Nov. 3 -- The Charlotte Hornets Friday refused to meet the contract demands of Alonzo Mourning and dealt the disgruntled center to the Miami Heat. The Hornets sent Mourning, guard Pete Myers and center Leron Ellis to Miami for swingman Glen Rice, center Matt Geiger, guard Khalid Reeves and a first-round draft choice in 1996. Rice said he would not be with the Hornets for their season opener Friday in Chicago. The Heat open the season Saturday against Cleveland. According to reports in the Miami area, the trade was completed when Mourning agreed to a four-year, $44 million contract extension with the Heat. The Hornets made the deal after they reached a contract impasse with Mourning. The Charlotte Observer reported the Hornets were unwilling to meet Mourning's demand of $13 million per season. The paper said Charlotte offered $10 million per season over seven years. 'The prospects of this trade are very exciting to us,' said Hornets Vice President of Basketball Operations Bob Bass. 'Glen Rice is an All- Star caliber player and we are also receiving a first-round pick in next year's draft. Also, with our injuries, Khalid Reeves will be able to step right in and stabilize our point guard position.' 'When it became apparent that we would not be able to keep Alonzo Mourning in Charlotte, we were very fortunate that Bob Bass could put together the deal he did,' said Hornets owner George Shinn. 'Bob was able to to bring in the ninth leading scorer in the NBA plus two other key players and a first-round draft pick.'
Mourning's agent, David Falk, was looking for $13 million annually over four seasons along with escape clauses. Mourning, the second overall pick in the 1992 draft, averaged 21.33 points and 9.9 rebounds last season. The Georgetown graduate is a two-time All-Star and led the Hornets in points (21.3) and rebounds (9.3) last season. 'I know he (Miami coach Pat Riley) wanted a post player, so that's why he went after me and I'm going to try to fulfill that role,' said Mourning. 'Being in Charlotte was a great experience for me. Playing for the fans in Charlotte made me appreciate the game more.' Rice, who is entering his sixth year in the NBA, was the fourth overall pick in 1989 out of Michigan. He was the Heat's Most Valuable Player last season, averaging 22.3 points and posting his best shooting numbers at 47.5 per cent from the floor, including 41.0 from three-point range. Rice is Miami's all-time leader in games played and captured the Long Distance Shootout at last season's All-Star weekend. He led Michigan to the NCAA title in 1989, where he was named the tournament's MVP after breaking Bill Bradley's record for tournament points with 184. Myers will be playing with his sixth NBA team in eight seasons. Myers played with the Chicago Bulls last season and averaged 4.5 points in 71 games. A sixth-round pick in 1986, Myers has also played with San Antonio, Philadelphia, New York and New Jersey. Ellis will be reunited with former Syracuse teammate Billy Owens in Miami. A former first-round pick in 1991, Ellis was chosen by the Los Angeles Clippers and played in just 29 games in his rookie campaign in 1991, before playing with Columbus of the CBA. He has played for Hyundai Desio of the Italian League, Barcelona of the Spanish League as well as the Hornets. Ellis will begin the season on the injured list. Reeves appeared in 67 games as a rookie last season, averaging 9.2 points and 4.3 assists and 21 minutes. Reeves, the 12th choice overall out of Arizona, established frachise rookie records in 3-point shooting and also recorded the NBA's fourth-best assist total last season with 288. Geiger will miss the Hornet's season-opener after he was fined $10, 000 and suspended one game after a flagrant foul against Orlando Magic center Shaquille O'Neal. Geiger posted caree-highs in games (74), points (8.3), and rebounds (5.6) last season.
