Jones Plans to Explore Free Agency

Their rocky season over, the Charlotte Hornets are now bracing for a possibly turbulent off-season as guard Eddie Jones wants to explore free agency and plans for a new arena have to be ironed out.

Jones said after Monday’s night’s playoff elimination in Philadelphia that he plans to see what he can get through free agency, no matter what Charlotte offers.

“Bottom line, it’s my right,” Jones said. “You don’t become a free agent too many times. This is a decision I’ll have to deal with the rest of my life, so I’m going to look at it from all different angles.”

Jones said he planned to visit with several other teams and isn’t ruling out anything because to him, money isn’t a factor. He also said he’ll wait to see what other moves the Hornets make this summer.

*

Free-agent guard Tracy McGrady, worried the NBA wants Vince Carter in a U.S. city, said he won’t re-sign with Toronto this summer if his Raptor teammate and cousin doesn’t promise he’ll sign a long-term deal with the team. Carter is signed for three more years.

*

After an NBA regular season that saw national ratings plunge 21% from last year and 29% from two years ago, NBC’s playoffs coverage has taken a comparable hit.

Sunday night’s prime-time game between the Lakers and Sacramento Kings drew a 6.3 national rating, a 26% slide from 1999’s 8.5.

Overall, the weekend’s six NBA games on NBC earned a 5.1 big-market overnight rating. Last year’s second weekend had a 6.8--a 25% difference.

Meanwhile, ratings for TNT and TBS are holding steady, with an average national cable rating of 2.2, the same as a year ago.

*

Lenny Wilkens, who resigned from the Atlanta Hawks last month after a 28-54 season, interviewed with Washington Wizard executive Michael Jordan for the team’s coaching job.

St. John’s Coach Mike Jarvis also will interview with Jordan, according to the Washington Post. Interim coach Darrell Walker is also a candidate