By Simon Fishler
SportsLine NBA Editor
July 28, 1999

With the door about to swing open on the NBA free-agent market, here's a look at some of the hot gossip floating around the league:

Boston

Boston coach Rick Pitino apparently has become frustrated with the team's inability to sign guard Ron Mercer to an extension, and he could be dealt. The Bulls could be involved in a scenario that has Mercer being moved for Toni Kukoc or Ron Artest.

The soap opera-like saga of Pitino and Celtics star Antoine Walker continues.

"Cybertwan" says somebody in the Celtics organization leaked to the media that he's out of shape and has fired his personal trainer. Pitino appears to be genuinely miffed with the big forward, as the talk of a trade for Sonics free-agent forward Vin Baker continues to crackle in the Boston airwaves.

Pitino said he would love to have Baker in a Celtics uniform, but a deal between the Sonics and Celtics involving Baker and Walker would have to include another team because of salary-cap constraints.

The Bulls could be up to it, perhaps by taking Pervis Ellison from the Celts along with a couple of picks -- a move that would allow Chicago to free up more cap room for next year's big free agents like Grant Hill and Tim Duncan.

Boston is thought to be interested in Clippers free-agent forward Rodney Rogers. The Suns' Clifford Robinson and the Kings' Lawrence Funderburke and Jon Barry have also surfaced as players possibly going to Boston.

New Jersey

Word is that forward Jayson Williams has been lobbying for the Nets to sign Wizards' free-agent forward Otis Thorpe, who would take some pressure off Williams on the boards.

New Jersey is expected to sign forward Keith Van Horn to a six-year, $73-million contract extension on Aug. 1 -- the day after the moratorium on deals and signings is lifted. Jamie Feick apparently will stick around New Jersey, taking the $2-million exception with the Nets.

Washington

The Wizards would like to keep Mitch Richmond, but they don't appear willing to pay him the $12 million a year for four years, as he'd like.

Washington explored the possibility of dealing Richmond to Orlando for Penny Hardaway in a sign-and-swap of free agents, but the deal apparently wouldn't work because of salary-cap problems.

With a gaggle of NBA teams chasing Richmond, it appears some deal will get done, freeing up rookie Richard Hamilton to take over as the starting shooting guard. Speaking of Rip, he ticked off coach Gar Heard this week by ducking out of the team's summer league games. Rumor is he's still nursing a sprained ankle that hampered him during U.S. National Team action this month.

It appears Otis Thorpe isn't in the Wizards' plans. Miami, New York, Utah and Milwaukee have expressed interest in picking up the very veteran power forward.

Miami

Here's yet another team interested in Mitch Richmond … but again the Heat don't have much money to work with and Mitch is all about getting rich. The only way the Heat could get Richmond is with a sign-and-swap deal, and they appear unwilling to part with one of their top players.

One long shot that has surfaced is Miami sending Brown to the Lakers for Glen Rice. The deal makes some sense because Rice has hinted he'd like to move back to the city where he owns a home.

At this month's Olympic qualifying tournament, Hardaway tried to buddy up with Sonics free-agent Vin Baker in hopes of recruiting the forward to Miami. But that scenario seems unlikely as Baker is seeking the maximum salary of $70.9 million for seven years, and the Heat can only offer the salary-cap exceptions at this point.

New York

The Knicks are among a handful of teams that are in the hunt for aging Wizards forward Otis Thorpe. New York could fashion a sign-and-trade deal with the Wiz.

A long shot rumor has Latrell Sprewell or Allan Houston being dealt to Minnesota in a sign-and-trade deal for point guard Terrell Brandon, but that appears unlikely after the two shooting guards showed they can play together in the Knicks' run to the Finals.

The Knicks don't have any major free agents of their own to worry about. No, Herb Williams, 41, David Wingate and Rick Brunson likely won't be back.

Orlando

Poof. Where will the Magic's star disappear? Will Penny go to the Lakers, the Raptors, the Clippers? Or what about the Bulls?

Nobody knows for sure, but Hardaway appears to want out of Orlando, and what's the point of paying a player upwards of $10 million a year when he's unhappy?

The heat is on the Magic to get a sign-and-trade deal done that nets them at least something. They surely don't want to have another Shaq scenario in which the star waltzes out of town as a free agent.

Among the sign-and-trade deals for Penny that have been discussed are Glen Rice (Lakers) and Mitch Richmond (Wizards). The Bulls are one of only a few teams that have enough wiggle room under the cap to pay Penny what he wants, but Chicago hasn't yet shown much interest in the pouty Penny.

Philadelphia

It appears Allen Iverson will have his backcourt mate back for the next several seasons.

The Sixers have reportedly worked out a multiyear deal with point guard Eric Snow that will pay him about $3 million a season. The deal, of course, can't be signed until Aug. 1 but it's looking like it's done. Snow had a trip scheduled to Toronto to talk to Raptors brass earlier in the month but scrapped the plan after the Philly plan was drawn up.

The word is coach Larry Brown has been shopping forward Tyrone Hill without too much success. Forward Theo Ratliff also has been rumored to be available via a trade.