New Orleans Hornets free agent forward Robert Traylor has been negotiating with representatives from the Phoenix Suns and the Cleveland Cavaliers, agent Andre Colona told the New Orleans Times-Picayune.

The Cavaliers are coached by former Hornets head coach Paul Silas, a onetime NBA big man who has tutored Traylor with his game in the past.

He was born in the Bronx and grew up in South Carolina, so it's a bit peculiar to see New Orleans Hornets free agent guard Shammond Williams leading the Republic of Georgia National Team in international play.

But at the request of former Orlando Magic teammate Zaza Pachulia, that's just what Williams is doing with his newly minted Georgian citizenship.

The Orlando Magic are expected to sign veteran small forward Stacey Augmon to a one year contract, the Orlando Sentinel is reporting.

Augmon, who turns 36 on Sunday, is well known for his defense and has also been talking with the Chicago Bulls.  He recently spoke with New Orleans teammate and former Orlando guard Darrell Armstrong about joining the Magic.

New Orleans Hornets free agent swingman Stacey Augmon has spoken to teammate Darrell Armstrong, a former Orlando Magic guard, about his views on the Magic organization. Augmon, 36, has also negotiated with the Chicago Bulls but is expected to be offered a one year contract by the Magic to join their commitment to defense and talented role players.

A trade involving Raptors' franchise Vince Carter and teammate Jalen Rose is lighting up the airwaves in New Orleans, according to WGNO, the cities' local sports radio.

According to the radio report, Toronto has offered Carter and Rose in exchange for P.J. Brown and Canadian Jamal Magloire. The deal reportedly will include an undisclosed amount of cash. It is no secret in Toronto that Vince Carter is unhappy with his exclusion from the Raptors' off-season revamping of its front office and coaching staff.

Other players would certainly have to be involved since both Rose and Carter have max salary contracts and Brown and Magloire earn considerably less. Also Magloire is entering the first year of a contract extension that flags him as a Base Year Compensation player, which would further hamper any trade involving him.

According to a report in CBC Sports Online the Toronto Raptors are set to match the three year, $15 million offer that restricted free agent Morris Peterson signed with the New Orleans Hornets.

The decision could be announced Thursday or Friday.

"It's looking good but nothing is official yet," Raptors GM Rob Babcock told the Sun Wednesday night.

It looks like New Orleans small forward Mashburn will be missing training camp.

'Mashburn, in a phone interview from his home in Miami, said that his injured right knee is no closer to healing now than in March, when he missed the final 19 games of the regular season and the playoffs.'

Mashburn said that during a trip to Disney World with his family he could not walk around the park without his knee swelling up.

"There is no question that he wants to play," Hornets general manager Allan Bristow said Friday. "We're dealing with a medical issue, a very serious injury that we are hoping will eventually heal itself.

"Until he is fit to play or is 100 percent healthy, then our stance is not changing. We're waiting to see when or if he becomes healthy."

'Mashburn, a 6-foot-8 small forward, missed the first 44 games last season after undergoing arthroscopic surgery on his right knee. He returned in mid-January and played in 19 games before reinjuring the knee in a road game against the Toronto Raptors on March 7.'

"I have a condition that's not going to change," Mashburn said. "I don't have cartilage in my knee."

Mashburn has been mentioned in a lot of trade rumors; but will be hard to trade if he can not pass any physicals.

"I think things are held up right now -- if I'm going to be with the Hornets or not with them," Mashburn said. "Things are at a standstill because of my health situation.

"I wish it could be an easy situation where I could go in there and have surgery and be back to normal. I played for 11 years, and sometimes your body just breaks down, and that's the reality of it. My body has broke down. It's broken down before, but I've been able to repair it and keep going. This time, I haven't been able to repair it."

Mashburn still has over 30 million owed to him over the next 3 years. He would recieve the money even if he retires. He could opt out of his contract if he wanted to, but would be a huge mistake considering he would not get anywhere close to what he is making now.

