--The Hornets traded their starting shooting guard, Rasual Butler, to the Clippers for a second-round draft choice. The departure of Butler, who will be in the final year of his contract this season, brings the Hornets closer to the salary cap, but still leaves them in the luxury tax. His departure cut nearly $4 million from the payroll, but left the Hornets about $6 million above the luxury cap threshold of $69.92 million.
--The re-signing of forward/center Sean Marks put the Hornets roster at 14 and might have finalized what their regular-season roster will look like. Marks, who will be entering his 10th season, struggled early last season after straining a calf muscle during training camp. But late in the season, he was the team's most reliable backup big man. QUOTE TO NOTE: "I hope people will quit (saying) that we're cheap. The goal is to use good judgment in the business. Obviously, we'd like to be below the luxury tax. But we made the comment before if we can get below it and get better, that would be great. But if you can't, you don't shoot yourself in the foot and make yourself worse to get under the luxury cap." -- Owner George Shinn, dismissing the notion that the Hornets will make whatever personnel moves are necessary to avoid the luxury tax.
