Details Of Hornets/Miami Deal

[Way Of The Ray <wayray@ix.netcom.com>]

http://www.charlotte.com/hornets/pub/hornweb0801.htm
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Posted at 6:22 p.m. EDT Monday, July 31, 2000
Hornets swap Jones, Mason for Heat's Mashburn, Brown
RICK BONNELL
The Charlotte Hornets and Miami Heat agreed to a major trade Monday
afternoon that will swap Eddie Jones and Anthony Mason for Heat forwards
Jamal Mashburn and P.J. Brown, multiple league sources told The
Charlotte Observer.

Several other players were added to the deal to make it work under NBA
salary cap rules. The Hornets will get Otis Thorpe, Tim James and Rodney
Buford. The Heat gets Ricky Davis and Dale Ellis.

The agreement, which can't become official until Tuesday morning, ends a
tense time for the Hornets, who were in danger of losing Jones without
compensation. Things changed dramatically, sources say, when Jones put
out words to the Hornets and Heat that he would sign with the Chicago
Bulls in the absence of a sign-and-trade.

That forced the Heat to improve its offer, and send two starters -
Mashburn and Brown - to the Hornets. Charlotte is losing two of its top
three players in Jones and Mason to make the transaction work.

Mashburn is key to the deal because he'll pick up much of Jones' 20
points-per-game scoring. Brown gives the Hornets another big man, but
it's possible he'll move on to another team. Sources say the Hornets
might revisit discussions with the Los Angeles Lakers about acquiring
Glen Rice. Brown could serve as trade bait, since the Lakers need a
power forward.

The Hornets hope to re-sign another free agent, Brad Miller, but are
limited by salary-cap rules. The Hornets can pay just the league's
average salary - projected to be around $4 million next season. If
another team, like the Bulls, offer Miller more than that, the Hornets
have no opportunity to match the offer. Miller was scheduled to meet
with the Bulls Monday.




--------------------------------------------------------------------------------