NBA TODAY

A preliminary look at the state of NBA teams heading into a shortened season, pending ratification of a contract agreement tentatively reached Wednesday:

ATLANTA HAWKS

Players under contract (four): Mookie Blaylock, Ed Gray, Dikembe Mutombo, Steve Smith.

Unsigned rookies: Shammond Williams, Roshown McLeod.

Key free agents: Christian Laettner, Alan Henderson, Tyrone Corbin, Eldridge Recasner.

First order of business: Must re-sign Henderson, who took over Laettner’s starting spot midway through last season and averaged 14.3 points and 6.4 rebounds.

BOSTON CELTICS

Players under contract (11): Kenny Anderson, Dana Barros, Bruce Bowen, Andrew DeClercq, Pervis Ellison, Travis Knight, Walter McCarty, Ron Mercer, Greg Minor, Antoine Walker, Dontae’ Jones.

Unsigned rookie: Paul Pierce.

Key free agents: Popeye Jones, Zan Tabak.

First order of business: If new labor agreement makes Walker a free agent at end of season, Celtics won’t want to pay him $100 million and are expected to package him in trade with high-contract players.

CHARLOTTE HORNETS

Players under contract (six): B.J. Armstrong, Anthony Mason, Bobby Phills, J.R. Reid, Glen Rice, David Wesley.

Unsigned rookies: Ricky Davis.

Key free agents: Vlade Divac, Matt Geiger, Dell Curry.

First order of business: Must re-sign one of their two free-agent centers and reach an understanding with Mason about getting along with the coach.

CHICAGO BULLS

Players under contract (four): Keith Booth, Randy Brown, Ron Harper, Toni Kukoc.

Unsigned rookies: Maceo Baston, Corey Benjamin, Cory Carr.

Key free agents: Michael Jordan, Scottie Pippen, Dennis Rodman, Luc Longley, Steve Kerr, Scott Burrell, Jud Buechler, Dickey Simpkins, Bill Wennington.

First order of business: World waits to hear from Jordan on whether he’ll retire or go for seventh title. If Jordan comes back, question is whether Pippen and Rodman will join him.

CLEVELAND CAVALIERS

Players under contract (nine): Derek Anderson, Danny Ferry, Cedric Henderson, Zydrunas Ilgauskas, Shawn Kemp, Brevin Knight, Wesley Person, Vitaly Potapenko, Bob Sura.

Key free agent: Carl Thomas.

First order of business: One of the few teams that has most of its roster set. Only need to fill out the final few spots and see if this young team, with Anderson and Sura healthy, can win.

DALLAS MAVERICKS

Players under contract (10): Chris Anstey, Shawn Bradley, Hubert Davis, Michael Finley, A.C. Green, Steve Nash, Robert Pack, Khalid Reeves, Erick Strickland, Samaki Walker.

Unsigned rookies: Dirk Nowitzki, Ansu Sesay.

Key free agents: Cedric Ceballos, Eric Riley, Kurt Thomas.

First order of business: Clear up the logjam at point guard by trying to find takers for Pack and/or Reeves so that Nash can play most of the minutes at that position.

DENVER NUGGETS

Players under contract (seven): Danny Fortson, Dean Garrett, Bobby Jackson, Priest Lauderdale, Bryant Stith, Nick Van Exel, Eric Williams.

Unsigned rookies: Raef LaFrentz, Ryan Bowen, Tremaine Fowlkes.

Key free agents: LaPhonso Ellis, Johnny Newman, Cory Alexander, Eric Washington.

First order of business: Introduce new Coach Mike D’Antoni to a group of players whose 11-71 record last season nearly broke the NBA record for futility.

DETROIT PISTONS

Players under contract (eight): Grant Hill, Lindsey Hunter, Eric Montross, Charles O’Bannon, Scot Pollard, Don Reid, Brian Williams, Jerome Williams.

Unsigned rookies: Bonzi Wells, Korleone Young.

Key free agents: Jerry Stackhouse, Malik Sealy, Grant Long.

First order of business: See if Stackhouse is retainable, get power forward (Tom Gugliotta, Matt Geiger or Derrick Coleman).

GOLDEN STATE WARRIORS

Players under contract (10): Muggsy Bogues, Bimbo Coles, Erick Dampier, Tony Delk, Duane Ferrell, Adonal Foyle, Todd Fuller, Donyell Marshall, Felton Spencer, Latrell Sprewell.

Unsigned rookie: Antawn Jamison.

Key free agents: Jim Jackson, Jason Caffey, Clarence Weatherspoon.

