably does'nt love him. bird ,while one of the best ever,(not dirk!)can be a real jerk.i don't think for a second his "joke" about mchale deserving the executive of the year award was'nt tinged with a little bitterness towards ainge no matter what he says. i think he's trying to take away from ainge's accomplishment just a little.i think if the pacers had someone they wanted to buy out then boston would be the last place(other than l.a.) that he'd want that player going.i could be dead wrong.