Around The Rim

After being dealt to Portland last Friday in the six-player swap that sent Kenny Anderson to Toronto, Damon Stoudamire quickly sought assurances from the Trail Blazers that they wouldn't unload J.R. Rider....

Add the Rockets to the list of teams with $1 million salary-cap exceptions that will make a run at Latrell Sprewell if his suspension is reduced and he's allowed to finish the season with a new club....

The Nuggets are considering signing former Celtic Dino Radja, who has been toiling for Panathinaikos in Greece. Radja would like to show NBA teams that his balky knee can hold up; Denver needs an inside scorer to avoid finishing with the worst record in league history....

League sources say the players' union is willing to add marijuana to the NBA's list of banned substances in the next collective bargaining agreement, in exchange for another noneco-nomic concession, such as establishing a process that gives players the right to immediately appeal league fines or suspensions....

Dallas rejected Milwaukee's offer of Andrew Lang for Dennis Scott....

Don't expect New Jersey to lock up Kerry Kittles with a lucrative extension this summer. The Nets want one more season to assess his value.....

The Heat's interest in Mitch Richmond never waned, but Miami's eagerness to deal Jamal Mashburn did. Mashburn may have turned in the finest month of his career before he went down with a broken right thumb last Friday that may keep him out for the rest of the season. In that 15-game stretch Mashburn, whom Celtics coach Rick Pitino hotly pursued, averaged 15.7 points per game.