NBA Draft/Free Agency/Trades/Rumors etc [Archive]

BuriedAlive

07/01/05, 06:16 AM

better than the fourth pick eh?

I want to review your statements haha.
um won't Golden State have Michael Pietrus to play the SF or PF? They still will have Adonal Foyle but Murphy to center might be a smart move if he doesn't get bullied there. I love Nash and you putting Davis over him only if he is healthy I'd consider him.

Randolph being selfish. maybe? but lets hope they can keep him and abdur-raheem healthy. Telfair at PG and Martell Webster at SG will be pretty interesting to watch. I still don't smell the play-offs. I smell another lottery pick.

Udonis Haslem will definately get to a team in needof rebounding. If a team isn't looking for scoring Udonis will be a main man. Simien might do well with the Heat but it looks like the Heat want to keep their players. ``We want Udonis Haslem back on this team, and I think we will do whatever we can do to try to get it done,'' Heat president Pat Riley said Wednesday, shortly after the team introduced first-round draft pick Wayne Simien of Kansas.

May's going to have a tough time with Okafor at PF. Brezec at C. Wallace-Sf. Rush-Sg and Felton/Knight-PG. May might be seeing his playing time at SF because he isn't the tallest guy in the world.

I really don't care for Denver so whatever happens to them oh well. except that Little Fella haha.

You think Charlie Villanueva. He has tremondous potential but Toronto has drafted crappy for 2 years straight. Araujo completely sucked balls when they could of had Andre Iguodala to replace vinsanity. I still say it's Bosh's team and I hope Bosh goes in a blockbuster trade to a play-off team so his season could be extended.

And finally Marvin Williams. I don't think he will be a bust but I don't see him getting much playing time unless constant injuries happen on Al Harrington and Josh Smith. Hawks won't make the playoffs for a couple more years but maybe once Harrington leaves we'll see Stoudemire-Childress-Smith-Williams's potential.

Good reviews...Buried,
To start off, I don't buy into Mickeal Pietrus. He couldn't play PF considering he's 6'6 and they will just shoot over him. Reason I'd like Murphy at Center is he averaged a double-double this season (i think) and he was definately a monster on the boards. Davis is a better point guard and you know it. Especially if he's healthy.

Blazers are a mess, I don't think they will make it much either. I really like Jack for some reason, don't really know why.

The heat: how many times have you heard something to that extent and the player gets traded/cut whatever? It happens often, it was more or less a way of telling haslem that they want him back... but if he gets a better deal they are fine without him. I believe Haslem's numbers were inflated and they will ask for too much. Simien will just give them something to fall back on.

Chris Bosh, he is one of my favorite players. But think of this... Bosh, Marshall, Villanueva, Rose, Alston. Not a bad overall team. BUT since Marshall is a free agent and is highly unlikely to sign back with Toronto I believe they will look like this... Bosh, Villanueva, Rose/Peterson (SF and SG are changable) and Alston. Still not a bad team. They just got to preform.

Al Harrington will be traded by mid-season. Sounds foolish almost. He will probably go to a contender who needs a scorer off the bench... which is about all he's worth. That will make room for growth, something I hope the Hawks realizes needs to take place.

I couldn't disagree more, Villanueva hasn't shown himself to be a go to guy in college(11 ppg) and the Raptors already have a rising star in Chris Bosh who plays the exact same position as him.
Chris Bosh can play the center position. That's how they made room for Marshall, that and he came off the bench. Villanueva could probably play the center position too. he is 6'11. Don't let college numbers fool you. ppg isn't that strong of a stat... you can ask iggy (andre Iguodala). He averaged 9 ppg this year, but look how well-rounded of a player he is. That makes him valuable. I think that's what Villanueva will do. He will do all the small things that will benefit largely.

Michael Finley: A Future Sun?
Update: If the Mavericks waive Finley under the new "amnesty rule" that is part of the new collective-bargaining agreement, the Suns would be interested in signing him, the Arizona Republic reports.

Recommendation: Finley, who is a close friend of Suns point guard Steve Nash, could replace Quentin Richardson in the Phoenix rotation.

Um freken sweet or freken not cool?

Heat's Damon Jones elects for free agency

Damon Jones decided not to exercise the option year of his contract with the Miami Heat on Thursday and was to become a free agent.

Jones, the Heat's starting point guard this past season, had until midnight Thursday to invoke a $2.75 million option for 2005-06. He can negotiate with teams starting Friday, but cannot sign with the Heat or any other club until July 22.

He's one of several Miami players whose status for next season is still undecided. The Heat are expected to begin negotiating with Shaquille O'Neal on a longer-term deal Friday; O'Neal is owed $30.6 million for the final year of his existing contract with Miami.

Keyon Dooling, who played a key role as a reserve guard for the Heat, is also expected to become a free agent on Friday although he, too, hasn't ruled out a return to Miami.

Plus, the team has already extended a qualifying offer to starting power forward Udonis Haslem, a move that gives the Heat the right to match any offer he gets from another club.

The Heat would like to keep intact most of the core from the team that won 59 games this past regular season, and are likely to try to work something out with both Jones and Dooling. Miami is also waiting to hear what Alonzo Mourning's plans are for next season; he is contemplating retirement, but the Heat have already picked up a team option on him for 2005-06.

Chemstry is the only reason I'd wanna bring those players back. Besides Damon Jones he was a darn beast last year

Finley - He used to play for the suns early in his career (traded for Kidd). I still see him sharing time with Johnson though...

Emopunkthrice

07/02/05, 12:43 AM

Guard Raja Bell told ESPN.com's Marc Stein on Friday that he's planning to join the Suns later this month, as soon as NBA free agents are allowed to formally sign new contracts

It's deja vu all over again for Robert Horry. The forward, who was interested in joining the Heat last offseason, has again indicated Miami is a possibility, according to a report in the Palm Beach Post.

The team and Vlade Divac have agreed to postpone a decision on the veteran center's contract status until just before the start of training camp.

The Lakers have the option of picking up a one-year, $5.4 million contract option or buying Divac out for $2 million. The decision was originally due Friday, but the parties agreed to postpone it until Sept. 30.

Minnesota Timberwolves
The team announced it has signed GM Jim Stack to a contract extension. Terms were not disclosed.

Hawks decline option on Drobnjak: The team declined to pick up the option on Predrag Drobnjak's contract, making the 6-foot-11 center an unrestricted free agent.

New Orleans Hornets: The team made some free-agent noise on Friday.

Chris Andersen's agent, Mark Fleisher, said that Andersen intends to sign a multiyear deal with the Hornets when the moratorium ends.

Bostjan Nachbar's agent, Herb Rudoy, told ESPN.com that Nachbar intends to sign with the Hornets on that day as well.

MILWAUKEE -- The Milwaukee Bucks signed No. 1 overall pick Andrew Bogut to a multiyear contract Friday.

The 20-year-old Australian, who earned college player of the year awards at Utah, will participate in the Bucks' summer camp workouts and play in the Minnesota Summer League on July 15-19, general manager Larry Harris said.

"This is a dream come true for me," Bogut said. "I've worked extremely hard to get to this point and I'm honored to be a member of the Milwaukee Bucks organization."

Terms of the contract weren't disclosed, but Bogut's agent, David Bauman, previously said he expected the 7-foot center to get around $4.2 million in his first year.

Alex Djaferis

07/02/05, 01:39 AM

^thanks for those updates.

Emopunkthrice

07/02/05, 01:42 AM

^thanks for those updates.
no problem, I'll be posting more as the week goes on but once I'm in Hawaii for vacation I won't be posting for a couple weeks.

Alex Djaferis

07/02/05, 01:55 AM

no problem, I'll be posting more as the week goes on but once I'm in Hawaii for vacation I won't be posting for a couple weeks.

man, enjoy it.

AshesAshes

07/02/05, 02:08 PM

Cavaliers should sign redd and damon jones a starting 5 of C.Illgaskus <<spelt that wrong i bet PF.Good SF.Lebron SG.Redd. PG.Damon Jones wouldnt be bad at all they would make the playoffs.

Emopunkthrice

07/02/05, 02:17 PM

Seattle: With at least the Portland Trail Blazers, New York Knicks and the Seattle SuperSonics in the running for the coaching services of Nate McMillan, Sonics CEO Wally Walker confirmed he gave McMillan a deadline of the middle of next week to make a decision on which team he wants to coach, The Tacoma News Tribune reported.

Contractually, McMillan was bound to the Sonics through Thursday at midnight.
"All I said to him was, 'If you want to get started earlier than Friday on this, that is OK,' " Walker told the paper. "It is in everybody's interest to move this thing ahead. But I said by next week we need to circle back to see where you are in the hopes that we can get something done between you and the Sonics. We are not talking to other candidates, we are not pursuing anything, we are not making up a list until you come back and we have that discussion."

Asked why the Sonics aren't lining up other candidates in case McMillan decides to leave, Walker said it was all out of deference to McMillan.

"Out of respect for [McMillan] and what he has done here," Walker told the paper. "We will have that discussion. At some point, and I do think that point is next week, we do need to move ahead on this front. And we have to decide on how close he is to making a decision at that point."

According to league sources, the paper reported that McMillan met with the Knicks on Friday. Another source indicated that McMillan will meet with the Blazers this weekend.

Miami Heat: Representatives of Shaquille O'Neal and the Heat met in Miami on Friday to begin negotiations on a new contract.

The Heat want to move O'Neal's annual salary to the low-to-mid $20 million range. That's a steep decrease from the $30 million he is due next season under his current contract, but one that would be made up in an extension of four or five years.

Barring a quick settlement, negotiations are expected to continue on the West Coast either this weekend or the following.

New York Knicks: The Knicks made quick work of their negotiations with their three first-round picks.

Forward-center Channing Frye, the eighth overall pick, and guard Nate Robinson, the 21st selection who was acquired in a draft-day trade with the Phoenix Suns, each agreed to a two-year contract with the Knicks on Saturday.

Financial terms were not disclosed. All first-round rookie contracts are two years with separate club options for the third and fourth years.

The twin signings come just a day after New York inked forward David Lee, the 30th and final first-round pick of Tuesday's draft.

Needing size and wanting athleticism, the Knicks grabbed Frye out of Arizona, the first college senior taken in the 2005 draft.

Emopunkthrice

07/02/05, 06:27 PM

PHOENIX (Ticker) - The Phoenix Suns continued to add depth and defense in the offseason with the reported free agent signing of swingman Raja Bell.

The Arizona Republic reported Saturday on its web site that Bell, who spent the last two seasons with the Utah Jazz, is expected to sign a five-year contract with the Suns.

"I'm elated to have an opportunity to come there and play with that cast," Bell told the newspaper. "I think I can add to an already great team. I just want to come in and help, whatever it takes."

Teams began negotiating with free agents Friday. However, they cannot sign players until July 22, when the new collective bargaining agreement is expected to be ratified.

According to the report, Bell's deal will average between $4 million and $6 million per season.

On Friday, the Suns introduced veteran power forward Kurt Thomas, who was acquired Tuesday in a deal that sent gunner swingman Quentin Richardson to the New York Knicks. Thomas is a hard-nosed player who will help ease the physical pressure on center Amare Stoudemire.

Bell also is a chippy player and a favorite of Jazz coach Jerry Sloan, who prefers a physical style. Bell's defense will help the Suns - who were first in offense and worst in defense last season - match up better with Western Conference wing players such as Manu Ginobili, Kobe Bryant and Josh Howard.

Bell, 28, averaged a career-high 12.3 points and 3.3 rebounds in 63 games last season, his fifth in the NBA. He shot 40 percent (54-of-134) from 3-point range.

The native of the U.S. Virgin Islands also has played with Philadelphia and Dallas.

Orlando Magic: Spanish center Fran Vazquez admitted he does not know where he will be playing next season despite being picked 11th overall by Magic in this week's NBA draft.

The big man has two years remaining on his contract with Unicaja Malaga. The deal includes a buyout clause worth nearly $600,000 that is proving to be a sticking point. NBA teams may pay up to just $350,000 to buy out contracts

Malaga president Rafael Fernandez already has stated that while the club is proud of Vazquez's achievements, the player will have to pay the remainder of the buyout if he wants to leave.

"I have got my ideas clear, but I have two more years on my contract with Unicaja and I have to try and negotiate things," Vazquez said. "I have to negotiate with Unicaja. I insist I have a 50 percent chance of leaving and a 50 percent chance of staying, but my agent is taking care of all that."

Portland Trailblazers: First-round pick Martell Webster, the first high school player taken in the NBA draft, has signed a multiyear contract, the team said.

Details were not disclosed.

Webster, the sixth overall selection last Tuesday in the NBA draft, will participate in the 2005 Reebok Vegas Summer League on July 6-15 at the Cox Pavilion in Las Vegas, Nev., team officials said.

The 6-foot-7 former Seattle high school star had signed a letter of intent with the University of Washington before he decided to make himself eligible for the draft. He averaged 27.7 points and 10 rebounds at Seattle Prep last year and was one of 10 finalists for the Naismith Award, awarded to the nation's top high school player.

Emopunkthrice

07/03/05, 01:20 PM

BOSTON -- The Boston Celtics did not wait long to sign their latest high school draftee.

Five days after selecting Gerald Green with the 18th overall pick in the NBA draft, the Celtics on Sunday signed the 6-8 forward.