'In May, Mashburn said he would consider sitting out the upcoming season or even retire if his knee didn't improve by the end of this summer.'

"My sitting out a year at 31 years old, is that something feasible?" Mashburn said. "I think that's a question everybody has to answer, not just myself because of my contract situation with the years and money involved. Everybody has to get their heads together on that one."

"I don't know if there will be a trade or I'll be with the Hornets," Mashburn said. "The reason we're talking about this is because my knee is the problem. I'm sure it's frustrating for a lot of people, and I'm sure it's frustrating for the Hornets."

Free agent guard Trenton Hassell continues to get attention this offseason after his stock rose during the season with the Minnesota Timberwolves.

Hassell is being courted by the Denver Nuggets, who according to the Denver Post have about $2.5 million left to offer a free agent.  The team would like to add a defensive oriented guard to go along with Voshon Lenard, who was terrific for the team last season.

Meanwhile Chris Andersen, the odd man out after the Nuggets signed Kenyon Martin, says he is sad to leave the organization which gave him his shot in the NBA.

"(They) will always have a place in my heart," Andersen said of the Nuggets. "They gave me the only opportunity I had. I'm grateful. It ain't the end of the world. I may be back one day. I'd love to. Denver is the place where it all started."

Andersen accepted a two year offer with the New Orleans Hornets for their million dollar exception, worth $1.6 million a season.  The second year is at Anderson's option.

With yesterday's trade for Kenyon Martin; the Nuggets may not have the minutes for some of their other big men.

"Two sources said restricted free-agent forward Chris Andersen has an offer to sign with the New Orleans Hornets and probably will leave the Nuggets after three seasons. And forward Nikoloz Tskitishvili reiterated he would not oppose a trade."

'Nuggets general manager Kiki Vandeweghe said he would not oppose it if Andersen were to want to leave.'

"He is pursuing some other options" Vandeweghe said. "I told him I would not stand in his way."

Chris Anderson is still restricted because the Nuggets did not renounce his rights; because they were able to sign Martin without doing so.

'It's possible, though, Denver, which still can carve out up to $3 million in salary-cap room, soon will renounce him, making him unrestricted.'

Anderson's agent says that there is an offer on the table but they are not saying who. A source with the Hornets says that it is probably a 2 or 3 year deal and that they are not making it official in hopes that Denver will renounce him and it won't tie up the offer for 15 days.

'Vandeweghe would not rule out trading Tskitishvili.'

"It's always an option," said Vandeweghe.
"I'm not saying we're currently looking at it. I'll have to talk to Skita. But he's looked awfully good in the summer."

Morris Peterson, a restricted free agent of the Toronto Raptors, has signed an offer sheet with the New Orleans Hornets. The Raptors have 15 days to match the offer or they will lose Peterson who was the 21st pick in the 2000 NBA draft.

According to a report by Doug Smith in the Toronto Sun the Hornets signed Peterson to a three year, $15 million offer sheet which puts the Raptors in an awkward position.  Matching the offer would be an expensive proposition, and do they do so for a player who would rather be elsewhere?

Listening to Peterson you'd get the idea that he's already gone.

"I'm excited about the opportunity to play for New Orleans,'' Peterson told Associated Press last night. "After Toronto didn't show a lot of loyalty, I feel like New Orleans is giving me a fresh start with a first-class organization."

Peterson's comments, however, may be premature if you listen to new GM Rob Babcock, who hopes to keep the 27 year old in Canada.

"We'll get (the offer), evaluate it and make a decision but we think he's a good fit for what we want to do," Babcock said last night. "All I can say is we like Mo, we think he's a good player and my intention is to keep him."

Peterson did not miss a game last season and averaged 8.3 points and 3.2 rebounds per game.

Uncertainty surrounds the small forward position in New Orleans heading into next season because 2003 All-Star Jamal Mashburn has a right knee injury that kept him out of all but 19 games last season. He sat out the playoffs last season, suggested the Hornets may have mishandled his injury and said the pain may force his premature retirement.