Mourning Traded To Miami
Pat Riley had Kareem Abdul-Jabbar in Los Angeles and Patrick Ewing in New York. Now he’s got his big man in Miami - Alonzo Mourning.
The Miami Heat and its new coach obtained the two-time All-Star center Friday in a six-player deal forced when Mourning, a free agent at the end of this season, rejected a Hornets’ contract offer.
Miami gave up prolific scorer Glen Rice, second-year point guard Khalid Reeves and center Matt Geiger. The Hornets also get the Heat’s first-round draft pick in 1996.
Despite having to give up Rice, the Heat’s leading scorer the past four seasons, Riley was certain he improved his team. “He is considered to be a franchise player without a doubt,” Riley said. “Well beyond an impact player.
“I think this team needs a building block, a cornerstone. I had the opportunity to coach Kareem Abdul-Jabbar, Patrick Ewing and I think the only place we can build a team is from within.”
Besides 6-foot-10, 240-pound Mourning, the Heat will get two reserves, guard Pete Myers and center LeRon Ellis. Myers averaged 5.1 points for Chicago last season while Ellis averaged 6.6 points playing in the Spanish League.
The trade ended days of speculation and rumors after Mourning rejected a seven-year, $70 million contract from the Hornets. On Thursday, Mourning reportedly turned down an 11th-hour offer from Charlotte that was close to the $13 million annual salary he had been demanding.
Mourning, 25, who will get $4.35 million this season in the last year of his contract, said he won’t talk about a new contract until the season ends. However, he indicated he would be able to reach a deal with the Heat, who have been clearing room under the salary cap in anticipation of signing a big-name free agent.
“I came here with the intention of being here for the rest of my career,” Mourning said.
“I was ready to get on with the season,” he added. “I didn’t want to start the year off in Charlotte knowing that I could be out of a Charlotte uniform every other hour.”
Miami opens its season tonight against Cleveland.