Around The Rim

Sources say the Hornets were ready to send Glen Rice, B.J. Armstrong and J.R. Reid to L.A. for Eddie Jones and Elden Campbell. The Lakers reportedly loved that deal but hit two snags: One, Rice could be out four to six weeks with an elbow injury; two, he wants the maximum salary allowed under the new cap (in his case, $86 million over six years). L.A. thinks he's worth $30 million less, and Rice and his agent, David Falk, aren't willing to settle for that kind of money. Yet....

Bucks point Terrell Brandon, who steamed former coach Chris Ford last season by sitting out 32 games with a sprained ankle, didn't warm the heart of new coach George Karl by missing an exhibition game with a sore quadriceps and not even showing up at the arena....

Cleveland really wants to create cap room by moving guard Bobby Sura, but nobody's biting on a player with a $20 million contract who has lost confidence and is struggling to shake ankle problems....

Remember that old softie Eric Williams? Boston exiled him to Denver before last season because he blew off the conditioning demands of coach Rick Pitino. In his fourth game for Denver, Williams tore his ACL, but he spent the last year in the weight room and now has 6.8% body fat, down from 14.3% a year ago....

Before Portland signed free agent Jimmy Jackson, it proposed a sign-and-trade for Jackson with Golden State, offering Stacey Augmon. The Warriors passed, which suggests that they like nothing better than Augmon.