First order of business: Work out a trade of Sprewell before he shows up at training camp to be coached by P.J. Carlesimo.

HOUSTON ROCKETS

Players under contract (four): Hakeem Olajuwon, Brent Price, Rodrick Rhodes, Roy Rogers.

Unsigned rookies: Michael Dickerson, Bryce Drew, Mirsad Turkcan, Cuttino Mobley.

Key free agents: Charles Barkley, Mario Elie, Matt Maloney, Eddie Johnson, Emanual Davis, Matt Bullard, Othella Harrington.

First order of business: Start spending about $15 million in salary cap room, making a heavy pitch to Antonio McDyess.

INDIANA PACERS

Players under contract (nine): Austin Croshere, Antonio Davis, Dale Davis, Mark Jackson, Derrick McKey, Reggie Miller, Chris Mullin, Jalen Rose, Haywoode Workman.

Unsigned rookie: Al Harrington.

Key free agents: Rik Smits, Travis Best, Mark West, Fred Hoiberg.

First order of business: Take care of Smits, who made $4 million last season in the final year of a five-year contract.

MIAMI HEAT

Players under contract (eight): P.J. Brown, Duane Causwell, Tim Hardaway, Voshon Lenard, Dan Majerle, Jamal Mashburn, Terry Mills, Alonzo Mourning.

Unsigned rookie: Corey Brewer.

Key free agents: Keith Askins, Brent Barry, Marty Conlon, Eric Murdock, Mark Strickland.

First order of business: Before beginning Camp Riley, try to pull off a trade to find another scorer.

MILWAUKEE BUCKS

Players under contract (10): Ray Allen, Terrell Brandon, Michael Curry, Armon Gilliam, Tyrone Hill, Jerald Honeycutt, Ervin Johnson, Andrew Lang, Elliot Perry, Glenn Robinson.

Unsigned rookies: Robert Traylor, Rafer Alston.

Key free agents: None.

First order of business: Move into the George Karl era and play a SuperSonic-type style, finally learning if Robinson will play defense.

MINNESOTA TIMBERWOLVES

Players under contract (seven): Chris Carr, Bill Curley, Kevin Garnett, Paul Grant, Stephon Marbury, Anthony Peeler, Micheal Williams.

Unsigned rookies: Andrae Patterson, Radoslav Nesterovic.

Key free agents: Tom Gugliotta, Sam Mitchell, Tom Hammonds, Cherokee Parks, Stanley Roberts, Terry Porter.

First order of business: If Marbury can be signed to a long-term contract, it may preclude Timberwolves from retaining Gugliotta.

NEW JERSEY NETS

Players under contract (10): Michael Cage, Sam Cassell, Brian Evans, Chris Gatling, Kendall Gill, Lucious Harris, Kerry Kittles, Don MacLean, Rony Seikaly, Keith Van Horn.

Unsigned rookies: None.

Key free agents: Jayson Williams, Sherman Douglas.

First order of business: Come to Williams with a lucrative contract offer or risk offending him and then losing him. Try to lock up Kittles.

NEW YORK KNICKS

Players under contract (nine): Marcus Camby, Chris Childs, Terry Cummings, Patrick Ewing, Allan Houston, Larry Johnson, Chris Mills, John Starks, Buck Williams.

Unsigned rookies: DeMarco Johnson.

Key free agents: Charlie Ward, Chris Dudley, Herb Williams.

First order of business: Re-sign Ward, who could be courted by the Toronto Raptors, or make a trade for another point guard.

ORLANDO MAGIC

Players under contract (five): Nick Anderson, Horace Grant, Penny Hardaway, Charles Outlaw, Johnny Taylor.

Unsigned rookies: Keon Clark, Michael Doleac, Matt Harpring, Miles Simon.

Key free agents: Derek Strong, Gerald Wilkins, Darrell Armstrong, David Benoit, Kevin Edwards, Derek Harper, Danny Schayes.

First order of business: Decide if Hardaway and Coach Chuck Daly will ever be able to get along. If not, Hardaway should bring something good in a trade.

PHILADELPHIA 76ERS

Players under contract (six): Allen Iverson, Aaron McKie, Anthony Parker, Eric Snow, Tim Thomas, Scott Williams.

Unsigned rookies: Larry Hughes, Nazr Mohammed, Casey Shaw.

Key free agents: Derrick Coleman, Theo Ratliff, Joe Smith, Mark Davis, Benoit Benjamin, Brian Shaw.

First order of business: Re-signing Ratliff is the first priority, and chances of keeping former No. 1 pick Smith at an affordable price have increased.

