Timberwolves Get Help on Mahorn

NBA would assist the Minnesota Timberwolves in any legal action the expansion team takes against Rick Mahorn if the holdout tries to play for an Italian team, a league official says.

Mahorn, who has refused to report to the Timberwolves but has two years left on his NBA contract, received a hero’s welcome Tuesday when he arrived in Verona to begin formal talks today with officials of Glaxo Verona.

The NBA decision was announced by Gary Bettman, league senior vice president, who said Mahorn’s contract prohibits him from playing for any other team anywhere. The NBA has a written agreement with Spanish teams that would quickly prohibit such a signing but does not have one with Italy.

“That we don’t have a protocol with Italy doesn’t minimize anything,” Bettman said.