Chatter as Thursday's trade deadline nears:

? The decision doesn't need to be made this week or even this summer.

But if the Heat is serious about clearing out significant cap space in the summer of 2003, Miami probably will need to choose between Alonzo Mourning and Brian Grant.

And Mourning would seem the likely choice to stay, if he continues playing at his current level and if his kidney disease remains in remission.

Because of the soft economy and the NBA's new backloaded TV contract, the 2003-04 salary cap is expected to be close to $45 million, two NBA general managers said.

For that season, Eddie Jones ($12.3 million) and Grant ($12.2) will combine to make $24.5 million. Even if Mourning agrees to take $12 million that year -- well below his $20.6 million salary next season in the final year of his contract -- that would put the Heat at $36.5 million for 2003-04.

And that doesn't include 2003-04 salary commitments to the Heat's next two first-round draft choices, Anthony Carter (set to earn $4.1 million in 2003-04) and LaPhonso Ellis (set to earn $3.6 million that year).

Dealing Carter and Ellis would help, but if Miami wants to have cap space to pursue Tim Duncan, Jason Kidd, Gary Payton, Jermaine O'Neal, Antonio McDyess or several other potential free agents in 2003, one of two things would have to happen:

1) Mourning, 32, would need to accept a salary well below market value, something NBA players rarely do, or, 2) If Mourning re-signs at market value, Miami would need to deal Grant, who turns 30 on March 5.

If Grant and the Heat have success in the next year-and-a-half, the team could delay a decision until the summer of 2003. At that point, Grant could be used in a sign-and-trade if a top free agent agrees to join the Heat. If Miami can't lure anyone better, it could keep Grant as a fallback.

Jones' recent good play has solidified his long-term future with the Heat.

? Heat and Magic fans shouldn't get their hopes up about Duncan. Duncan spoke last weekend about recruiting free agents to play with him in San Antonio. ''I love this place,'' he said. Kidd said he's interested.

Kidd also sounded intrigued about playing with Sonics PG Gary Payton. Kidd has becomes friends with Sonics owner Howard Schultz, who received NBA permission to go to dinner with Kidd last year after previously giving Kidd and his wife a tour of his Starbucks headquarters. (Yes, Kidd got a taste test, too.)

? A proposed Bulls-Pacers deal makes a lot of sense. Under one scenario, Chicago would acquire G/F Jalen Rose, G Travis Best and C Bruno Sundov for F Ron Artest, F Charles Oakley and C Brad Miller.

Miller would give the Pacers a badly needed center and allow Jermaine O'Neal to play power forward. Artest averages only about three points fewer than Rose (15.4 to 18.6) and would be a big upgrade defensively.

Rose would give the Bulls an All-Star caliber player and fill a hole at PG. ''It's not something I'm looking forward to,'' Rose said of the prospect of joining Chicago.

Said Bulls GM Jerry Krause: ``I keep hearing we've got to do this and that. The one thing we have to do is be patient. These young kids have serious talent.''

Krause said he will consider releasing Oakley only if he waives the remainder of his $7.3 million salary. Oakley has resisted. ''They made $50,000 already,'' Oakley said of the Bulls' fining him for ripping ex-coach Tim Floyd earlier this season.

? The Celtics and Jazz have discussed a deal that would send impending free agent SF Bryon Russell to Boston for a first-round draft choice, F Walter McCarty and G Randy Brown.

? Although the Magic needs a center, coach Doc Rivers said he doesn't want a trade: ``Some might look at our team and say we have a lot of holes, but our chemistry is great. Sometimes, I might choose chemistry over talent.''

? Rockets are shopping F Walt Williams and C Kevin Willis. . . . Wizards, looking for another low-post presence, would move G Courtney Alexander or F Christian Laettner. . . . Hawks are listening to offers for C Nazr Mohammed.

? With Minnesota PG Terrell Brandon out for the season with a foot injury, a proposed Nick Van Exel trade to the Wolves has been ruled out. Van Exel, booed heavily in Denver, continues to lobby for a deal. The Knicks keep attempting to pry Nuggets C Raef LaFrentz and Van Exel.