PHOENIX SUNS

Players under contract (five): Mark Bryant, Jason Kidd, Danny Manning, Martin Muursepp, Bubba Wells.

Unsigned rookies: Pat Garrity, Toby Bailey.

Key free agents: Antonio McDyess, Rex Chapman, John Williams, Cliff Robinson, Dennis Scott, George McCloud, Marko Milic.

First order of business: Find out a way to spend about $17 million in cap room, including whether it’s a good risk to sign Pippen after he underwent back surgery.

PORTLAND TRAIL BLAZERS

Players under contract (nine): Stacey Augmon, Kelvin Cato, John Crotty, Brian Grant, Jermaine O’Neal, Isaiah Rider, Carlos Rogers, Rasheed Wallace, Walt Williams.

Unsigned rookies: None.

Key free agents: Damon Stoudamire, Arvydas Sabonis.

First order of business: Take care of both free agents and explore the possibility of trading Grant since Wallace plays the same position.

SACRAMENTO KINGS

Players under contract (six): Tariq Abdul-Wahad, Terry Dehere, Lawrence Funderburke, Chris Robinson, Predrag Stojakovic, Chris Webber.

Unsigned rookies: Jason Williams, Jerome James.

Key free agents: Corliss Williamson, Michael Stewart, Billy Owens, Olden Polynice, Anthony Johnson.

First order of business: Webber’s old college coach, Steve Fisher, will be assistant. Minus Mitch Richmond, the backcourt is in bad shape.

SAN ANTONIO SPURS

Players under contract (seven): Antonio Daniels, Tim Duncan, Sean Elliott, Avery Johnson, Will Perdue, Chuck Person, David Robinson.

Unsigned rookies: Derrick Dial.

Key free agents: Vinny Del Negro, Jaren Jackson, Malik Rose, Monty Williams, Willie Burton.

First order of business: Try again to make the Latrell Sprewell trade that was nearly consummated last season before Sprewell was suspended.

SEATTLE SUPERSONICS

Players under contract (six): Vin Baker, Hersey Hawkins, Jim McIlvaine, Gary Payton, Detlef Schrempf, Aaron Williams.

Unsigned rookies: Vladimir Stepania, Rashard Lewis, Jelani McCoy.

Key free agents: Dale Ellis, Sam Perkins, Greg Anthony, Jerome Kersey.

First order of business: Begin the post-Karl era, with Paul Westphal stepping in to replace a coach who was popular with the players and fans.

TORONTO RAPTORS

Players under contract (10): Chauncey Billups, Dee Brown,

Doug Christie, Tracy McGrady, Charles Oakley, Reggie Slater, John Thomas, John Wallace, Kevin Willis, Sharone Wright.

Unsigned rookies: Vince Carter, Sean Marks, Tyson Wheeler.

Key free agents: Gary Trent, Oliver Miller, Alvin Williams.

First order of business: Decide if they want to trade Oakley and Christie immediately or wait until the deadline, whenever that may be.

UTAH JAZZ

Players under contract (10): Shandon Anderson, Howard Eisley, Greg Foster, Jeff Hornacek, Adam Keefe, Karl Malone, Greg Ostertag, Bryon Russell, John Stockton, Jacque Vaughn.

Unsigned rookies: Torraye Braggs.

Key free agents: Chris Morris, Antoine Carr.

First order of business: Go back to being the team to beat in the West, and then try to summon some heart if they make it to the finals again.

VANCOUVER GRIZZLIES

Players under contract (10): Shareef Abdur-Rahim, Pete Chilcutt, Carl Herrera, Bobby Hurley, Sam Mack, Tony Massenburg, Lee Mayberry, Bryant Reeves, Michael Smith, Doug West.

Unsigned rookies: Mike Bibby, Felipe Lopez, J.R. Henderson.

Key free agents: George Lynch, Larry Robinson.

First order of business: Soothe Bibby, who didn’t want to go to NBA’s most remote outpost. Use cap room to entice someone, anyone, north.

WASHINGTON WIZARDS

Players under contract (eight): Calbert Cheaney, Juwan Howard, Tim Legler, Tracy Murray, Mitch Richmond, Otis Thorpe, Chris Whitney, Lorenzo Williams.

Unsigned rookies: Jahidi White.

Key free agents: Rod Strickland, Gheorghe Muresan, Darvin Ham, Harvey Grant, Ben Wallace, God Shammgod, Terry Davis.

First order of business: If Strickland has fallen from other teams’ wish lists, he can be re-signed at reasonable cost. Who plays in pivot?