On Monday, the New Orleans Hornets waived their 2003 second-round pick center James Lang.

"Bob Bass, the Hornets executive vice president of basketball operations/general manager, said the team had hopes of possibly moving Lang off the injured list to the active roster, but he hadn't shown enough potential in the past three months to warrant the move."

Hornets forward Jamal Mashburn, who has been out of New Orleans' lineup and on the injured list since Oct.27, will have an evaluation done on his surgically repaired right knee within the next 10 days from doctors in Miami to determine when he will be able to return.

"We're just trying to take our time and make sure everything is right before I get on that hardwood surface," Mashburn said. "I'll have a better understanding when I may return when they re-evaluate it after the first of the year. But I haven't had any flare-ups or anything like that, so I'm progressing forward."

Mashburn also said their is no timetable for his return and he won't return until his knee is 100 percent.

NEW ORLEANS (AP) A medical emergency in the stands during Wednesday night's Magic-Hornets game caused officials to suspend play for about 17 minutes.

A middle-aged man collapsed in the aisle about eight rows behind the Hornets' bench. He never appeared to regained consciousness as paramedics pumped his chest, gave him oxygen and wheeled him out of the arena on a stretcher.

His identity, age and condition were not immediately available. The man attended the game with a younger man and two elementary school-age children, who were escorted out of the arena just ahead of the victim.

The delay occurred just before the fourth quarter was about to begin. Players were given two minutes to warm up before play resumed.

ORLANDO, Fla. (AP) A judge dismissed battery charges Tuesday against New Orleans Hornets guard Darrell Armstrong, who was on trial for striking an officer as she tried to escort him off the street.

Judge Bob Wattles said there was no way a prosecutor could prove Armstrong intended to strike the officer when he pushed her hand away.

The dismissal came on the trial's second day. Armstrong's attorney had argued the NBA player accidentally hit Officer Teresa Joyce, swinging his arm in reaction to her touching him.

But Joyce testified Monday that Armstrong ``reacted very violently'' when she tried to remove him from the street outside a nightclub on July 7.

Armstrong, who played nine seasons with the Orlando Magic before signing with the Hornets over the offseason, had been charged with felony battery on an officer and misdemeanor resisting arrest without violence. He had faced probation to a maximum of five years in prison if he had been convicted.

ORLANDO, Fla. (AP) Darrell Armstrong's battery trial began Monday with his attorney admitting the Hornets guard struck an officer, but he said it was an accident.

Defense attorney Zachary Stoumbos said during opening statements that Armstrong was unsure who touched him and reacted by swinging his left arm back, knocking Officer Teresa Joyce momentarily off balance.

``It was a startled response when you're unexpectedly touched,'' Stoumbos said.

But Joyce testified that Armstrong ``reacted very violently'' when she tried to remove him from the street outside a nightclub early July 7.

Armstrong, who played nine seasons with the Orlando Magic before signing with New Orleans during the offseason, is charged with felony battery on an officer and misdemeanor resisting arrest without violence. If convicted, he faces probation to five years in prison.

Joyce said Armstrong stepped into the street outside the nightclub to talk to two women in a taxicab, posing a safety hazard.

``I screamed at him to get out of the road,'' Joyce said.

The officer said she gave him two more warnings. Then, she walked to his left side, placed her hand on his back and applied pressure to get him to move to the sidewalk. He knocked her hand away.

Joyce, not knowing who Armstrong was, said she feared for her safety and decided to arrest him. She said she tried to grab his arm but he jerked it away.

``What are you messing with me for?'' Armstrong asked the officers, prosecutor Mark Graham said.

During the struggle, Joyce said she sprained her ring finger.

But Armstrong's attorney said the basketball player wasn't posing a safety hazard since there were no cars behind the cab. He also disputed Joyce's account that Armstrong resisted arrest.

Stoumbos also questioned the officer's motive for pursuing the criminal case, asking her whether she planned to file a civil lawsuit.

``Isn't that what this is all about?'' he asked.

Joyce said she hadn't made a decision on whether to sue and denied that it played any role in her decision.