Marc Berman of the New York Post reports that the league is lining up to make offers for Alonzo Mourning. According to Heat coach Pat Riley, everyone, including the Knicks, wants Mourning because he is in the last year of his contract.

Even though Mourning is likely out for the year recovering from a kidney illness, Riley won?t trade him. They can purge his $20.6 million dollar salary from their cap next summer when his contract expires. Riley indicated that a trade with the Knicks wouldn?t work because virtually all their players have long-term deals.

"The most valuable thing out there is trying to get space, getting contracts with no years left on it," said Riley, whose Heat host the Knicks tonight. "They're caught a little bit but I know Scott will keep working at it. I know he's on the phone all the time. He's really working at it trying to make something happen, but everybody's saying no right now."

The only way a Knicks deal for Mourning could work is if either Latrell Sprewell or Allan Houston is included. Sprewell has three years and $41M left on his pact. Houston has five years and $87M left. Teams aren't willing to take on their long-term salaries.

"You can't believe some of the offers that we get," Riley added. "You take on 180 million dollars over the next three years, we've been through that. There's really [been a] change in the philosophy in taking on long-term money," Riley said. "You just have to do it the old-fashioned way of waiting or getting lucky."