Rider Gets Cut Quickly by Nuggets

Former Laker guard Isaiah Rider was waived Tuesday by the Denver Nuggets.

Rider, 30, played 10 games for the Nuggets, starting once. He had a one-year contract.

“It’s unfortunate that we had to waive J.R. at this time,” General Manager Kiki Vandeweghe said. “But we had to make this roster change. J.R. has been nothing but professional since he’s been here.”

Rider, who has also played in Minnesota, Portland and Atlanta, has a long history of tardiness and legal trouble. With the Lakers last season, Rider missed a team flight to New York and was late to several practices, among other things. He was subsequently left off the Lakers’ playoff roster.

Rider averaged 9.3 points and 3.3 rebounds in Denver. He scored a season-high 28 points with 10 rebounds against Houston on Nov. 9.

The Nuggets activated Calbert Cheaney to take his spot.

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Charlotte Hornet guard David Wesley did not dress for Tuesday night’s game against the Washington Wizards because of a foot injury, ending his streak of 294 consecutive games played.

Also, the Hornets placed forward Jamal Mashburn on the injured list because of a pulled groin.

Wesley had the fourth-longest active streak in the NBA.

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Utah Jazz swingman Bryon Russell will miss up to four weeks because of a fractured pelvis. Russell was first believed to have suffered a pulled groin.

Russell was injured in Friday’s victory at Washington. He said he was pushed by the Wizards’ Richard Hamilton while planted, then felt something in his groin “pop in and pop out.”

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Former Clipper guard Darrick Martin, 30, was released by the Dallas Mavericks.

The Mavericks then signed free-agent guard Omar Cook and activated center Evan Eschmeyer.

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With the Seattle SuperSonics shorthanded because of injuries and illness, Coach Nate McMillan filled in as a practice player. He retired in 1998.