Financial terms were not disclosed. All first-round rookie contracts are two years with separate club options for the third and fourth years.

The Celtics have selected a player straight from high school three years in a row. They acquired high school center Kendrick Perkins in a draft-day trade in 2003 and drafted teenage forward Al Jefferson last year.

The 200-pound Green hails from Gulf Shores Academy in Houston and was pegged as high as third in the draft. He scored 24 points and made six 3-pointers in the McDonald's All-American Game and also won the Slam Dunk Contest.

A two-time All-State selection, Green averaged 33 points, 12 rebounds and seven assists as a senior after leading his school to a 39-2 record as a junior.

The MVP of the Reebok ABCD All-Star Camp in the summer of 2004, Green played only two seasons of high school basketball.

Alex Djaferis

07/04/05, 08:06 AM

thanks for those updates....keep em coming :)

Scott Weber

07/04/05, 01:14 PM

Emopunkthrice

07/04/05, 01:43 PM

I was so happy when Phoenix took Nate Robinson at 21... just think, a 5'7'' spark, the guy can dunk over just about anybody, easily the fastest player in the draft. You have that guy coming off the bench, he fits perfectly with Phoenix's style of play...then they traded him and Q to the Knicks for Kurt Thomas? What? Can anybody explain that trade to me, because it seems awful on the Suns part.
Q had a big salary. They want to resign Joe Johnson. They needed a true center so Amare would not be bossed around as a center and can his play his natural position of PF. The trade did say that the Knicks were going to get the 1st round pick of the Suns. It may be a bad trade but that just sent a message to the league that nobody is going to touch Joe Johnson. Besides Nate Robinson gets to replace that jackass Stephon Marbury in a few years? didn't Phoenix trade him there also?

Alex Djaferis

07/04/05, 01:57 PM

NY = PHX trash. hahha

Emopunkthrice

07/04/05, 02:20 PM

The Portland Trail Blazers interviewed Terry Porter for their vacant coaching job Sunday, ESPN.com's Marc Stein has learned.

Porter, according to NBA coaching sources, was thus officially added to a Blazer search believed to favor Seattle coach Nate McMillan, with Phoenix assistant Marc Iavaroni also a strong contender.

The Blazers appeared close to offering the job to Iavaroni in late June, with the caveat that they first wanted a shot at luring McMillan away from the SuperSonics. McMillan's previous contract with the Sonics expired Thursday, and the Blazers have since begun their pursuit. The New York Times reported Sunday that Portland is offering McMillan an annual salary of $6 million.

McMillan has a four-year offer on the table from Seattle worth an estimated $18 million, and the Tacoma News Tribune reported Saturday that the lifelong Sonic has been told he has to notify the club by "the middle of next week" if he wants to take the offer or coach elsewhere next season.

Porter became available June 22 after his firing in Milwaukee and figures to battle Iavaroni for the job if McMillan elects to stay with the Sonics. Porter had two up-and-down seasons with the Bucks, coaching them to a 71-93 record and one playoff appearance. But he remains very popular in Portland, which could give Porter an edge as the Blazers try to reconnect with their frustrated fan base.

Porter helped Portland to two NBA Finals appearances in his 10 seasons with the Blazers, who drafted him 24th overall in 1985 out of Wisconsin-Stevens Point.

"Obviously, with my history there, I would be very interested in trying to help them bring back the glory days," Porter told ESPN.com on June 23.

Iavaroni is a highly regarded assistant who has been considered future head-coach material since working with Pat Riley in Miami. He has worked extensively in Phoenix with Suns star Amare Stoudemire.

The Blazers fired coach Maurice Cheeks on March 2 and replaced him with interim coach Kevin Pritchard, the team's director of player personnel. The team went on to finish with a 27-55 record, tying their franchise-worst season of 1973-74.

Scott Weber

07/04/05, 02:29 PM

Q had a big salary. They want to resign Joe Johnson. They needed a true center so Amare would not be bossed around as a center and can his play his natural position of PF. The trade did say that the Knicks were going to get the 1st round pick of the Suns. It may be a bad trade but that just sent a message to the league that nobody is going to touch Joe Johnson. Besides Nate Robinson gets to replace that jackass Stephon Marbury in a few years? didn't Phoenix trade him there also?
Yeah but the problem is that Nate Rob is a 5'7'' shooting guard. he didn't play the point at UW, Will Conroy did. Also, am I missing something? Doesn't Kurt Thomas suck? Maybe I'm just not paying attention. I hope Nate learns the point and can replace Marbury, that guy is a born loser.

Emopunkthrice

07/04/05, 02:51 PM

Yeah but the problem is that Nate Rob is a 5'7'' shooting guard. he didn't play the point at UW, Will Conroy did. Also, am I missing something? Doesn't Kurt Thomas suck? Maybe I'm just not paying attention. I hope Nate learns the point and can replace Marbury, that guy is a born loser.
Kurt Thomas is all-right. Nazr Mohammad was a bit better though. Nate will learn the point or he can play SG and have Crawford replace Marbury.

Scott Weber

07/04/05, 03:05 PM

I think Nate Rob will be better than Earl Boykins...i saw him do some amazing shit at UW.

Emopunkthrice

07/04/05, 04:36 PM

I think Nate Rob will be better than Earl Boykins...i saw him do some amazing shit at UW.
Robinson can dunk but Earl can shoot better...I wanna see a 1 on 1.

Michael Redd: Gets Max Offers from Cavs and Bucks
Update: The Cavs and Bucks made maximum offers to Redd on Friday, the Cleveland Plain Dealer reports.

Recommendation: Players cannot sign until July 23. Redd would get more for re-signing with the Bucks then the Cavs per the league's CBA but the Bucks don't have Lebron James and a new owner excited about having the most space under the cap to buy talent. We'll have a better idea of Redd's plans once free agents can begin visiting teams on Tuesday.

Shareef Abdur-Rahim: Nets' Top Priority
Update: New Jersey is making signing Abdur-Rahim their top priority this offseason,The Bergen Record reports.

Recommendation: Abdur-Rahim is going to meet with a contingent from the Nets this week including Jason Kidd and part owner and rapper Jay-Z. The Nets are banking on the fact that Kidd and Abdur-Rahim went to the same college, California. Also, the Nets would give him the entire midlevel exception, roughly starting at $5 million. Abdur-Rahim's agent Aaron Goodwin, who has spoken several times with Nets president Rod Thorn and general manager Ed Stefanski, would rather his client come to the Nets in a sign-and-trade with Portland.

Trail Blazers: McMillan, Porter on the short list
News
The Blazers interviewed Terry Porter for their vacant head coaching position, but they continue to favor Sonics head coach Nate McMillian. According to the New York Times, Portland has offered McMillan an annual salary of $6 million, while Seattle has offered $18 million over four years. McMillan has told the Tacoma News Tribune that he will make a decision by the middle of next week.

Views
If McMillan returns to Seattle, the Blazers will decide between Porter—a former Blazers postseason star—and Suns assistant Marc Iavaroni. Porter would seem to make the most sense given the team's need to reconnect with their fan base, but Iavaorni was courted hard by the Blazers in late June.

Scott Weber

07/04/05, 05:45 PM

McMillan will come back to Seattle. He's been here his entire career and he's got a young team to build on.

Emopunkthrice

07/04/05, 07:06 PM

McMillan will come back to Seattle. He's been here his entire career and he's got a young team to build on.
Seattle's got so many free agents. Antonio Daniels will not be back. I'm not sure about Ray Allen either. He wants to be the stud only. Rashard is going to get better sooner or later.

Scott Weber

07/04/05, 07:22 PM

Seattle's got so many free agents. Antonio Daniels will not be back. I'm not sure about Ray Allen either. He wants to be the stud only. Rashard is going to get better sooner or later.
Ray will be back, I'll bet money on it. We won't lose that many free agents.

Emopunkthrice

07/04/05, 09:05 PM

Ray will be back, I'll bet money on it. We won't lose that many free agents.
I haven't liked Ray since he was a buck. the only thing I liked about him this year was he made fun of Kobe. If he comes back to Seattle, good for them. Seattle has a young future.

Emopunkthrice

07/05/05, 10:36 AM

Agent: SuperSonics, Ray Allen agree to $85 million deal.

SEATTLE (AP) -- All-Star guard Ray Allen agreed to a five-year, $85 million contract extension with the Seattle SuperSonics, his agent said Tuesday.

Allen cannot sign the deal until the free-agent signing period begins July 22, but agent Lon Babby said Allen plans on signing the contract at the first available moment.

The contract includes $80 million in salary and $5 million in bonuses, although terms of the bonuses and the yearly breakdown of salary hasn't been determined.

Seattle spokesman Marc Moquin said the team couldn't comment on the agreement.

``We did wander in the desert for a while, before we got to the promise land,'' Babby said on a conference call. ``When Ray became a free agent and we had the chance to explore opportunities, we were able to report back to the Sonics on what the market was dictating and they essentially responded accordingly.''

Allen earned about $14 million this past season, and the two sides tried to negotiate a new deal during the regular season, but couldn't come to an agreement. Both sides started talks again after the playoffs.

You proved me wrong Weebs.

Scott Weber

07/05/05, 12:00 PM

BuriedAlive

07/05/05, 03:02 PM

Yeah but the problem is that Nate Rob is a 5'7'' shooting guard. he didn't play the point at UW, Will Conroy did. Also, am I missing something? Doesn't Kurt Thomas suck? Maybe I'm just not paying attention. I hope Nate learns the point and can replace Marbury, that guy is a born loser.
you're right Thomas does suck... since his natural position is also PF. He played Center for the lack of competition at that position... so really trading for a slow center that shouldn't play that position equals a bad trade. i agree.

radiofriendly

07/05/05, 04:45 PM

don't know if this was posted, but apparently Dallas may be able to trade Finley to an east coast team to relieve some of the pressure in his contract salary. that would be fantastic. the morning news gave several scenarios:

-they mentioned packaging Croshure and Pollard w/ cash from Indiana

-Eddie Jones of the Heat has a similar contract, but one year shorter

-shipping finley to Chicago for Antonio Daniels/Eric Piatkowski

i think all three are interesting trades to make. i would be interested to see what the mavericks could do with a package from the Pacers. a trade like this could extinguish the mav's money issues, get an extra player, and could still leave them with enough money to sign an extra guard. Antonio Daniels maybe? i doubt they'd have the money, but he would work extremely well behind Avery Johnson given their history.

all bias aside, i am very excited about where the mavs could be heading this season. i think with the offseason they can work out their efforts as a team and avoid that catastrophe from happening again. they showed glimpses of brilliance against Phoenix and could have a solid run for the finals

yeknom

07/05/05, 07:31 PM

How would you say Boston made out?

with moderate tounge action.

T-wolves picked up McCants...decent.

BrandNew20

07/05/05, 07:53 PM

Ray Allen is a friggen nasty player, I wish he would drive more though like he used to back in the first 2-3 years of his career.

Emopunkthrice

07/05/05, 08:04 PM

Denver Nuggets: The Nuggets signed first-round draft picks Julius Hodge and Linas Kleiza to multiyear contracts Tuesday.

Terms were not disclosed.

Hodge was selected by the Nuggets with the 20th pick in last week's draft. The guard averaged 17 points, 6.6 rebounds and 4.8 assists in his senior year at North Carolina State.

Kleiza was picked 27th overall by the Portland Trail Blazers, then acquired by the Nuggets in a draft-day trade. The forward averaged 16 points and 7.6 rebounds as a sophomore last season at Missouri.

Atlanta Hawks: Center Obinna Ekezie was waived by the Hawks.

Ekezie made 31 starts and appeared in 42 games after joining the team in January. He averaged 5.5 points and 4.3 rebounds before missing the final eight games with a strained left shoulder.

The Hawks also waived forward James Thomas, who appeared in only two games after signing in April.

afk999

07/05/05, 10:28 PM

the sixers need to make sure they keep dalembert and korver they can let willi egreen go though

Emopunkthrice

07/05/05, 11:25 PM

Horry, a 2005 Finals hero, ready to stay in San Antonio

"Big Shot Bob" is staying put.

The San Antonio Express-News reported on its Web site Wednesday that Robert Horry will remain with the San Antonio Spurs after agreeing to a three-year deal with the team. Houston television station KRIV also reported the agreement. Financial details were not disclosed.

Horry has won six NBA titles, including the 2005 championship while making key shots down the stretch for the Spurs in a seven-game series against the Detroit Pistons.

With his sixth title, the lanky forward joined the elite club occupied by Michael Jordan and Kareem Abdul-Jabbar.

Free agents can't sign with a team until the terms of the league's collective bargaining agreement are settled later this month, but that appears to now be a formality for Horry and the Spurs.

"As soon as he is allowed to sign the contract, he is going to sign it," Robert Barr, who represented the 13-year veteran in negotiations, told the Express-News on Tuesday.

The paper reported there is a clause in the third year of the deal that would allow the Spurs to buy out the final year.

Horry's reputation for making clutch shots was on full display in Game 5 in Detroit. Horry scored the Spurs' final five games, calmly draining a 3-pointer with five seconds left in overtime to put San Antonio up 3-2 in the series.

Horry came off the bench to score 15 points in Game 7, including a key 3-pointer with 8:22 left in the fourth quarter to exetend the Spurs' lead to five. The Pistons never got closer than three points the rest of the way.