Over past two years, Wolves won 22 of first 28 with Chauncey Billups starting at PG. ''Maybe he can be another Tom Brady,'' Wolves coach Flip Saunders said of the Patriots quarterback.

AROUND THE LEAGUE

Kings F Chris Webber's outburst last week -- after the Sacramento Bee detailed his relationship with model Tyra Banks -- was foolish and out of character. ''You all are talking about who the [expletive] I'm dating and how I'm living my [expletive] life,'' he told reporters. ``I did every [expletive] thing you all asked, and then you all violated me.''

? Can the NBA survive this? Kings rookie F Gerald Wallace, who lost the slam-dunk contest to Golden State G Jason Richardson, blames ''politics'' and vows never to compete again.

But neither that nor the Webber explosion was the most bizarre story from Kings camp.

C Vlade Divac returned to Yugoslavia during All-Star weekend only after he spotted the Yugoslavian president in Washington, D.C., and hitched a ride with him. ''We stopped in Iceland to refuel, but it was a great ride,'' Divac said.

But on the return flight, Divac was delayed in San Francisco and missed Monday's practice. ``The customs guy wanted to search me in and out. I must have looked like I was going to do something.''

Said F Peja Stojakovic: ``Yeah, he couldn't find another president to bring him back, so he had to ride commercial.''

? Sixers chairman Ed Snider said he never wants to have another All-Star Game because the league allots only about 3,000 tickets to the host team's season-ticket holders. That's the reason the Heat hasn't pursued hosting an All-Star Game for the second time.

? Most teams (including the Heat) stash players on the injured list, although Hawks GM Pete Babcock says he's morally opposed.

Pistons vice president Joe Dumars announced Monday F Rodney White and C Ratko Varda were being activated, and F Brian Cardinal and C Victor Alexander were being put on the injured list. ''We haven't come up with an injury yet,'' Dumars said.

``Actually, one of the things we talked about at All-Star weekend was changing the injured list to the inactive list. I told [commissioner] David Stern I'm tired of making up injuries. He laughed and said he was tired of reading about them. So I think that change is going to be made.''

? Grizzlies G Rodney Buford, twice found with marijuana during his one season with the Heat, said his five-game NBA suspension was not the result of a failed drug test, but failing to make himself available to league officials as part of the aftercare program. ''I'm heartbroken,'' he said.

? Suns G Dan Majerle, on why he's retiring after the season: ``I get so frustrated because in your mind you see a play happening, but your body doesn't respond well enough where you can get there.''

? Talk about a drop in expectations. The Blazers, one quarter away from making the NBA Finals two years ago, would apparently be happy with a No. 6 seed.

''We finished seventh last year, so sixth would be a step up,'' GM Bob Whitsitt said. ``We would be happy with that.''

That's probably news to owner Paul Allen, who's paying $84 million in salaries, second behind the Knicks. The Blazers have $95 million in salary commitments next season, which explains why they're willing to deal impending free agent G Bonzi Wells if it allows them to move G Damon Stoudamire or F Scottie Pippen. One GM insisted last week that PF Rasheed Wallace is also available.

Whitsitt, incidentally, keeps trying to get C Arvydas Sabonis to return from retirement in Spain. ''They're not saying no, but they're not saying yes,'' Whitsitt said of Sabonis' representatives.

? Bucks coach George Karl didn't understand why F Tim Thomas left the team briefly to be with his pregnant wife. ''As of now, there's no baby that I know of,'' Karl said.

? Although more than 8,000 in New Orleans said they would buy Hornets' tickets, only 2,000 have made deposits, and only 10 have committed to buy luxury boxes. Hornets owners want to sell 10,000 tickets and 54 boxes by mid-March. A Charlotte group, including figurehead Muggsy Bogues, might bid to keep the team from moving, but Hornets owners don't want to sell.

'We get people all the time telling us, `Don't move,' '' G Baron Davis said. ``But then they don't come to the games and show their support.''