The Toll In Toronto

" Utah doesn't have enough cap room, and while I'd like to play with Karl [Malone], what happens when he retires?" Austin says. "As for Phoenix, I went to school there, and I like it, but we're going to listen to everybody."

What kind of chance do the Clippers have compared with, say, the Suns? "I can't answer that," Austin says. L.A.'s only hope is to make him an overwhelming offer. When Miami rescued Austin from Turkey last season, he signed for $320,000. This year he earns $384,000. Austin will be 29 in August, and if he signs a long-term contract this summer, it could be his last. "Money isn't everything," says his agent, Paco Belassen, who will be asking for about $8 million per, "but in Ike's case, it's more pertinent than it is to others who have made millions for years."

Line of the Week
Garnett Fills The Void

Timberwolves forward Kevin Garnett, Feb. 20, versus the Rockets: 47 minutes, 12-24 field goals, 1-1 free throws, 25 points, 17 rebounds, 4 assists, 2 blocks. On the night the T-Wolves learned that Tom Gugliotta would be sidelined for the rest of the year with an ankle injury, Garnett ignited a 100-95 overtime win by making clutch baskets and guarding everyone from Clyde Drexler to Hakeem Olajuwon.