Horry spent 6½ seasons with the Los Angeles Lakers and helped them win three consecutive NBA championships. But they elected to let him go after he struggled in the 2002-2003 season. He signed with the Spurs.

Barr said while Horry considered signing with the Dallas Mavericks, "Robert's love for the Spurs organization, head coach Greg Popovich and the city of San Antonio was too much for him to walk away from."

Alex Djaferis

07/06/05, 12:33 AM

Ray Allen is a friggen nasty player, I wish he would drive more though like he used to back in the first 2-3 years of his career.

hes getting old.

Emopunkthrice

07/06/05, 01:57 PM

Second-rounder to get two-year deal

C.J. Miles won't play at Texas.

Miles, a 6-foot-6 shooting guard from Skyline (Dallas) High, will sign a two-year deal with the Utah Jazz after the team selected him No. 34 in the NBA draft June 28.

Miles' father, Calvin, and Utah general manager Kevin O'Connor said Wednesday that they had a deal in principle but the final details were still to be determined.

Miles kept open the possibility of attending Texas next season under a rule that will no longer exist because of the new collective bargaining agreement.

Miles could have gone to Texas even though he was drafted. Under NCAA rules, in accordance with the NBA, a high school senior can be selected in the draft but play college basketball as long as he doesn't sign with an agent or accept money from the team. The team would own his rights until a year after his eligibility expires. The rule has been in place since 2002, but none of the high school seniors drafted since have taken advantage of this loophole.

Miles was the only remaining high school senior drafted who hadn't secured representation. The Miles family thought Utah would take him at No. 27, but the Jazz made a draft-day trade with Portland to get the No. 3 pick so they could take Illinois junior point guard Deron Williams. Utah's next pick then became No. 34.

"We'll get this done," O'Connor said.

"We've talked about the two-year guarantee and it should be done in time for him to go to camp on July 11," Calvin Miles said.

Calvin Miles said he informed Texas coach Rick Barnes on Monday night that his son wouldn't be attending Texas in the fall.

The family originally had told Barnes that if Miles were not drafted in the first round, he would then go to Texas. But Barnes always knew Miles might leave if he was a high second-round pick.

"The Texas coaches have been great and very supportive," Miles said. "We were just waiting on the Jazz to get the guarantee and come as close to first-round money."

Miles is likely going to get around $400,000, which could be close to the new second-round minimum once the CBA is finalized.

O'Connor said the team sat the family down after the draft in Salt Lake City and explained the options. The team took Miles that high with the intent of having him play next season. O'Connor then spent the week working out a contract proposal with Miles' adviser and potential agent Billy Ceisler.

"If he had felt he wasn't ready, then that was an option for him," O'Connor said. "We felt like he wanted to pursue this rather than go back to school."

Utah scout Troy Weaver said Miles had a high basketball IQ and the team was excited about his overall court knowledge. Miles will play on Utah's summer league team this month.

This is a hit for Texas, but the Longhorns should still challenge for the Big 12 and national titles.

Texas returns one of the top point guards in the country in Daniel Gibson (14.2 ppg). Forward P.J. Tucker (13.7 in 17 games last season before being ruled academically ineligible) is expected to return. Also coming back are big man Brad Buckman (12.5 ppg), center LaMarcus Aldridge (9.9 in 16 games before missing the rest of the season with a hip injury) and reserve guard Kenton Paulino and reserve forwards Dion Dowell and Mike Williams.

Without Miles, the Longhorns' recruiting class includes three guards: junior college transfers Craig Winder and J.D. Lewis, and freshman A.J. Abrams

Layden to start as Jazz assistant coach Sunday

SALT LAKE CITY -- The Utah Jazz have reached an agreement to hire former New York Knicks President Scott Layden as an assistant coach, officials said Wednesday.

The Jazz announced the hiring in an e-mail Wednesday ahead of a news conference by Jazz Vice President Kevin O'Connor. Layden was traveling abroad, so the deal will not be completed until later in the week.

"I am really pleased to make this announcement. Scott has an extensive amount of basketball knowledge and will bring a great deal to our coaching staff," Jazz coach Jerry Sloan said in a release.

Layden will officially start Sunday when the team meets for rookie camp prior to the start of the Reebok Rocky Mountain Revue on July 15.

The Jazz would not disclose terms of the contract.

Layden and Sloan spent six seasons together as Jazz assistant coaches under Scott's father, head coach Frank Layden, and Scott Layden stayed on the bench when Sloan took over as head coach in 1988.

Scott Layden, 46, spent 18 years with the Jazz as an administrative assistant, scout, assistant coach, director of player personnel and vice president of basketball operations.

He left Utah in 1999 to become president and general manager of the New York Knicks.

Redd tops Cleveland wish list

CLEVELAND -- The Cavaliers are busy trying to woo Michael Redd, who is scheduled to meet with the team Wednesday.

Redd now tops the team's free agent wish list after Ray Allen agreed to stay with Seattle.

"We're meeting with Cleveland today," Redd's agent, Kevin Poston, said Wednesday. "Michael met with Milwaukee yesterday."

Poston declined to talk about reported contract offers or discuss the situation further.

The Bucks arranged for Redd and Poston to visit to further discuss the maximum offer -- worth an estimated $90 million over six years -- owner Herb Kohl extended to Redd on Friday.

Cleveland can offer him $70 million over five years.

Poor outside shooting last season has made signing a shooting guard one of the Cavaliers' priorities this offseason.

Cavaliers general manager Danny Ferry has about $29 million to spend on free agents, but the Bucks can outbid the Cavaliers for Redd under the terms of the league's collective bargaining agreement.

The Cavaliers' biggest selling point is the opportunity to play with LeBron James and join a team ready to reach the postseason. The Bucks are looking for a new coach and are in a rebuilding stage, having just signed No. 1 overall pick Andrew Bogut.

James recently named Redd, Allen, Larry Hughes, Joe Johnson and Eddy Curry as players he would like to see the Cavaliers pursue.

With Allen locked up by Seattle, Redd is the top guard left on the market. He averaged 23 points last season and shot 44 percent.

Redd, who turns 26 in August, attended Ohio State and lives in Columbus in the offseason.

Emopunkthrice

07/06/05, 07:12 PM

Los Angeles Lakers:

The Lakers signed first-round draft pick Andrew Bynum on Wednesday.

Terms of the deal weren't announced.

The 17-year-old Bynum became the youngest player ever taken in the NBA draft when the Lakers took him with the 10th overall pick.

The 7-foot, 270-pound center averaged 22 points, 16.0 rebounds and 5.0 blocks as a senior at St. Joseph High in Metuchen, N.J., last season.

Bynum will play for the Lakers in the Summer Pro League; their first game is Friday night in Long Beach.

Sacramento Kings: Francisco Garcia agreed to a contract with the Kings, who chose him with the 23rd overall pick in last month's draft.

Garcia, a 6-foot-7 guard, averaged 15.7 points per game last season while leading Louisville to the Final Four. He scored in double figures in 73 games during his three seasons with the Cardinals, leading the school in scoring during each of his final two seasons.

Garcia, a native of the Dominican Republic who attended high school in New York, will play for the Kings' summer league team in Las Vegas this weekend.

Paul expected to play significant minutes

NEW ORLEANS -- The New Orleans Hornets signed their top draft pick, Chris Paul, on Wednesday, the team announced.

As a rookie taken in the first round, Paul's pay will be linked to the rookie salary scale, which has not yet been set, in the league's new collective bargaining agreement.

Under the old agreement that expired after last season, the rookie scale called for the fourth overall pick, as Paul was, to be paid about $8.1 million over three years. But teams and players had the flexibility to negotiate a salary of 20 percent more or less than the scale figure.

The team did not disclose what percentage of the new scale figure will be used to pay Paul.

"We're glad to get Chris officially signed so that he can begin his NBA career," Hornets general manager Allan Bristow said. "He can become part of an explosive young backcourt for us this season."

Paul is expected to see significant playing time even if he does not immediately enter the starting lineup. He will play alongside second-year shooting guard J.R. Smith, who was among the top rookies in the league last season.

Paul played in college at Wake Forest, averaging 15.3 points and 6.6 assists last season.

Curry: 'I had no problem with my heart at all.'

CHICAGO -- Eddy Curry aims to lose 10 pounds and resume his NBA career after being sidelined by a heart condition since March 30.

The Chicago Bulls center, a restricted free agent, worked out this week after getting the go-ahead to resume physical activity from his doctor. An irregular heartbeat caused Curry to miss the final 13 games of the regular season and the playoffs.

The 22-year-old Curry worked out Tuesday with trainer Tim Grover on a private court.

"It felt great," he said. "I had no problem with my heart at all."

Curry, who averaged a career-best 16.1 points last season, said he wants to see the Bulls' contract offer before deciding whether to visit other teams.

General Manager John Paxson said Tuesday it's the Bulls' intention to keep all their restricted free agents.

Emopunkthrice

07/06/05, 09:41 PM

Trail Blazers hire Nate McMillan

PORTLAND, Ore. (AP) -- Nate McMillan is leaving the Seattle SuperSonics to coach the Portland Trail Blazers.

The Blazers late Wednesday night hired McMillan, who led the SuperSonics to the Northwest Division title this past season. He will be introduced Thursday at a news conference, the Blazers said in a statement.

McMillan's contract with the Sonics expired Thursday and the Blazers aggressively pursued him. The terms of his contract were not immediately available.

McMillan replaces interim coach Kevin Pritchard, who took over from the fired Maurice Cheeks when the Blazers embarked on a youth movement in midseason.

McMillan had coached the Sonics since Nov. 27, 2000 and compiled a 212-193 record.

Stotts could interview as early as Thursday or Friday

The Milwaukee Bucks requested permission Wednesday to interview Golden State Warriors assistant Terry Stotts for the Bucks' coaching vacancy.

NBA coaching sources said that Stotts could interview as early as Thursday or Friday, with the Bucks still unable to get a firm commitment from leading candidate Flip Saunders.

After announcing in early May that Terry Porter would be back for the final year of his contract following a 30-52 season, Milwaukee unexpectedly fired Porter on June 22 to pursue Saunders and Doug Collins.

Collins has since asked out of the Bucks' search after initially showing serious interest, but Milwaukee has been waiting on an answer from Saunders after owner Herb Kohl made what sources describe as a "substantial" multiyear offer.

Saunders is believed to be waiting to see what happens in Detroit. He's widely considered a prime candidate to replace Larry Brown if Brown leaves the Pistons.

Kohl, though, has apparently grown impatient waiting for Saunders, who is scheduled to earn $5.5 million from the Timberwolves next season if he doesn't coach.

Upon firing Porter, Milwaukee let it be known that it was looking to hire a more experienced coach. The Bucks were hopeful of signing Saunders or Collins before the free-agent period began last Friday to help convince star guard Michael Redd to re-sign.

Stotts has only a season and a half of NBA head-coaching experience -- going 52-85 in Atlanta after replacing Lon Kruger just after Christmas in the 2002-03 season -- but does have a pre-existing relationship with Redd from his stint as a Bucks assistant under George Karl. Stotts is also said to be a Kohl favorite after spending four seasons in Milwaukee.

afk999

07/06/05, 11:31 PM

i had a feeling mcmillian was leaving seattle

Alex Djaferis

07/07/05, 12:41 AM

im surprised actually that he left

Scott Weber

07/07/05, 06:57 AM

wow I'm shocked that he left Seattle, personally. That's too bad..

Alex Djaferis

07/07/05, 07:01 AM

yeah. especially for a place like Portland.

radiofriendly

07/07/05, 08:42 AM

i would be extremely interested to know what exactly they will be paying him. the article i read said the sonics offer would have pitted him in the top five highest paid...interesting

Scott Weber

07/07/05, 09:24 AM

word is they offered him almost double what he was offered in seattle, which was 18 mill over 4 years.

radiofriendly

07/07/05, 10:19 AM

word is they offered him almost double what he was offered in seattle, which was 18 mill over 4 years.

....uhhh...well he's done a great job, but...double? to coach portland. im not from seattle by any means, but is he worth that?

Emopunkthrice

07/07/05, 10:49 AM

Redd expected to remain with Milwaukee

The Milwaukee Bucks are expected to hire Terry Stotts as their new head coach, multiple sources told ESPN.com's Andy Katz.

Sources also told ESPN.com that the Bucks expect to learn on Thursday that free-agent guard Michael Redd will remain with the team. Redd had visited Cleveland on Wednesday.

Stotts, an assistant with the Golden State Warriors who had a 52-85 record as head coach of the Atlanta Hawks from 2002-03, will be signed to a five-year contract. No financial terms are available. Stotts is expected to meet wtih Bucks owner Herb Kohl on Thursday afternoon to finalize the deal.

The Bucks had interest in Flip Saunders, Doug Collins and Eric Musselman.

The Bucks fired Terry Porter the week before selecting Andrew Bogut with the No. 1 pick in the NBA Draft.

Redd agrees to re-sign with the Bucks

Coveted free agent Michael Redd agreed Thursday to re-sign with the Milwaukee Bucks, choosing to stay with the only NBA team he's played for over LeBron James and the Cleveland Cavaliers.

``He's going to get a max deal in Milwaukee for $90-96 million, depending on what the cap is, over six years,'' Redd's agent, Kevin Poston, told The Associated Press early Thursday afternoon. ``Michael started his career in Milwaukee and hopes to end it there, too.

``It was a tough decision between the Bucks and the Cavaliers, but Michael's heart is in Milwaukee and he's excited about his future there.''

