Around The Rim

Two general managers say the league should revise its rules for injury exceptions as a result of Alonzo Mourning's return on March 27 The Heat received a $3.92 million exception (using it to acquire Cedric Ceballos) by asserting that Mourning would be sidelined for the season with a kidney ailment. "First we hear it's life and death," says one G.M. "Now it turns out he's been practicing for six weeks." The executives propose preventing the injured player from returning during the season that his team has claimed the exception....

In an apologetic letter to Bulls season-ticket holders, owner Jerry Reinsdorf said ticket prices will remain the same for 2001-02 and guaranteed no price hike during the two seasons after that for anyone who renews in spite of the Bulls' horrible results the past three years....

Kevin Garnett's scoring, rebounding and assist numbers increased after Feb. 23, when 6'7", 255-pound Reggie Slater, a 30-year-old journeyman, took over for Rasho Nesterovic as the Timberwolves' starting center. "Even though Reggie's not tall, bodies are flying off him, he's taking up space, he's opening lanes for KG," says Minnesota coach Flip Saunders....

At the start of the season forward Ruben Patterson objected to coming off the bench. Now, having averaged 11.9 points and 4.7 rebounds through Sunday in 49 games as a substitute, he looks forward to it—which is good news for the Sonics, who want to keep him as their sixth man after he becomes a restricted free agent this summer....

Reggie Miller on Wizards second-year shooting guard Richard Hamilton: "He's wiry, he uses screens well and he probably has a little better off-the-dribble game than I did at his age. I love his athleticism, and he comes to play every night."