Spurned Bulls Must Settle for Mercer

After losing out on all of the top free agents, the Chicago Bulls agreed to terms Tuesday with guard Ron Mercer as the NBA’s one-month moratorium on trades and free-agent signings ended.

The 6-foot-7 Mercer, 24, will be with his fourth NBA team in four seasons. He played his first two years with the Boston Celtics, was traded to Denver and then dealt to Orlando last season, where he averaged 16.9 points.

Financial terms were not revealed, but the Bulls reportedly offered him a multiyear deal worth about $5 million a season. A news conference is set for today.

The Bulls, hoping to lure bigger names while nearly $20 million under the salary cap, were spurned by Tim Duncan, Grant Hill, Tracy McGrady, Eddie Jones and Tim Thomas.

Bull General Manager Jerry Krause wasn’t available for comment.

*

Pat Riley revamped the Miami Heat’s roster by completing a nine-player trade with the Charlotte Hornets.

The trade involved four starters. Riley acquired all-star guard Eddie Jones, 28, and forward Anthony Mason, 33, for forward P.J. Brown, 30, and guard Jamal Mashburn, 27.

Also traded were Otis Thorpe, 37, Tim James, 23, and Rodney Buford, 22, to Charlotte, and Ricky Davis, 21, and Dale Ellis, 39, to Miami.

“This is one of the most difficult things I have ever had to do,” Riley said in a statement.

Meanwhile, Heat backup point guard Anthony Carter re-signed for one year at $1.2 million.

*

The Indiana Pacers took the first step toward re-signing their six free agents by signing backup forward Austin Croshere to a reported seven-year, $51-million contract.

Backup forward-center Sam Perkins, who had planned to retire at 39, also re-signed for one year at a reported $2.5 million.

Indiana’s other free agents include four of last season’s starters--Mark Jackson, Reggie Miller, Jalen Rose and Rik Smits.

*

Free-agent shooting guard John Starks plans to sign a two-year contract with the Utah Jazz, replacing the retired Jeff Hornacek in the starting lineup. . . . Backup forward Tim Thomas officially signed a six-year, $67-million contract to remain with the Milwaukee Bucks, spurning a similar offer from the Bulls. . . . Backup forward-center Kurt Thomas re-signed with New York for a reported $16 million over four years as the Knicks continued to pursue a trade for Portland’s Brian Grant. The New York Post reported that New York was talking with Cleveland and Portland about a three-team deal that would send Marcus Camby and Chris Childs to the Cavaliers, Shawn Kemp to the Trail Blazers and Grant to the Knicks. . . . The Denver Nuggets re-signed guard Tariq Abdul-Wahad, 25, to a six-year, $30-million deal. . . . Point guard Tony Delk, 26, signed a six-year, $19-million deal with the Phoenix Suns. He left the Sacramento Kings. . . . Backup forward-center Scot Pollard, 25, re-signed with the Sacramento Kings. Free-agent point guard Bobby Jackson, 27, joined the Kings as a free-agent from Minnesota. . . . The Dallas Mavericks re-signed guard Hubert Davis, 30, and forward Gary Trent, 25. . . . Duncan, who only recently began rehabilitating his left knee after surgery to repair torn cartilage, might not be ready to play for the U.S. Olympic team.