[外電] Hornets cut Williams, Fowlkes; three more roster moves d
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Hornets cut Williams, Fowlkes; three more roster moves due
Friday, October 29, 2004
By Benjamin Hochman
Staff writer
SAN ANTONIO -- The Hornets will enter tonight's final preseason
game with two new names on the floor and without two names that
had been on their preseason roster.
Forward Rodney Rogers and guard David Wesley, both recovering
from right hamstring injuries, will play in their first preseason
game of 2004, going against division foe San Antonio from the
newly formed Midwest Division of the Western Conference.
Meanwhile, free-agent forwards Nate Williams and Tremaine Fowlkes
were cut Thursday.
The Hornets have 15 players still in camp and have until 6 p.m.
Monday to set the roster at 12 active players, with up to three
additional players on the injured list. Eleven Hornets have
guaranteed contracts, including Jamal Mashburn, who will take a
spot on the injured list for the entire season.
"I told both of them it was a very difficult time for me to
make cuts, especially with guys that I know can play in this
league," Scott said. "But sometimes you don't need certain guys
at certain positions. Sometimes, it's just a numbers game."
Rogers and Wesley have been practicing hard this week, notably
at the Hornets' extended practice Wednesday afternoon. Both
have missed all seven preseason games this season, and both
will come off the bench tonight.
"We'll get their feet wet in game situations," said Scott, who
has been steadfast this preseason that the two veterans will
be fine come the regular season, despite missing weeks of practice.
"I know when I get out there I'm going to be a little fatigued,"
said Rogers, who averaged 7.8 points for New Jersey last season.
"You can't really do a lot of running (with a hamstring injury).
I've done bike riding and limited stuff to keep that up."
"They were on vacation -- they brought us back a couple of
gifts from the Bahamas," joked Hornets forward P.J. Brown.
"David's been around. We know what he brings to the team with
his intensity and shooting. Rodney, we've seen the things he's
done against us the past several years. He's just positive.
He's like another coach on the floor because he knows Byron's
system."
Rogers played for the Nets the past two seasons, including
the 2002-03 campaign in which New Jersey advanced to the
NBA Finals under Scott. The Nets lost the Finals in six
games to San Antonio.
Tonight's game will give Scott and the Hornets (3-4) a chance
to bump shoulders with a division rival, a team the Hornets
will face four times in the regular season, the first matchup
Dec. 17.
The Spurs (3-3) are on a three-game winning streak , and they
will face the Hornets in their third game in four nights.
Former MVP Tim Duncan, who has averaged 19 points and 7.8
rebounds in 24.8 minutes this preseason, has led the Spurs
in scoring fives times and in rebounding five times. He has
averaged 25.2 points and 14.7 rebounds against the Hornets
in 12 games.
"It's a good opportunity to play against a team as good as San
Antonio," Scott said. "It's going to give us a good look at
where we are. It's the last preseason game, but it's almost
like a regular-season game because it gives me a chance to
really see what my rotation is going to look like. Obviously,
I'm not going to go 11 and 12 players deep in the last game
because I want these guys to get a little bit more familiar
with the type of minutes that they're going to be getting.
It's going to be eight or nine guys, 10 at the max, just in
case of foul trouble."
That means fans won't likely see Tim Pickett and Junior
Harrington, two guards potentially vying for the final
roster spot. Still, Scott will have two and a half days to
make his decision after tonight's game. The Hornets' season
opener is Wednesday, at home against Dallas.
"We'd like to end this thing with a win," Brown said of the
preseason. "Just so we have a good taste in our mouths when
everything starts off next week."
. . . . . . .
Benjamin Hochman can be reached at bhochman@timespicayune.com
or (504) 826-3405.
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