http://www.nola.com/hornets/t-p/index.ssf?/base/sports-1/1090746378107460.xml Knee still holding Hornet back Mashburn says first priority is his health Sunday, July 25, 2004 By John Reid Staff writer Since March, Jamal Mashburn said he has followed the advice of the Hornets' doctor -- no strenuous exercise. With 2½ months left before Coach Byron Scott's first New Orleans training camp, it appears Mashburn may have to continue following that advice. Mashburn, in a phone interview from his home in Miami, said that his injured right knee is no closer to healing now than in March, when he missed the final 19 games of the regular season and the playoffs. On a recent vacation trip to Walt Disney World in Orlando, Fla., Mashburn said he couldn't walk around the theme park with his wife and two kids without experiencing swelling in his right knee. "There is no question that he wants to play," Hornets general manager Allan Bristow said Friday. "We're dealing with a medical issue, a very serious injury that we are hoping will eventually heal itself. "Until he is fit to play or is 100 percent healthy, then our stance is not changing. We're waiting to see when or if he becomes healthy." Next month, Mashburn is expected to get his second MRI since last month to determine whether there are any signs of improvement. Mashburn, a 6-foot-8 small forward, missed the first 44 games last season after undergoing arthroscopic surgery on his right knee. He returned in mid-January and played in 19 games before reinjuring the knee in a road game against the Toronto Raptors on March 7. "I have a condition that's not going to change," Mashburn said. "I don't have cartilage in my knee." As recently as last month, Mashburn's name came up in trade discussions, but the Hornets cannot trade him as long he remains injured and cannot pass a physical examination. The Hornets say they don't know what Mashburn can provide, whether he is in New Orleans or somewhere else. "I think things are held up right now -- if I'm going to be with the Hornets or not with them," Mashburn said. "Things are at a standstill because of my health situation. "I wish it could be an easy situation where I could go in there and have surgery and be back to normal. I played for 11 years, and sometimes your body just breaks down, and that's the reality of it. My body has broke down. It's broken down before, but I've been able to repair it and keep going. This time, I haven't been able to repair it." Mashburn has three years remaining on his contract valued at $30.1 million. He will make $9.3 million this season, $10 million in 2005-06 and $10.8 million in 2006-07. If Mashburn retires, the money is guaranteed if no settlement is reached between him and the team. Mashburn also could chose to opt out of his contract at the end of this season and become a free agent. But that's not likely to happen because of his physical condition, which is likely to produce an offer of far less money than his current deal. In May, Mashburn said he would consider sitting out the upcoming season or even retire if his knee didn't improve by the end of this summer. On Thursday, Mashburn said that decision can't be made on his own. Hornets owner George Shinn has said the team's only priority right now is seeing that Mashburn gets healthy. "My sitting out a year at 31 years old, is that something feasible?" Mashburn said. "I think that's a question everybody has to answer, not just myself because of my contract situation with the years and money involved. Everybody has to get their heads together on that one." But Mashburn does not plan to bring his family back to New Orleans if he returns to play this season. He said his 6-year-old daughter, Taylor, got asked constantly in school last spring from fellow students about what's wrong with her father, and Mashburn said he wants to avoid having her go through something like that again. He said he plans to enroll her and his son, Jamal Jr., in schools in Miami, where he lives during the offseason. "I don't know if there will be a trade or I'll be with the Hornets," Mashburn said. "The reason we're talking about this is because my knee is the problem. I'm sure it's frustrating for a lot of people, and I'm sure it's frustrating for the Hornets." Mashburn said he has spoken to Scott on the phone. Last month Scott placed a few calls to Mashburn and didn't immediately hear back from him. "He placed the call, and I was unavailable," Mashburn said. "But I called him back, and I told him I'm happy he got the job. But talking about basketball or any situation, I can't discuss that right now. "I've kind of told Byron the same thing I've been telling Allan Bristow and when Bob Bass was here. My first priority is to see if I can get healthy." --

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