Rick Bonnell of the Charlotte Observer reports: NBA Commissioner David Stern named seven owners to the relocation committee that will help decide whether the Charlotte Hornets stay here or move to New Orleans.

The most prominent names on the list are Jerry Colangelo, chairman of the group that owns the Phoenix Suns, and Jerry Buss, who owns the Los Angeles Lakers. Colangelo also is chairman of the NBA board of governors, which will ultimately decide whether the Hornets move to New Orleans.

Others named to the committee were: Peter Holt (San Antonio Spurs), Lewis Katz (New Jersey Nets), Herb Simon (Indiana Pacers), Ed Snider (Philadelphia 76ers) and Gordon Gund (Cleveland Cavaliers).

Former Hornets general manager Carl Scheer, who has worked for three decades in pro basketball, said the makeup of the relocation committee gives no particular clue how Charlotte will fare. However, Scheer said, that group has enough credibility that its recommendation will carry great weight.

Ultimately, each of 29 teams, which each have a seat on the board of governors, will get one vote on this issue, including the Hornets. A majority, 15 votes, will decide the Hornets' fate.

The group will spend the next couple of months comparing fan interest, business conditions and arena situations. Several of those factors are unresolved: New Orleans just started taking deposits on season tickets and luxury seating. Charlotte has yet to approve a plan for a new arena or assemble an alternative ownership group -- factors that could make it harder to justify the NBA blocking the move.

Also on Friday, the NBA strongly denied a report on WBT radio that Commissioner Stern had guaranteed Louisiana officials a positive result if the state financially supported the Hornets' move. A league spokesman said Stern has never had "any discussions like that with anyone in the governor's office."