Redd, who was the top remaining free agent available, met with James and Cavs officials in Cleveland on Wednesday, one day after meeting with the Bucks.

The 6-foot-6 shooting guard averaged a career-high 23 points, 4.2 rebounds and 2.3 assists last season. He has averaged 17.7 points while making 39.4 percent of his 3-point shots since Milwaukee drafted him in second round, with the 43rd overall pick, in the 2000 NBA draft.

Poston said Redd, who turns 26 in August, is excited about playing with former Utah center Andrew Bogut, the No. 1 pick overall in last month's draft, and for the Bucks' next coach.

``Michael had Andrew have spoken at great length, and are really looking forward to starting something special in Milwaukee,'' said Poston, an agent based in suburban Detroit. ``We also know who the Bucks are focused in on to be their next coach, and Michael is very comfortable with him.''

The Bucks signed Bogut to a multiyear contract last week, and have been searching for a new coach since firing Terry Porter last month.

Lakers: Bynum signs two-year deal

News
First-round draft pick Andrew Bynum, the youngest player drafted in NBA history, has signed a two-year deal with the Lakers worth about $3.8 million, according to the Los Angeles Times. The Lakers have two team options for a third and fourth season.

Heat: Haslem wants to return
News
Restricted free agent Udonis Haslem will take less money in order to return to the Heat, the South Florida Sun-Sentinel reports.

Magic: Daniels hasn't been contacted
News
Representation for free agent point guard Antonio Daniels told the Orlando Sentinel that the Magic are not one of 15 teams who have contacted him about the services of his client. Daniels was interested in signing with Orlando two seasons ago, but the two parties did not reach agreement.

Views
The Magic is looking for a point guard that will allow Steve Francis to shift over to shooting guard. Daniels and former Grizzlies reserve Earl Watson are the top two free agent targets.

Emopunkthrice

07/07/05, 02:36 PM

Charlotte Bobcats: Once again, Raymond Felton and Sean May are linked.

National champions at North Carolina who were drafted by the Bobcats in the first round of last week's draft, Felton and May both signed with the club on Thursday.

Financial terms were not disclosed. All first-round rookie contracts are two years with separate club options for the third and fourth years.

Felton, a 6-1 guard picked fifth overall, averaged 12.9 points, 6.9 assists and 2.0 steals in 36 games for the Tar Heels this past season. He is the only North Carolina player ever to record 1,000 points, 600 assists, 300 rebounds, 150 steals and 100 3-pointers.

May, a 6-9 forward selected 13th, was voted MVP of the Final Four after scoring 26 points on 10-of-11 shooting and grabbing 10 rebounds in the title game against Illinois. He averaged 17.2 points and 12.3 rebounds last season.

Detroit Pistons: The team signed first-round draft pick Jason Maxiell to a multiyear contract.

Maxiell, picked 26th overall, averaged 15.3 points and 7.7 rebounds as a senior last season at Cincinnati. The power forward also led Conference USA in blocked shots.

Detroit president of basketball operations Joe Dumars said Maxiell will add depth to the Pistons' bench.

Philadelphia 76ers: Shavlik Randolph, who wasn't selected in the June 28 NBA Draft, is reportedly working out with the 76ers.

The Raleigh News & Observer reported Thursday that the forward, who will skip his final year of college eligibility at Duke, left Wednesday for Philadelphia, where he will work out with Sixers staff in hopes of getting a free-agent deal. Such contracts can't be signed before July 22. "Shav will be working out this summer with the Sixers," his father, Kenny Randolph, told the News & Observer. "He's very excited about the opportunity. In the last three or four weeks, he has worked as hard as I've ever seen him work.

"Shav's passion and desire [have] reminded me of the old days, when we'd be working on rebounding in the gym at 1 in the morning," he said.

Assistant GM Tony DiLeo told the News & Observer that Randolph had impressed the staff when he worked out for the Sixers before the draft.

"We liked his skill level and athleticism," DiLeo told the newspaper. "It looks as if he's finally healthy. We thought it was worth taking a chance.

"We'll see how he develops. If we like his development, we'll invite him to the veterans' camp," he said.

Randolph's father told the News & Observer that his son hasn't hired an agent or management firm but wouldn't return to Duke.

"Shavlik is fully committed to chasing his dream of playing in the NBA," he told the News & Observer.

Vanity__Dearest

07/07/05, 02:38 PM

really hoping that the sixers trade webber, or at least pick up another guy to work around webber and iverson if they don't...and ,as a huge bulls fan, hoping they pick up a good player over the next 2 months...they won't tho.

afk999

07/07/05, 09:07 PM

Scott Weber

07/07/05, 09:36 PM

yeah the sixers need to do something about weber i just dont think he fits
Yeah I really don't know why they signed me, i mean, I'm just a 6'1'' white boy who can't even touch rim. Weird.

afk999

07/07/05, 09:41 PM

Yeah I really don't know why they signed me, i mean, I'm just a 6'1'' white boy who can't even touch rim. Weird.
haha yeah youre definitely not worth teh 17 mill your getting a year

Alex Djaferis

07/08/05, 02:33 AM

Lakers: Bynum signs two-year deal

News
First-round draft pick Andrew Bynum, the youngest player drafted in NBA history, has signed a two-year deal with the Lakers worth about $3.8 million, according to the Los Angeles Times. The Lakers have two team options for a third and fourth season.

which is another way of saying. "if you turn out to suck, we're getting rid of you ASAP"

Alex Djaferis

07/08/05, 05:23 AM

man i hate how u have to pay on espn to be an insider :(:(:(:(

Emopunkthrice

07/08/05, 01:45 PM

breaking news niggah.

Deal believed to be worth $65M to $70M

Larry Hughes has come to terms with the Cleveland Cavaliers on a five-year deal, his agent, Jeff Wechsler, told ESPN Insider Chad Ford.

"Larry intends to sign a contract with the Cavs when the moritorium ends," Wechsler said.

Wechsler wouldn't comment on the actual numbers of the deal, but it's believed to be a five-year deal between $65 million and $70 million.

Wechsler told Insider that he informed Washington Wizards GM Ernie Grunfeld on Thursday that Hughes won't be returning to the Wizards.

Grunfeld told ESPN.com that he was prohibited from commenting on the situation, citing league rules that prevent teams from commenting on free agency until the moratorium passes.

For the Cavs, Hughes gives them a great scorer and defender to put at the two alongside LeBron James. Hughes is a fantastic ball handler and rebounder for a two-guard making him -- like LeBron -- a very versatile piece in the puzzle. However, he's not a perfect fit in Cleveland. Hughes is not a good three point shooter (a big need for the Cavs), has a history of injuries and has been inconsistent throughout his career.

The Cavs had pursued both Ray Allen and Michael Redd before settling on Hughes.

With Hughes on board, the Cavs will now focus their atttention on bringing back free agent Zydrunas Ilgauskas. They're also in hot pursuit of Lithuanian point guard Sarunas Jasikevicius, widely regarded as the best international player not playing in the NBA. The Cavs should have roughly $15 million left under the cap (based on an estimated $49 million cap) to make it happen.

The news comes as major blow to the Wizards, who were confident they could re-sign Hughes. The Wizards eventually offered up to six years, $70 million, a source within the team told ESPN.com, but it wasn't enough to keep Hughes in D.C..

The Wizards now have to start over from scratch. The team now has a big hole at the two to fill and must also deal with the likely departure of Kwame Brown. The Wizards can get about $9 million below the cap if they don't re-sign Brown. However, the market for two guards is getting thin.

The last major two guard on the market is Joe Johnson. However, Johnson is a restricted free agent and most teams believe that the Suns will match any offer. There's also talk from multiple league sources that Johnson is in serious negotiations with the Atlanta Hawks about signing a max offer sheet.

That leaves Bobby Simmons, Cuttino Mobley and Latrell Sprewell as the top two guards left on the board. The Wizards could also, at this point, try to work out a sign-and-trade with Brown that brings them back a top-flight shooting guard.

Philadelphia 76ers: As the nation's top high school basketball player, Louis Williams fully expected to be selected in the first round of last month's NBA draft.

When he slipped into the second round, all the way down to the Sixers at No. 45, Williams was stunned.

"I heard a lot of negative talk about holes in my game," Williams said Thursday. "Maybe that's why I went in the second round, I don't know. I feel like I should have been taken earlier."

Now he says he's ready to show something to the teams that passed on him, as well as the one that picked him.

"I just want to prove to the Sixers that they made the right choice," Williams said. "I'm coming in to work and I use negative things as motivation."

Williams won the Naismith Award as the best high school player in the country.

The 6-foot-2 guard from South Gwinnett High School in Snellville, Ga., averaged 27.5 points, 6.6 rebounds and 5.2 assists while leading his team to a 28-3 record and a fourth-place finish in the state.

Vanity__Dearest

07/08/05, 02:09 PM

Yeah I really don't know why they signed me, i mean, I'm just a 6'1'' white boy who can't even touch rim. Weird.
have to say, your signature owns my soul.

afk999

07/08/05, 10:28 PM

have to say, your signature owns my soul.
yeah it is great

Alex Djaferis

07/09/05, 05:13 AM

man, quite a shocker with larry hughes leaving washington.

Scott Weber

07/09/05, 07:54 AM

have to say, your signature owns my soul.
Haha, I love that kind of humor so much.

Emopunkthrice

07/10/05, 01:49 AM

I'll try my best to update this, but I'll be in Kauai for the next week.

PHILADELPHIA -- Saint Joseph's center Dwayne Jones is skipping his senior season for a shot at the NBA.

Jones, fifth in the nation in rebounding and blocks, was close to signing with the Minnesota Timberwolves, and the possibility of his return to the Hawks ended after he began contract discussions, coach Phil Martelli said Saturday.

"Once it became evident negotiations had been going on, we cut it off," Martelli said.

Jones, 6-foot-11, averaged 11.6 rebounds and 3.0 blocks last season. He was not selected in the NBA draft and was eligible to return for his senior season because he had not hired an agent.

Saint Joseph's already had started the process for Jones to regain his eligibility. Jones told the school he was done with the NBA and committed to finishing his career with the Hawks.

This week, Jones asked to meet with Martelli to follow up with the Timberwolves about possible interest. Martelli called vice president of basketball operations Kevin McHale and discovered the team wanted to sign Jones as a free agent.

"In the process of doing it, I was led to believe it was a done deal, which was again disappointing," Martelli said.

A telephone message left for Jones was not immediately returned. Martelli said he did not know the terms of the deal or if Jones had hired an agent.

After competing in the NBA's predraft camp in Chicago, most NBA scouts had Jones projected as a late second-round pick, at best. Jones believed he proved his worth in Chicago and said he thought he could go late in the first round.

One of the ways for Jones to come back was to repay any expenses from his various NBA workouts. Martelli said the school sent forms to nine teams asking for a list of charges and expenses. One team that didn't respond -- Minnesota.

"Once anybody started talking contract it made any reinstatement null and void," Martelli said.

I'm hearbroken now.

Former Clippers swingman Bobby Simmons agreed to a five year, $47 million deal with the Bucks on Friday, his agent Mark Bartelstein said.

Bobby Simmons
Simmons

"Bobby intends to sign with the Bucks when the moratorium ends," Bartelstein said. "He was very appreciative of the opportunity that the Clippers gave him but felt like this was the best opportunity for him."

The move is the clearest signal yet that the Bucks are serious about competiting for a championship this year. In the past week, they signed the No. 1 pick in the draft, Andrew Bogut, agreed to a six-year, $90 million deal with Michael Redd and began the on the court rehab for point guard T.J. Ford.

"This originally started out as talks in case Michael left, but as we talked more and more, it started to make sense for Bobby even if Michael stayed,'' Bartelstein said. ``So, we just kept talking and they had enough cap room. It worked out well for both.''

The Bucks have two more significant free agents, Dan Gadzuric and Zaza Pachulia, that they are also trying to re-sign.

Simmons will join Desmond Mason, Jiri Welsch and Redd to form a potent combination at the shooting guard and small forward positions. Mo Williams and hopefully Ford will take care of the point. The team's only weakness now is at the four where Joe Smith is the only big guy.

The loss of Simmons, coming on the heels of the rejection by free agent Ray Allen, is another blow to the Clippers. Simmons had a breakout year for them and was a key to their success this season. However, head coach Mike Dunleavy was uncomfortable paying Simmons, who has played well for just one season, that type of money.

The Clippers could also lose free agent Marko Jaric this summer, weakening their hopes of making the playoffs next season.

Simmons grew up in Chicago and starred at DePaul before Seattle selected him in the second round of the 2001 draft and shipped him to Washington that same night.

He averaged 33 games in his two seasons with the Wizards but played in 131 games during his two seasons with the Clippers and started 75 times last season.

Bucks general manager Larry Harris cleared cap room at the trading deadline last season by shipping Keith Van Horn's $16 million annual contract to Dallas and trading guard Mike James to Houston.

LAS VEGAS -- Joe Johnson's camp was informed Saturday that the Phoenix Suns intend to match Atlanta's expected five-year, $70 million offer to the restricted free agent, according to NBA front-office sources.

Word began spreading Friday at the Vegas Summer League that the Hawks have given Johnson a firm commitment that they'll sign him to a maximum offer sheet on July 22, which the league office has scheduled to be the first day free agents can sign contracts.

