Around The Rim

Dismiss all that talk of Sonics coach George Karl's taking the Nuggets job. Sources close to Karl say he's not interested, and word out of Denver is that general manager Dan Issel is leaning toward adding the coach's title next season....

The Warriors and the Magic are discussing a swap, with Latrell Sprewell and Penny Hardaway as the principals....

Open your wallets: A WNBA Barbie doll is due in stores this fall. No word on who her male counterpart will be; the only player in the NBA who answers to Ken is Ken Norman, and he hasn't had game for two seasons....

After his team fell to the Knicks in the opening round of the playoffs, Heat coach Pat Riley handed his players a list of teams that had lost in the first round but gone on to achieve greatness....

Would you like Knicks point guard Chris Childs, who has four years at $4.5 million per remaining on his contract? New York is entertaining offers....

Add the Pistons to the growing list of teams that will make a run at free-agent forward Tom Gugliotta....

Reason number 950 why there probably will be a lockout this summer: Owners want to be able to sign rookies for six years rather than three, with the final three years nonguaranteed....

Longtime Bulls assistant Tex Winter is telling friends that he won't stay on in Chicago to help a new coach and that he won't accompany Phil Jackson if Jackson takes a head coaching job elsewhere. Winter is considering working as a consultant to NBA clubs.