|
|
|
Saturday, November 4, 2000
NBA grants Mourning exception for Heat
Associated Press
|
MIAMI -- The Miami Heat have been granted a $3.88 million
salary-cap exception to acquire a replacement for center Alonzo
Mourning, which may allow them to pursue free-agent forward Joe
Smith.
Under NBA rules, the Heat qualified for the medical exception
because Mourning is expected to be sidelined all season with a
kidney disorder.
The Heat must use the exception by Nov. 26, and they will await
a ruling by an arbitrator on whether NBA commissioner David Stern
had the authority to void Smith's previous two contracts with the
Minnesota Timberwolves.
If the arbitrator sides with Stern, Smith will likely leave the
Timberwolves. The Chicago Bulls, New York Knicks, Dallas Mavericks
and Miami are all interested in Smith.
"We'd be very interested in pursuing that," Heat coach Pat
Riley said Saturday. "We need to fortify our front line. We've
been at work trying to formulate something that brings that to the
team."
The Heat could also use the exception in a trade.
Smith, selected first overall by Golden State in the 1995 draft,
averaged 9.9 points and 6.2 rebounds in 78 games for Minnesota last
season. The Heat have had no contract discussions with him, Riley
said.
"He's not talking to anybody until there's a final solution on
what's going on in Minnesota," Riley said.
|
|
|
|