The Hawks' offer, sources said, is likely to be front-loaded with a payment as high as $20 million in the first year of the deal. Rules on such payments and other specifics of the deal are also on hold until July 22, when the league announces the salary-cap number for next season.

The rules on contract lengths, however, have already been finalized, and the Hawks are prevented from signing Johnson to a contract longer than five years. A maximum offer from the Suns would span six years at an estimated $90 million, matching the terms Michael Redd received from Milwaukee earlier this week, but sources say Phoenix has offered Johnson closer to $60 million over six seasons.

The Suns have maintained all season that they will match any offer Johnson gets, rating the versatile swingman as no less critical to the team's success than its three All-Stars: Amare Stoudemire, Steve Nash and Shawn Marion. Matching a five-year offer, though, is undoubtedly more palatable than paying Johnson in the Redd range for six.

Various league executives have privately questioned whether the Suns would indeed match a max offer sheet to Johnson, given owner Robert Sarver's stated aversion to letting his annual payroll stray far beyond $50 million. With Johnson earning an average annual wage of $12 million and Stoudemire soon to receive a maximum contract extension that would kick in starting with the 2006-07 season, Phoenix would be in the rare position of carrying four players who earn roughly $50 million by themselves.

Arn Tellem, Johnson's agent, met with Phoenix president Bryan Colangelo and team chairman Jerry Colangelo during the Suns' summer-league game here Saturday against the Los Angeles Clippers. All parties declined to comment.

The Hawks, sources said, are still expected to go ahead with signing Johnson to an offer sheet, hoping that the value of the contract, potential incentive clauses and the up-front payment will prompt Phoenix to change its mind.

The Hawks will also take encouragement from the new collective bargaining agreement, which lessens the risk of signing restricted free agents. Starting this offseason, teams will be given only seven days to match an offer to a restricted free agent, compared to the previous window of 15 days. Teams have been hesitant in the past to sign restricted free agents to offer sheets and then have their free-agent funds potentially tied up for 15 days.

After a breakthrough 62-win season, followed by a trip to the Western Conference finals, Phoenix went into the offseason hoping to re-sign Johnson, sign Stoudemire to the extension and add toughness. The Suns addressed the latter aim by trading swingman Quentin Richardson to the New York Knicks for power forward Kurt Thomas and then reaching a verbal agreement on the first day of the free-agent season with Utah Jazz guard Raja Bell.

The Suns are forbidden from publicly discussing the Bell deal until he officially signs July 22, but team sources have said repeatedly that Bell was targeted to back up Johnson -- not as an insurance policy in case Johnson is let go.

Memphis Grizzlies: The Grizzlies agreed to terms with first-round draft pick Hakim Warrick on Saturday.

Warrick, the 19th pick overall in the draft, signed a two-year deal with team options for the third and fourth years.

The 6-foot-9 forward played four seasons at Syracuse, averaging 15.4 points and 7.6 rebounds per game.

Last season as a senior, Warrick averaged 21.4 points and 8.6 rebounds and was the Big East Conference Player of the Year and Big East Tournament MVP.

Cleveland Cavaliers: The Cavaliers have hired two assistant general managers.

Lance Blanks comes from San Antonio, where he was director of scouting.

Chris Grant spent the last nine years with the Atlanta Hawks, where he was vice president of basketball operations.

They'll help Danny Ferry, who was hired as the Cavs' general manager on June 27th. The Cavs haven't been to the playoffs since 1998 and ended last season in turmoil following a change in ownership.

Alex Djaferis

07/11/05, 05:54 AM

word. thanks for the updates again :D

radiofriendly

07/11/05, 10:43 AM

now that we've seen a great deal of trade talk and people settling down. does anybody have any predictions on the teams to watch this season?

im excited for milwaukee, and they'll have a good season as long as bogut meets expectations. i thought simmons was a great addition.

i think pheonix is either going to become red hot or everybody will soo find a way around their unique style of play. either way stoudemire is incredible and will carry his team deep into the playoffs.

i've always that the charlotte coaching staff could do wonders with good players. their draft choices are interesting and well crafted. i wouldn't be surprised to see them come close if not tip over the .500 line, if training camp goes well.

i think dallas can only get better from here. i think they'll make a great trade or signing for michael finley and do great things this season

the rest i have are mostly the predictable like san antonio, detroit and the Heat. it's gonna be a great seaons. also looking forward to watching denver and boston. maybe seattle after the dust settles. it's just going to be great.

Alex Djaferis

07/11/05, 10:47 AM

Yeah Im quite sure Charlotte will put on a good showing.

I am a little upset at Larry Hughes going to Cleveland. Washington looked quite promising last year. I am interested to see how Hughes/James works out.

As for Milwaukee, they have done well...I am sure they will make a little more noise next year.
Yeah I cant wait to see what happens with Finley!

And as an Orlando fan...I cannot wait to see how good Dwight Howard is going to be...

Alex Djaferis

07/13/05, 12:42 AM

Some rumors:

The Wizards are talking to the Los Angeles Lakers about a sign-and-trade deal in which forward Kwame Brown, the top pick in the 2001 NBA draft, would go to the Lakers in exchange for swingman Caron Butler

I think that could be very interesting. Butler could fill the void left by hughes leaving and Kwame Brown could use this as a chance to show his real potential.

Udonis Haslem has received interest from the Cleveland Cavaliers, who have enough salary-cap space to offer Haslem more than the five-year, $33 million deal the Heat can extend

Knicks need a center, but team president Isiah Thomas is hellbent on upgrading his starting power-forward position by acquiring free-agent Antoine Walker. Agent Mark Bartlestein has told the Knicks the only way of getting Walker is through a sign-and-trade scenario with the Celtics, that he was not willing to sign for the $5.1 million mid-level exception

Walker should go for the mid-level. I doubt anyone will pay him a max-ed out contact.

While Shareef Abdur-Rahim toured Sacramento, the Nets were preparing to talk to Stromile Swift about their power forward vacancy. According to two sources, the Nets will meet with Swift today in Las Vegas, where the team is playing in a summer league

Prediction: if Swift plays for a different team and starts, hes going to have a breakout year.

Alex Djaferis

07/15/05, 02:19 PM

Vlade Divac just announced his retirement. Saw it coming, he'll be missed. He was a great player back in the day.

Nick Lopez

07/17/05, 12:33 AM

Vlade Divac just announced his retirement. Saw it coming, he'll be missed. He was a great player back in the day.
i only wish he wouldnt have left the kings for his last year in teh NBA...

Emopunkthrice

07/19/05, 07:03 PM

Donyell Marshall headed to Cavaliers

CLEVELAND (AP) -- Free agent forward Donyell Marshall agreed to terms Tuesday on a four-year contract with the Cleveland Cavaliers, giving the rebuilt club another player to complement LeBron James.

Marshall, an 11-year-veteran who played for the Toronto Raptors last season, was courted by a handful of teams before reaching an agreement with the Cavaliers, said his agent, Andy Miller.

``We look at this as an opportunity to join a team that could win an NBA championship real soon,'' Miller said.

Miller would not disclose financial parameters of the deal.

Marshall is the third significant player signed by the Cavs this summer and probably not the last. The club, which was $28 million under the salary cap, is expected to officially re-sign All-Star center Zydrunas Ilgauskas and sign guard Larry Hughes on Friday when the free agent signing period begins.

The Cavs are also looking for a point guard and have reportedly talked with the agents for Marko Jaric and Damon Stoudamire.

Coming off the bench last season, the 32-year-old Marshall averaged 11.5 points, 6.5 rebounds and shot a career-best 42 percent on 3-pointers for the Raptors. The Cavs are desperate for outside shooting to offset teams collapsing on Ilgauskas or double- and triple-teaming James.

Marshall has averaged 12.4 points and 7.3 rebounds over his 11-year career, and despite being 6-foot-9, he has made 35 percent of his 3-pointers.

In 2003-04, Marshall was the only player in the NBA to rank in the top 25 in rebounds (9.9), blocks (1.5) and 3-point percentage (.403).

A star at Connecticut, Marshall was selected with the No. 4 overall pick in 1994 by Minnesota, which traded him after one season to Golden State for Tom Gugliotta.

He played six seasons with the Warriors before being traded to Utah. Marshall also played for Chicago.

76ers agree to deals with Korver, Green

PHILADELPHIA (AP) -- Reserves Kyle Korver and Willie Green have agreed to return to the Philadelphia Sixers.

Agent Noah Croom confirmed Green's deal, a $20 million, six-year contract that could be worth more with incentives.

``We talked to some other teams, but because Willie was a restricted free agent, they held most of the cards,'' Croom said. ``We understood it was likely he would end up here.''

Korver also agreed to terms, a person familiar with the deal said, speaking on condition of anonymity. The contracts cannot officially be announced until Friday under NBA rules.

A telephone message left for Korver's agent, Jeff Schwartz, was not immediately returned.

Korver and Green were second-round picks acquired in separate trades on the night of the 2003 draft.

The Sixers declined comment.

Korver, a 6-foot-6 forward, played in all 82 regular-season games last season and averaged 11.5 points and 4.6 rebounds in 32.5 minutes. He started 57 games and led the team with 226 3-pointers.

Green, a 6-foot-2 guard, averaged 7.7 points and 2.3 rebounds in 57 games while getting inconsistent playing time under former coach Jim O'Brien.

He thrived as a sub whenever Allen Iverson was injured, including a 32-point effort against Washington in January. O'Brien, though, did not think undersized guards Green and Iverson worked well defensively together.

The Sixers had the right to match another NBA team's offer for any one of the players. Players have been allowed to negotiate with teams since July 1 and can sign starting Friday.

Philadelphia is still negotiating with center Samuel Dalembert, also a restricted free agent and its first-round pick in 2001. Team president Billy King said at the end of the season all three players would return to the Sixers.

Reports: Swift reaches agreement with Rockets

HOUSTON (AP) -- Free-agent forward Stromile Swift has reached an agreement to sign with the Houston Rockets, according to reports Monday.

Swift's agent, Andy Miller, told several Houston media outlets that Swift had agreed to join the Rockets and was excited about joining a front line that includes All-Stars Tracy McGrady and Yao Ming.

``That's real, real big for us,'' McGrady, who worked to recruit Swift, told the Houston Chronicle from Czechoslovakia. ``I'm going to do my best to turn him into an All-Star player, too. I thought that he was the guy we were missing. He'll add more depth, more athleticism.''

Miller would not disclose terms, but KPRC-TV and the Chronicle reported that the contract would be worth about $30 million over five years -- consistent with the midlevel salary exception available to the Rockets, who are over the salary cap.

Miller said Swift, who lives in Shreveport, La., has long been interested in the Rockets.

``It's almost considered to be his home team, more so than even the New Orleans team,'' Miller told KRIV-TV. ``He knows how good a coach Jeff Van Gundy is and how much he will get out of him as a player.''

The Rockets are seeking reinforcements after losing a seven-game series to Dallas in the first round of the playoffs last season. Houston hasn't won a playoff series since 1997.

Miller would not comment when reached by The Associated Press on Monday.

Swift spent his first five NBA seasons with the Grizzlies, averaging nine points and five rebounds. He averaged career highs of 11.8 points and 6.3 rebounds in 2001-02, his second season. Memphis reached the playoffs the last two seasons with Swift, but didn't win a postseason game, getting swept by San Antonio in 2004 and Phoenix this year.

The Grizzlies, then in Vancouver, made Swift the No. 2 pick in 2000 after his sophomore season at LSU, when he led the Tigers to the round of 16 for the first time in 13 years.

Pistons let Brown go, reach settlement on remaining contract

DETROIT (AP) -- Larry Brown is out as coach of the Detroit Pistons.

Brown and the Pistons reached a settlement Tuesday on the final three years of his contract, Pistons spokesman Matt Dobek said. He now is free to coach another team next season, said Dobek, who declined to provide further details.

Asked if the team had fired Brown, Dobek replied: ``Say what you want.''

The team didn't want the Hall of Fame coach back and had offered a payoff, Brown's agent, Joe Glass, said Tuesday.

``I take umbrage with the Pistons, or sources, saying it's a buyout,'' Glass said Tuesday morning before the announcement. ``A buyout encompasses a mutual agreement, and that's not what is happening. Larry Brown is saying, 'I want to coach the Pistons,' and they want to pay him off for whatever reason.''

Before the Pistons said that they were negotiating a buyout Monday, they had said they would welcome Brown back if he was willing to return.

``Until this week, I can't remember a time that I read Joe Dumars not categorically state that Larry Brown is our coach,'' Glass said. ``The Pistons can try to change the facts, but you can't change history.

``When did this all break down? My best guess is months ago.''

After the announcement, messages seeking comment were left with Brown, Glass, team president of basketball operations Joe Dumars, and Pistons players Richard Hamilton and Chauncey Billups.

In a statement, Dumars said ``the search for a new Pistons' head coach has already begun.'' Brown is expected to be replaced by former Minnesota Timberwolves coach Flip Saunders.

Two years ago, Detroit signed Brown to a five-year contract worth about $25 million, plus incentive bonuses. He guided the Pistons to the NBA championship in 2004 and came one victory away from repeating this year.

Throughout the season, Brown insisted he would return if doctors deemed him healthy enough, and said he wouldn't lead another NBA team from the sideline. Still, there have been reports that the New York Knicks would not hire a new coach until they knew for sure Brown is unavailable.

