Jimmy Smith of the New Orleans Times-Picayune reports that George Lynch unhappy in the Big Easy. He wants a contract extension, and since the Hornets aren?t offering, he now wants to be traded to Washington.

Lynch will earn about $2.6 million this season and has 3 years remaining on the 6-year contract he signed with the Sixers. "We just feel that Mr. Lynch's business has not been addressed in a forthright manner, and the team doesn't seem interested at this point in talking about contract extensions," said Kenton Edelin, Lynch's Alexandria, Va.-based agent.

Edelin said that Hornets VP Bob Bass had talked to the Wizards about trade possibilities, but a deal couldn?t be worked out. Lynch declined interview requests, but told The Washington Post last week he'd like to play for Michael Jordan. "I know he'd appreciate a guy like me," Lynch said.

Meanwhile the Wizards could lose interest in Lynch altogether. They are reportedly talking to Utah free agent swingman Bryon Russell and may be close to a deal. If that happens, Washington would have no interest in acquiring Lynch.

"It's not even the money, to tell you the truth," Lynch told The Post. "Yeah, I'd like to get a raise, but if not, I'd rather play for a team that would appreciate me."

Jimmy Smith of the New Orleans Times Picayune reports that Robert Traylor will return to the Hornets. They re-signed him to a 2-year deal yesterday.

"You know, he's a great insurance policy for us," Silas said. Last year when center Elden Campbell was out with a hamstring injury, Traylor and Jamaal Magloire "stepped in and we didn't miss a beat.?

"We won some games with him. He plays the four and five for me; he knows the system so we don't have to teach him and he's a heck of a rebounder. On top of that, he's a crowd pleaser. They love him. He adds a lot to our club."

Terms of the contract weren?t released, but it is expected that Traylor will be taking a pay cut from last season?s $2 million salary. "Annually it won't be a raise," Traylor?s agent, Andre Colona said. "But a lot of it stems from his relationship with Coach Silas."

Traylor was scheduled to visit the Orlando Magic next week, according to Colona, but opted to rejoin the Hornets because of his rapport with Silas. The coach "really stepped up," the agent said.

"I think after talking to coach and believing in his philosophy, plus the relationship we had last year, it was just a great situation for me to go back there and play," Traylor said Friday from his offseason home in Detroit.

Steve Wyche of the Washington Post reports that Hornets guard George Lynch is unhappy with management's reluctance to give him a contract extension and he wants to be traded to the Washington Wizards.

"I have family there, I played high school ball in that area [Flint Hill], I have a lot of ties to the Washington, D.C., area," Lynch, 31, said in a phone interview yesterday. "Plus, I'll play for Michael Jordan. I know he would appreciate a guy like me."

Sources indicate that both teams have taken part in trade talks but no deals have been reached.  But with Washington hoping for enough cap room to sign a maximum free agent contract in the offseason next year - holding out on a Richard Hamilton extension in the process - it is unknown if the team would extend on Lynch's current contract which runs through season 2003 if acquired.

Hornets Vice President of Basketball Operations Bob Bass acknowledged that Lynch has indicated a desire to be traded.