LOTTERY CHANGES: To account for the addition of two expansion teams, the NBA on Wednesday reformulated its draft lottery system.
The addition of the Toronto Raptors and Vancouver Grizzlies means 13 teams will participate in the weighted lottery, which determines draft order for non-playoff teams, instead of the former 11. Sixteen teams make the playoffs.As in the past, the team with the league's worst record will have a 25 percent chance of getting the top pick.
The teams with the second-worst record through sixth-worst record will have a slightly worse chance of landing the No. 1 selection.
HORNETS: A man convicted in the death of his girlfriend may be signed by the Charlotte Hornets, The Cincinnati Enquirer reported today.
The Hornets are interested in Troy Smith, a former University of Louisville forward, who was released from prison on shock probation June 9.
Smith, 24, served about one year of his five- to 25-year sentence after pleading guilty to involuntary manslaughter in the February 1994 death of Kelly Dwyer, 20, of Cincinnati.
Hornets officials are concerned about the circumstances of Dwyer's death and want to know whether Smith has a tendency to be violent, Roger Schweickert, vice president of corporate affairs, told the Enquirer.
Dwyer was thrown to the floor during an argument at her apartment, Cincinnati police said. She suffered head injuries and died hours later.
"We want to look into this first," Schweickert said. "We don't know how well he plays yet."
If he is signed, Smith would be one of two players in the NBA convicted in deaths, NBA spokesman Chris Brienza said.
The other is Charles Smith, a former Georgetown star and Boston Celtics player who served more than two years in prison in connection with the hit-and-run deaths of two college students. He was released in July 1994 and is in the Philadelphia 76ers' training camp, Brienza said.
TIMBERWOLVES: The Minnesota Timberwolves on Wednesday released guard Bart Kofoed and forwards Jerome Lane and Brian Davis, reducing their roster to 18 players. Kofoed started his NBA career by playing with the Utah Jazz.
WARRIORS: The Golden State Warriors have released rookie free agents Monty Buckley, Billy McCaffrey, Doug Muse and Kevin Ollie, bringing the team's roster down to 16.