The 64-year-old Brown was hospitalized for treatment of a medical problem that developed from complications following hip surgery in November and persisted after a second procedure in March. He checked into the Mayo Clinic the morning after last month's NBA draft, less than a week after Detroit lost Game 7 of the finals to the San Antonio Spurs.

``His medical condition isn't 100 percent and it hasn't improved much,'' Glass said. ``But we're trusting God that it will, and Larry has represented that he is physically, spiritually and emotionally able to coach.

``I do not want myself or Larry to sound vindictive because this is a free country, but at the same token, facts are facts. Some are saying Larry is using his health as an excuse, but that's not the truth because he's more than willing to come back, even with his current condition.''

Brown and Glass met with Dumars and Pistons owner Bill Davidson last week. Other than traveling to suburban Detroit for the meeting, Brown has been resting, on doctor's orders, at his vacation home in New York.

During the regular season, reports linked Brown to jobs in New York, Los Angeles and Denver.

The Cleveland Cavaliers talked with Brown about becoming their president of basketball operations after Detroit gave them permission during the spring. Cleveland hired Danny Ferry as general manager last month, and he has been assured that Brown will not be his boss.

Brown is the only coach with NBA and NCAA championships, winning a title with the Pistons last year and one with Kansas in 1988.

His longest tenure with any team was six seasons with Philadelphia. He had two years left on his contract there before coming to Detroit.

Brown led the 76ers to the playoffs for five straight seasons, including the 2001 NBA Finals, and became the first coach to take six NBA teams to the playoffs when the Sixers made it in 1999.

He also coached Denver (five years), Indiana (four years), San Antonio (3 1/2 years), New Jersey (two years), Carolina of the ABA (two years) and the Los Angeles Clippers (18 months). His NCAA teams include UCLA and Kansas, where he left after winning the title.

When he was hired in Detroit, Brown refused to set a timetable on leading the Pistons to their third NBA championship, but promised not to embarrass the team.

The win over the Spurs in Game 6 this year was Brown's 100th in the postseason, moving him past Red Auerbach for third place on the all-time list.

Brown has more than 1,000 NBA victories in the regular season and playoffs. Since starting his career in 1972 with the ABA's Carolina Cougars, he has led pro and college teams to more than 1,400 wins.

Brown also coached the U.S. men's basketball team to a bronze-medal finish at the 2004 Olympics in Athens, the first time since pro players were added for in 1992 that the Americans went home without gold.

Alex Djaferis

07/20/05, 12:33 AM

Cavs got Marshall?? wow. That will help their 3's. I wonder what they will do with Gooden.

Emopunkthrice

07/20/05, 03:38 AM

Washington continues to fortify void left by Hughes

The Seattle SuperSonics suffered another free-agent defection Tuesday night when guard Antonio Daniels reached a verbal agreement with the Washington Wizards on a five-year contract worth an estimated $30 million.

Daniels was also a prime target of the Los Angeles Lakers.

Tony Dutt, Daniels' Houston-based agent, said Daniels will join the Wizards as soon as the moratorium on free-agent signings is lifted Friday, which the league has scheduled as the first day free agents can sign new contracts.

"The more we talked with Washington, we just felt very comfortable," Dutt said. "When Larry Hughes went to Cleveland, it just became a perfect fit for Antonio."

Daniels will join Caron Butler as the Wizards' two-pronged answer to the loss of Hughes, who is coming off a breakout season. Team officials are forbidden from commenting on the signing until the moratorium is lifted, but NBA front-office sources indicate Washington was drawn to Daniels for his playoff experience, athleticism and defensive skills.

Butler will be acquired from the Lakers in a sign-and-trade featuring Kwame Brown after the moratorium is lifted. The teams verbally agreed to the deal last week, but the Lakers have also been pursuing Daniels hard by offering the 6-foot-4 guard a similar five-year deal.

New coach Phil Jackson, whose fondness for long-limbed guards is well-known, had been hoping to pair Daniels in the Lakers' backcourt with Kobe Bryant.

Daniels thus becomes the third prominent member of Seattle's 52-30 team to leave the club this month. The Sonics quickly reached a verbal agreement to retain leading scorer Ray Allen, but coach Nate McMillan (Portland) and center Jerome James (New York) have since departed.

Daniels averaged 11.2 points and 4.1 assists for the Sonics last season, but proved even more effective in the playoffs when he joined Allen and Luke Ridnour in a three-guard attack. The ability of all three to handle the ball, penetrate and create offense on the perimeter enabled Seattle, though short-handed, to stretch eventual champion San Antonio to six games in the second round.

Alex Djaferis

07/20/05, 03:42 AM

I think Washington got 2 good players to replace hughes...they did well, all they need now is a big low post presence that isnt called Brendan haywood.

Emopunkthrice

07/20/05, 05:55 PM

MILWAUKEE -- Brian James signed a multiyear contract as an assistant coach with the Milwaukee Bucks, general manager Larry Harris said Wednesday.

James spent the last two seasons as a scout for the Seattle SuperSonics. He was also an NBA analyst for ESPN.com and Washington Wizards TV broadcasts.

He's been an assistant coach with the Wizards, Toronto Raptors and Detroit Pistons.

Report: Saunders to sign four-year deal

AUBURN HILLS, Mich. -- Flip Saunders apparently moved closer Wednesday to replacing Larry Brown as head coach of the Detroit Pistons.

The Detroit News reported Saunders was set to agree to a four-year contract worth between $4 million and $5 million per season, with a formal announcement to come Thursday at a news conference at The Palace.

Pistons spokesman Kevin Grigg said the team was not yet ready to make an announcement. Saunders and his agent, Mark Termini, did not immediately return phone calls.

Just one day after the Pistons finalized their severance agreement with Brown, team owner Bill Davidson provided some insight into the departure of the 64-year-old coach in an interview with WDIV-TV.

Brown, who had three years remaining on a five-year, $25 million contract, reportedly received $5 million in his severance package. He has already been contacted by New York Knicks president Isiah Thomas, who plans to meet with Brown in the coming days to gauge his interest in replacing interim coach Herb Williams.

Davidson was a key player in the departure of Brown, who spoke during the spring with the Cleveland Cavaliers about possibly becoming team president and also told the New York Post in the middle of last season that coaching the Knicks would be a "dream job."

Asked whether Brown's actions angered him, Davidson said: "I think a better word is peeved. You're certainly not happy when something like that happens."

Parting ways with Brown "was kind of easy," Davidson said. "There was too much Larry Brown and not enough Pistons. I wasn't happy with that. You've got to understand that whoever coaches the Pistons represents me. And I'm not going to give [the team and their fans] somebody that's not a good person."

Brown guided the Pistons to the NBA championship in 2004 and came one victory away from repeating this year. Throughout the season, Brown -- who underwent hip replacement surgery that led to a problem with his bladder -- insisted he would return to the Pistons if doctors deemed him healthy enough.

Saunders interviewed with several teams during the playoffs, nearly all of which filled their coaching vacancies with other candidates. Saunders was due to make more than $5 million in the upcoming season from the Minnesota Timberwolves, who fired him in February after he had coached the franchise to a record of 411-326 over 9½ seasons.

"I'd certainly pay $7 million to win a championship," Davidson told WDIV.

Emopunkthrice

07/21/05, 06:39 PM

The New Jersey Nets have found their replacement for Kenyon Martin. And he's coming at a real bargain.

A team source said the Nets and Blazers agreed in principle to a sign-and-trade that will get them Shareef Abdur-Rahim on a six-year contract worth roughly $38 million.

In return, the Nets will send a lottery protected 2006 first-round pick to the Blazers.

It's a great deal for the Nets.

The Nets refused to pay Martin, their last power forward, a max contract last summer and eventually traded him to the Nuggets for three future first round picks. The Nets used some of those picks to acquire Vince Carter from the Toronto Raptors at midseason. Now they'll use the trade exception they received from the Martin deal to acquire Abdur-Rahim.

Abdur-Rahim might be coming at less than half the price of Martin, but he isn't half the player. Abdur-Rahim, who is 28, has averaged 19 points per game and 8.1 rebounds per game for his career. Last season he struggled through injuries, but still managed 16.8 ppg and 7.1 rpg. Martin has averaged 12.4 ppg and 5.1 rpg for his career and had 15.5 ppg and 7.3 rpg for the Nuggets last season.

Since the Nets will land Abdur-Rahim with their trade exception, look for new owner Bruce Ratner to keep spending money. The Nets still own their full mid-level exception. The Nets have been in serious talks with free-agent guard Keyon Dooling with part of their mid-level exception. However the Nets are getting serious competition for Dooling's services from the Magic. The Nets are looking for a combo guard who can help Jason Kidd keep his minutes down to about 30 a night.

The Nets also have reached agreement with forward Clifford Robinson, a person within the league told The Associated Press on condition of anonymity.

Contract terms were not available.

Free agent deals cannot be officially announced until the league's new collective bargaining agreement is signed, something expected to occur within the next week.

Emopunkthrice

07/22/05, 02:10 AM

WCC player of the year's pro career in jeopardy

Ronny Turiaf, the West Coast Conference player of the year at Gonzaga and a second-round pick of the Los Angeles Lakers, has an enlarged heart and will need open-heart surgery, possibly ending his career before it ever starts in the NBA.

Turiaf's agent, Bouna Ndiaye, confirmed to ESPN.com Thursday night that the condition was discovered during extensive medical testing in Los Angeles.

Lakers spokesperson John Black said Turiaf would have open-heart surgery in 4-6 weeks. Black said Turiaf would meet with the media at 10 a.m. PT Friday in Los Angeles.

"Obviously he's disappointed," Black told The Associated Press on Thursday night. "I think it's fair to say he's anxious and somewhat scared to have to undergo open heart surgery. But now that he's had time for it to sink in, and looking at the big picture, he's hopeful for his future."

Black said it was too early to determine if the condition would be career-ending.

"We don't want to speculate on that, but obviously we're hopeful that if things go well he will be able to [play again],'' Black said.

The good news, Black added, is that catching the condition now likely saved Turiaf's life.

"Had he not had this corrected, my understanding from our doctors is very likely this would have been a fatal condition," Black said.

It wasn't clear what impact Turiaf's loss will have on the team this season.

"He would have still had to go to training camp and earn a spot on the team," Black said. "But he did fill a role at power forward that we thought we needed help at."

The Lakers selected the 6-foot-10 Turiaf, who was originally from France, with the 37th pick overall in the June 28 draft. He averaged 15.9 points, 9.5 rebounds, 2.7 assists and 1.9 blocked shots as a senior at Gonzaga last season. He was the Lakers' second pick behind 17-year-old center Andrew Bynum of St. Joseph High in Metuchen, N.J.

Los Angeles signed Turiaf to a two-year guaranteed contract on July 14. He played for the Lakers in a Summer Pro League and was averaging 14 points and 4.7 rebounds in 21.9 minutes a game. But Turiaf, 22, was held out of the final four games of the summer league.

Ndiaye said Turiaf would remain in Los Angeles to meet with more doctors Friday before determining when and where to have surgery.

"His aorta is too large for his heart," Ndiaye said. "This is open-heart surgery. He could come back if everything goes OK and he works hard."

Ndiaye said the contract would be voided but Lakers owner Jerry Buss and general manager Mitch Kupchak would "take care of the medical costs and told us they would keep his rights."

"They are showing us the good human part," Ndiaye said. "Ronny is down. He's a winner and he's determined to get back one day."

Black said the contract Turiaf signed was conditional on passing the physical and once he didn't the contract becomes void. But Black said the league lawyers might not agree with that interpretation. Black said the Lakers want to pay the medical costs, but once again this is up to the league's interpretation of his contract.

Gonzaga coach Mark Few, who spoke with Turiaf on Thursday night, said Turiaf was in the best condition he had seen him in when he visited Turiaf at the Chicago predraft camp in June.

"We're in a state of shock," Few said. "We're going to be by Ronny's side during this entire ordeal. Our staff, our players and the entire community of Spokane are behind him. He's meant so much to all of us. We're going to see him through this and get him back healthy. There will be a lot of thoughts and prayers coming out of Spokane."

Demoupoulos was a Seattle assistant for four seasons

PORTLAND, Ore. -- Nate McMillan has chosen a familiar face to be his lead assistant coach with the Portland Trail Blazers.

Dean Demopoulos, who served as a McMillan assistant for four years with the Seattle SuperSonics, was added to the Portland staff on Thursday.

"He is a very good coach and teacher and I believe he will be a great fit here as we try to build our program," McMillan said in a statement. "His ability to mentor younger players will be a great asset given the youth of our team."

The Trail Blazers are trying to rebuild around what is expected to be the youngest team in the league, with an average age of 23½. Portland has drafted high school players in the first round of the draft the past three years with Travis Outlaw, Sebastian Telfair and Martell Webster, the Blazers' first pick this year.

"Nate is a great coach to work with and I am very impressed with the clear direction the franchise is headed," Demopoulos said. "It is a young group of players and I am anxious to get out on the floor and work on getting better each and every day."

Demopoulos joined the Sonics after one season as head coach of the University of Missouri-Kansas City, where he led the Kangaroos to a 14-16 record.

Before that, Demopoulos spent 17 years at Temple and was credited with helping recruit top players for coach John Chaney's program.

Knicks to have no comment until Friday

NEW YORK -- Speeding up his courtship of Larry Brown, New York Knicks president Isiah Thomas met Thursday night with the 64-year-old unemployed coach.

