News out of Miami

[John Lyell <Jlyell@concentric.net>]

Some more news out of Miami.  I would love to see Austin & Mash come to 
Boston.  Who would Sacramento want besides Billups ?  If it was me with 
Corliss being a free agent at year end, giving up Richmond, I would want 
Billups & Mercer or McCarty.

If Mash is involved, McCarty may be the one to go.




As Isaac Austin's name was the subject of trade rumors with Boston, 
Austin's agent met with Heat General Manager Randy Pfund a week ago and 
reiterated his desire that Austin finish the season in Miami. Paco Belassen 
said the Heat should not make a deal even if they can't re-sign the backup 
center. "He just reiterated July is the time to come up with something that 
works for both of us," Pfund said.

Rumors in Boston had the Heat involved in a multi-player, three-team trade 
with the Celtics and Sacramento that would send Austin and Jamal Mashburn 
(who played for Celtics coach Rick Pitino at the University of Kentucky) to 
Boston and the Heat would get Mitch Richmond. Chauncey Billups and another 
player would go from Boston to the Kings.

Meanwhile, Austin said he could foresee the Heat being forced to trade him 
by the Feb. 19 deadline. "My value being high, there may be an option of me 
being traded," Austin said. "There's rumors going around." Austin sounded 
like a player who has no intentions of returning to the Heat. "It's a shame 
that a team that spends time with me and puts trust in me doesn't have the 
opportunity ... well they have an opportunity ... but it's hard to re-sign 
me back," he said. "We all know that. They say it themselves. I worked hard 
and I've come a long way and I ... just can't short sell myself. That's how 
I feel."