CHICAGO INVESTOR AL GORDON REPORTEDLY OUT OF THOMAS GROUP

          Al Gordon, the Chicago investment banker who was part
     of Raptors VP Isiah Thomas' original group to purchase
     majority control of the Raptors, has "pulled out" at the
     request of the group's other partners, according to Craig
     Daniels in the TORONTO SUN.  Thomas: "I think he wanted to
     go in a direction the others weren't comfortable with." 
     Thomas said that the negotiations "are continuing on track,"
     and Gordon's withdrawal "is in no way connected to the
     events of the past few days surrounding Thomas," in
     reference to the book, "Money Players," which notes concerns
     about gambling allegations involving Thomas during the
     Pistons' '89-90 season (TORONTO SUN, 4/10).