The meeting began in the evening near Brown's summer home in East Hampton, N.Y., and a Knicks spokesman said the only two participants were Thomas and Brown.

It was unclear whether the Knicks already were prepared to offer a contract to Brown, who reached a severance agreement with the Detroit Pistons on Tuesday.

Thomas has made no secret of his desire to hire Brown, who would be coaching his eighth different NBA team if he accepts the job. Brown has expressed reservations in recent days about possibly nudging New York interim coach Herb Williams out of a job, and one of the challenges for Thomas will be to address Brown's concerns on that matter.

A message seeking comment was left Thursday for Brown. The Knicks said they would make no further public statements until Friday.

Another challenge for Brown -- if he takes the job -- will be to coexist with point guard Stephon Marbury after they clashed on the 2004 U.S. Olympic men's basketball team that finished a disappointing third in Athens.

Brown always has preferred his point guards to act as offensive initiators rather than scorers, but Marbury's style of play was at odds with Brown's philosophy.

"We've basically been trying to just pass, pass, pass to the point where we've been overpassing, because we're trying to play the right way, the way our coach wants to play," Marbury said upon his arrival in Belgrade after the U.S. team struggled in tuneup games against Italy and Germany. "But there has to -- there's going to be -- a break-off, where we're just going to have to take those shots that we normally take and make."

When those comments were relayed to Brown later that day in lobby bar of the Belgrade Hyatt, the coach was so incensed that he stormed off to his room before sending assistant coach Gregg Popovich back downstairs to locate a copy of the story containing Marbury's quote.

Marbury ended up staying on the team, and Brown stuck with him as his starting point guard rather than turning that job over to Dwyane Wade.

Marbury struggled defensively against opposing point guards Carlos Arroyo and Sarunas Jasikevicius in opening-round losses to Puerto Rico and Lithuania. But by the time the U.S. team reached the quarterfinals, Brown had loosened his controls on Marbury to such a degree that Marbury broke the men's U.S. Olympic scoring record shared by Spencer Haywood and Charles Barkley by getting 31 points in a victory over Spain that moved the United States into the semifinals.

"Playing under Coach Brown is not easy," Marbury said after the victory over Spain. "It's tough because he demands so much from you -- to try to play your game and try to do what he wants, and have that all combine in one has been a challenge to me. But it's been a great challenge."

Earlier this summer, Thomas vehemently denied a report that the Knicks were shopping Marbury around the league.

Aside from drafting three new players, Thomas has made two major personnel changes during the offseason by trading forward/center Kurt Thomas to Phoenix for Quentin Richardson and reaching an agreement with free agent center Jerome James.

The moves have turned the Knicks, who missed the playoffs last season with a 33-49 record, into a younger team -- a factor that some have suggested could work against them because of Brown's preference for working with veteran players.

Williams, who declined comment Wednesday, guided the Knicks over the final 43 games of the 2004-05 season after Lenny Wilkens was fired. Williams' head coaching contract expires July 31, though he remains under contract to the Knicks as an assistant coach for the upcoming season.

Emopunkthrice

07/22/05, 10:40 PM

South Florida native Dooling leaves Heat

MIAMI -- Keyon Dooling said he agreed to terms Friday on a three-year deal believed to be worth nearly $10 million with Orlando, where he'll probably have a chance to become the Magic's starting point guard.

Dooling, 25, averaged 5.2 points and 1.8 assists in 16 minutes a game this past season with the Miami Heat, who used him solely as a reserve. He was particularly strong during the Heat's postseason run, averaging 7.3 points on nearly 50- percent shooting.

"I'm extremely happy," Dooling said Friday night. "I'm extremely thankful that Miami gave me the opportunity to show what I can do, but I'm looking forward to moving on."

Orlando drafted Dooling at No. 10 overall in 2000, then traded his rights to the Los Angeles Clippers -- where he played for four seasons. He signed a free-agent deal with Miami exactly one year ago Friday.

Dooling will not sign his Magic contract until at least next week. Because the NBA's collective bargaining agreement is still not finalized, no date has been set for when free agents can begin signing with new clubs.

He made 20 of 26 shots during one four-game stretch this past postseason, helping the Heat win each of those games. And he parlayed the strong finish he had in his lone Miami season into a chance of starting with Orlando; Dooling has started just 26 of his 292 NBA games, including playoffs.

Should the Magic move Steve Francis to shooting guard, that would conceivably allow for a battle between Dooling and Jameer Nelson for the starting point-guard spot.

"It's not written in stone, but there's a chance," Dooling said. "And Orlando's going in the right direction."

Dooling said he received interest from six or seven other clubs -- Miami not among them. The Heat have been working on a long-term deal with Shaquille O'Neal, plus apparently trying to lure starting point guard Damon Jones back to the team.

"I don't feel bad about that or anything," said Dooling, a South Florida native. "That's the nature of this business. They have some bigger pieces to fill."

New Jersey also had interest in Dooling, who returned from a visit with the Nets on Friday and learned of the Magic's offer.

"Orlando made a great plea," Dooling said. "That situation is going to be perfect for me."

Emopunkthrice

07/23/05, 03:46 AM

Memphis gets Jackson; Jazz reunite with Ostertag

MEMPHIS, Tenn. -- Bonzi Wells is no longer Jerry West's headache.

ESPN.com has confirmed that the Memphis Grizzlies have agreed to exercise an $8 million option and send the disgruntled swingman to the Sacramento Kings in a three-way deal with the Utah Jazz.

The trade was first reported by the Memphis Commercial Appeal.

The deal cannot be announced until the NBA finalizes its collective bargaining agreement.

The Kings will send guard Bobby Jackson to the Grizzlies -- a moved Jackson also confirmed to SportsTicker -- and center Greg Ostertag back to Utah for a second tour of duty with the Jazz.

Utah also would send guard Raul Lopez and Kirk Snyder and forward Chris Borchardt to Memphis.

Utah vice president of basketball operations Kevin O'Connor was asked about the reported deal while attending the Jazz's summer league game in Salt Lake City on Friday night. He told The Associated Press that there's been "agreement in principle about some things." But, he said, no trade has been completed.

West, the Grizzlies' president, had been trying to deal the 6-foot-7 Wells since he was removed from the squad during this past season's playoffs. The 29-year-old Wells averaged 10.4 points -- his lowest mark since the 1999-2000 campaign with the Portland Trail Blazers -- in 69 games for the Grizzlies last season.

The 32-year-old Jackson had been a valuable contributor off the Kings' bench in recent seasons but, slowed by numerous injuries, averaged just 12.0 points in 25 games this past campaign.

Nick Lopez

07/23/05, 10:41 AM

Alex Djaferis

07/23/05, 11:09 AM

what does everyone think about that trade? i'm in sacramento, and i think the kings lost on this trade. i'm not a fan of bonzi wells at all, and trading him for a great player in bobby jackson seems illogical..

it does...but arnt you in dire need of a legit SG? Bonzi isnt bad a player at all. Just need to get him motivated...

and im a bit bummed about the dooling pick up for orlando (big orland fan here)...i hope jameer nelson gets the nod over dooling for starting pg

Emopunkthrice

07/24/05, 04:05 AM

Davis most recently coached Magic

MINNEAPOLIS -- Former Orlando Magic head coach Johnny Davis was hired Saturday as an assistant coach for the Minnesota Timberwolves under new coach Dwane Casey.

Davis, who has spent 28 years in the NBA as a player, coach and front office executive, was fired by the Magic last March. Davis, who was also the head coach for the Philadelphia 76ers in the 1996-97 season, went 51-84 with the Magic after taking over for Doc Rivers in November 2003.

Davis spent 10 seasons as a player in the NBA with four different teams and then was an assistant for 12 seasons for five different teams.

Power forward to ink five-year contract

MINNEAPOLIS -- Mark Madsen, a valuable reserve for the Minnesota Timberwolves the past two seasons, agreed to a five-year contract to remain with the team Saturday.

Madsen is a strong rebounder and defender coming off the bench. He had surgery in March to repair a ruptured ligament in his shooting wrist and was clearly missed by the Timberwolves, which failed to make the playoffs for the first time since 1996.

"I'm extremely excited to be back in Minnesota," the 6-foor-9, 245-pound forward said.

Teams can negotiate contracts with free agents, but they aren't allowed to sign them until Thursday. Madsen declined to reveal specific financial terms of the deal.

Madsen was being wooed by other teams -- reportedly Washington and Utah -- but he felt staying in Minnesota was the best fit. He had contact with coach Dwane Casey and vice president for basketball operations Kevin McHale during the negotiation process, and said a call from team owner Glen Taylor was especially important to him.

Madsen, who spent his first three NBA seasons with the Los Angeles Lakers after a standout college career at Stanford, averaged 2.1 points, 3.1 rebounds and 14.7 minutes per game last season. He played in only 41 games because of a broken thumb that kept him out about six weeks and then the ruptured ligament, which kept him out the remainder of the season.

Madsen has never averaged more than 3.6 points per game in the pros but has carved a niche as an energetic, hardworking, affable backup who can play both power forward and center.

With swingman Latrell Sprewell not expected back, the Wolves are also trying to retain free-agent forward Eddie Griffin, who showed some valuable versatility as a backup to Kevin Garnett and revived a career that had previously been tarnished by off-the-court troubles.

Turiaf: 'I'm going to be back'

L SEGUNDO, Calif. -- Ronny Turiaf was getting ready to make his pro basketball debut with the Los Angeles Lakers. He signed a contract last week. Then he took a team physical.

Now the 22-year-old is preparing for surgery to keep him alive. Prospects of returning to the NBA are less than certain.

Surgery was scheduled for Tuesday morning at Stanford University Medical Center, Lakers spokesman John Black said on Saturday. Turiaf, 22, is expected to be in the hospital for a week.

"I'm going to try everything I can to beat it," an emotional Turiaf said Friday at a news conference at the team's training facilities in El Segundo.

The problem, described as an enlarged aortic root, was discovered during a physical Turiaf took as a condition of joining the team, Black said.

It's too early to determine whether Turiaf's heart condition will be career-ending.

"We don't want to speculate on that, but obviously we're hopeful that if things go well he will be able to [play again]," Black said. "Had he not had this corrected, my understanding from our doctors is very likely this would have been a fatal condition."

Turiaf will most likely have the operation in the next four to six weeks.

Turiaf thanked teammate Kobe Bryant and fans for their support and vowed to get past the condition so he can help his family.

"Today is just another setback, another hurdle I'll just have to jump over," he said.

The 6-foot-9 power forward and Martinique native moved to Paris when he was 15 to hone his basketball skills and eventually wound up at Gonzaga, where he scored 1,713 points and grabbed 847 rebounds over his four seasons.

He was the West Coast Conference player of the year for 2004-05 at Gonzaga, helping the Zags reach the NCAA Tournament for the seventh consecutive season.

The Lakers drafted Turiaf last month with their second pick (37th overall) behind 17-year-old center Andrew Bynum of St. Joseph High in Metuchen, N.J.

Examinations of Turiaf a couple years ago and earlier this year at the pre-NBA draft camp turned up an abnormality. But in both instances doctors didn't think it was serious and cleared him to play.

Further examinations by the Lakers' own physicians turned up the more serious problem, Black said, and independent experts confirmed it.

The diagnosis of his condition surprised Turiaf, who said he feels just fine.

"I never noticed any discomfort," Turiaf said. "That's the thing why I am so bothered by it. I don't feel tired. I have energy. ... It's just the way my heart is. I guess I have too big of a heart, I think that's what it is."

A number of high-profile athletes have died after suffering sudden cardiac attacks in recent years, including former Loyola Marymount basketball standout Hank Gathers, who collapsed during a game and died in 1990.

Reggie Lewis of the Boston Celtics died in a similar manner three years later, and Olympic figure skater Sergei Grinkov -- who, it was later determined, had two clogged arteries and a genetic defect that predisposed him to heart disease -- died unexpectedly while practicing in Lake Placid, N.Y., in 1995.

The two most common factors that lead to sudden cardiac deaths are hypertrophic cardiomyopathy, or an enlargement of the heart muscle, and Marfan's syndrome, which often leads to a weakening of heart valves. When a person overexerts, those conditions can be fatal.

Despite the disappointment over his condition, Turiaf said he was grateful it was diagnosed in time.

"I feel lucky because I don't want to die," he said.

Turiaf agreed to a two-year contract with the Lakers, which would have been worth about $1 million if he played for both seasons.

Black said the team's position on the Turiaf's contract is that it is void because he failed to pass the physical, but the league will have final say.

The Lakers want to pay for Turiaf's surgery, if the league approves, Black said.

Turiaf struck an optimistic tone when asked about his prospects for returning to the NBA following surgery.

"Hopefully the doctors do a good job -- I'm sure they will -- to fix me up," he said. "I'm going to be back. ... And if not, I'm smart, I have a degree in sports management and communications. I'll make money no matter what."

July 28 is new free-agent signing date

NEW YORK -- NBA free agents will be able to sign their new contracts next Thursday, six days later than originally planned.

The league announced the new signing date Friday, on what was supposed to be the day the logjam was broken on several pending deals.

The six-day delay will allow attorneys for the league and players' union to finish drafting a written version of the new six-year collective bargaining agreement.

Signings will begin at 6 p.m. ET on July 28.

Teams have been negotiating with free agents for more than three weeks, and many of the most prominent players have already reached tentative agreements on new contracts.

Among those still playing the free agent market are Miami guard Damon Jones, Phoenix guard Joe Johnson, Los Angeles Clippers guard Marko Jaric, Portland guard Damon Stoudamire, Minnesota's Mark Madsen and Latrell Sprewell and Atlanta's Tyronn Lue.

Players who have already agreed to new contracts include Ray Allen and Michael Redd, staying in Seattle and Milwaukee, respectively, Udonis Haslem, remaining with Miami, and center Zydrunas Ilgauskas, who is returning to Cleveland.

Among players planning to change teams, guard Larry Hughes is moving from Washington to Cleveland, forward Donyell Marshall from Toronto to the Cavs, center Jerome James from the SuperSonics to the Knicks, guard Antonio Daniels from Seattle to Washington, forward Stromile Swift from Memphis to Houston, swingman Bobby Simmons from the Clippers to the Bucks and guard Keyon Dooling from Miami to Orlando.

Also, former overall No. 1 draft pick Kwame Brown will be dealt from Washington to the Los Angeles Lakers in a sign-and-trade deal for Caron Butler, and Shareef Abdur-Rahim will go from Portland to New Jersey in another sign-and-trade.

Two of the teams with the most available salary cap space, Atlanta and New Orleans, have been unable to secure any prized free agents. The Hawks have reportedly made a $70 million, five-year offer to the Suns' Johnson, which Phoenix would have 15 days to match.

Philadelphia's Samuel Dalembert also has drawn interest from Atlanta, but he is a restricted free agent and the Sixers have said they will match any offer he receives.

Maccabi Tel Aviv point guard Sarunas Jasekevicius, the former Euroleague MVP, has reportedly narrowed his choices to Utah, Indiana and Cleveland.

Under one provision of the new collective bargaining agreement, teams will have a one-time chance ending in October to waive a player under contract and be relieved of any luxury tax liability for that player. Waiving Michael Finley could save Dallas at least $51 million in luxury tax payments, and the Mavs would be barred from re-signing him until his contract expires after the 2007-08 season.

The New York Knicks are considering using the so-called "amnesty clause" to rid themselves of injury-plagued guard Allan Houston, who is due to earn about $40 million -- which would be subject to the dollar-for-dollar luxury tax -- over the next two seasons, and there has been speculation that the Lakers might do the same with Brian Grant, who is owed nearly $30 million over the next two seasons.

Brown to talk to Williams on Monday

NEW YORK -- Larry Brown's children were running around their house wearing Knicks gear sent by Isiah Thomas while their 64-year-old unemployed father was preparing to take another look at the pros-and-cons list he and his wife had assembled the night before.

Brown was spending the weekend contemplating whether to become the head coach of the New York Knicks, and in a lengthy phone interview Saturday with The Associated Press he left a strong impression that he was leaning toward taking the job.

"How many opportunities like this present themselves? My family is here, my older kids have family here, I have an opportunity to work with someone in Isiah who's a special friend and a super person. There's a lot of real positive things," Brown said.

The next step could come as soon as Monday when Brown meets with interim Knicks coach Herb Williams, who has spent the spring and summer waiting to learn whether it will be himself, Brown or Phil Jackson coaching the Knicks when training camp opens.

A formal job offer would likely come after Brown met with owner James Dolan and Madison Square Garden president Steve Mills, and his entire job-switching process could be completed in a matter of nine to 10 days.

First, though, Brown wants to be completely at peace with his decision.

And that will not come until he speaks further with his wife, Shelly, to make sure she fully concurs with a career choice that would thrust her husband back into the coaching grind that his doctors have warned him might not mesh with his health problems.

"I've got to get Shelly and the kids onboard and see what's in everybody's best interest," Brown said. "Isiah being there is such a plus, and Shelly has always said it would be great to bring up the kids in the East. But I don't know. The last 2½ weeks have been so tough."

Brown spent Saturday morning playing golf in a country-club match play tournament, advancing to the semifinals after using a birdie-par-par finish to get through his 19-hole quarterfinal the previous day.

He has been sailing in the waters off Long Island and spending quality time with his two young children, T.J. and Madison, while trying to get past the feelings of rejection and betrayal that accompanied his acrimonious departure from the Detroit Pistons earlier in the week.

Brown sounded as miffed about the circumstances of his own departure as he was with the dismissal of his secretary, video coordinator and assistant coaches, but he also finds himself realizing that the hurt will have long since worn off six months from now.

"I really did have two fabulous years, and whatever happened afterward happened. I'm OK that way, it's just that you don't like to feel like you're a failure and you don't like your kids to hear you were 'let go,"' Brown said. "Moving kids across the country is tough, and I want to make sure we don't ever have to do that again."

Brown said his children were feeling especially comfortable in their summer home in East Hampton, N.Y., experiencing a sense of relief with the knowledge they'll be living in that home for the rest of the calendar year.

Brown also chatted about the particulars of living in suburban Westchester County, where the Knicks have their practice facility and where he'd purchase a home if he decided to take the job. He also sounded eager to speak to many of the players he'd be coaching.

One of them, Stephon Marbury, left a phone message for Brown early Saturday after giving an interview on a local sports radio station Friday and endorsing the possible hiring of the 64-year-old coach he clashed with at last summer's Olympics.

"Larry brings something totally different to the table because of his experience, and everyone knows experience rules. So for him to be the coach, it'd be great," Marbury said.

One of his wife's concerns was her belief that Brown might not get the extended period of rest his doctors want him to have. His wife was worried, Brown said, that if he accepts the job by the end of July he'd spend August and September badgering Thomas with ideas on how to improve the Knicks.

When that concern was raised with Thomas during a 4-hour summit meeting between the two men Friday night, Thomas told Brown that the natural NBA downtime in August and September should provide more than enough time to relax and rejuvenate. Brown also told his wife if he turns down the Knicks, it'll only be a matter of days before another NBA team or college program comes knocking at his door with the next big job opportunity.

"I didn't have a Plan B. Everything has changed so quickly. These last couple of weeks have been kind of difficult to sort everything out and look ahead," Brown said. "I love to coach, and that's what I'd like to do. But still it's a huge decision."

So while Brown ponders his future, Knicks fans around the New York area are hanging on his every word. When they run into him on the street, they all ask if he's coming.

Brown has even found himself a target of the paparazzi.

"I was taking my garbage out last night, and there was a guy sitting in a car across the street taking my picture," Brown said.

The photo, complete with a clearly distinguishable look of surprise on Brown's face, ran Saturday in the New York Post under the headline "Leisure Larry."

But that period of leisure will have a very brief shelf life.

Come Monday, the process moves forward.

Brown wants to make his decision sooner rather than later, and nearly everything he said Saturday left the clear impression that "Brown's Town" might just be the headline of choice across the back pages of the tabloids before the coming week is over.

Emopunkthrice

07/24/05, 09:37 PM

Pacers to sign Lithuanian medalist Jasikevicius

Lithuanian basketball star and former Maryland guard Sarunas Jasikevicius has agreed to a three-year free agent deal with the Indiana Pacers, a source told ESPN Radio's Doug Gottlieb on Sunday.

The signing will become official after the NBA free-agent signing moratorium is lifted on July 28.

Jasikevicius, who won a gold medal at the 2003 European Championships and a bronze medal at the 2000 Olympic Games, chose the Pacers over the Portland Trail Blazers, Utah Jazz, Cleveland Cavaliers and Seattle SuperSonics. Jasikevicius is said to truly respect coach Rick Carlisle and the entire Indiana organization.

Jasikevicius, who played collegiately at Maryland from 1994-'98, most recently played for Maccabi Tel Aviv from 2003-2005 and F.C. Barcelona from 2000-2003. He has been the point guard for the last three Euroleague champions.

Agent says Sixers to sign Dalembert to six-year deal

Samuel Dalembert agreed to a six year deal with the Philadelphia 76ers on Saturday, his agent Marc Cornstein, told ESPN Insider.

Cornstein refused to disclose the amount of the contract, but it's believed to be worth between $60 million to $70 million, based on previous negotiations.

The signing came just one day before Dalembert was set to get on a plane and visit the Atlanta Hawks, who had the money under the cap to pay him a maximum five-year, $70 million offer.

Of the three top big men on the market, Dalembert was the center with the most upside. He has great range and is athletic, with great shot blocking instincts. He's shown he can be a volume rebounder and his offensive game is emerging. He was very inconsistent at times this season, but in the playoffs against the Detroit Pistons, he played the part of a franchise center.

The Sixers made a power move this offseason, firing head coach Jim O'Brien, who wasn't a Dalembert fan, and replacing him with Mo Cheeks, who is. Philly let it be known that O'Brien was fired, in part, because the Sixers are committed to Dalembert.

This is the third deal for the Sixers this summer. They also reached six-year deals with Kyle Korver for $25 million and with Willie Green for about $20 million.

Knicks owner Dolan meets with Larry Brown

NEW YORK -- Knicks owner James Dolan of Cablevision met Sunday night with prospective coach Larry Brown, who had wanted to speak first with interim coach Herb Williams.

The visit to Brown's home in East Hampton, N.Y., by Dolan and team president Isiah Thomas represented the next step in the Knicks' wooing of Brown, a pursuit that figures to draw to a conclusion in the next few days.

"I'm not going to comment on how it went," Brown said afterward.

The Knicks had not formally offered the job to Brown as of Saturday, but the implied message from Thomas was clear: The job is Brown's if he wants it.

Brown had said he wanted to speak to Williams before speaking to Dolan, but Williams was out of town for the weekend and Dolan was in the Hamptons. Those logistics made Dolan the second Knicks official to get a private audience with Brown.

"We're going to go to dinner tomorrow somewhere in New York with Herb Williams," Brown told The Associated Press in a telephone interview. "It's important for me to talk to him."

Williams, who has been asked by the Knicks to stay publicly silent, did not return a call to his cell phone.

Williams has been accepting of his tenuous job status throughout the spring and summer, first when the Knicks made a pitch to Phil Jackson, and now during their serenading of Brown.

Williams spent 18 years in the NBA, including seven with the Knicks, and was one of New York's captains the last time the franchise reached the NBA Finals in 1999. He coached the Knicks for the final 43 games last season after Lenny Wilkens was forced to resign.

The first time Brown spent any quality time with Williams was last summer at a clinic in Memphis that Brown conducts annually to help find assistant coaching jobs for his many friends in the business.

"Everybody I've ever talked to thinks the world of him," said Brown, who recalled first crossing paths with Williams in 1980 when Brown, coaching UCLA, defeated Williams' Ohio State team.

Brown met with Thomas on Thursday night, then spent parts of the next few days discussing the pros and cons of coaching the Knicks with his wife, Shelly, and his young children, T.J. and Madison.

Brown said health problems related to his bladder will not prohibit him from coaching, and he has tried to assure his wife that he'll get the rest his doctors have been ordering during the months of August and September before training camp opens.

First, of course, the Knicks would have to formally offer the job and then work out contract details with Brown's agent. And before Dolan offers a contract, he wanted a face-to-face reading with the nomadic coach who parted acrimoniously with his last two owners -- Detroit's Bill Davidson and Philadelphia's Ed Snider.

Dolan has signed the paychecks of Williams, Wilkens, Don Chaney and Jeff Van Gundy during his tenure as head of the team's ownership group.

Each of those coaches had varying levels of comfort or discomfort with Dolan, and Brown's lasting impression from their Sunday night meeting should go a long way toward determining whether the process of trying to hire him will continue moving forward.

"A lot will happen when I talk with Herb, then Mr. Dolan," Brown said Saturday.

Turns out it was Mr. Dolan, then Herb.

Brown said he had no problem with speaking to Dolan before Williams.

"It just so happened that Mr. Dolan was in the Hamptons for the weekend," said Brown, whose house was staked out by television crews, photographers and reporters.

Brown said he was angered Sunday night when a television crew rang his doorbell after Dolan and Thomas had left.

Emopunkthrice

07/27/05, 02:28 PM

Damn I'm back in CA

Did someone say Dream Job?

Coaching a team that can only hope it has the chance to lose to the Detroit Pistons in the first round of next spring's playoffs?

Let's clarify matters. Coaching the Knickerbockers of yesteryear would have been a dream for Brooklyn-born, Long Island-reared Larry Brown. Coaching the Knicks of Pat Riley's years, or even Jeff Van Gundy's years, would be a lot closer to dreamy than this.

This?

This fast-moving marriage of Larry Brown to Isiah Thomas, so soon after Larry joined Isiah in exile from Detroit, is really only a dream sequence for the Knicks.

Just like the Lakers with Phil Jackson, Isiah's Knicks are getting the only free-agent name out there who (a) can make them 10 wins better immediately and (b) they could actually get.

(Hint: It ain't Jerome James.)

Brown, in return, is getting the biggest reclamation project he's ever undertaken, in a career full of them.

That's right. This will be an even tougher job than resurrecting the Clippers, who missed the playoffs for 15 consecutive seasons before Brown arrived and who have made it only once since he left in 1993. Pressure and expectations were never factors in Clipperdom, even after Larry took over, and there isn't a GM on the planet who wouldn't swap the Knicks' current roster for the Clips' deep 1991-92 crew fronted by Danny Manning and Ron Harper.

Yet you sense that New Yorkers aren't hearing any of that and will expect a bit more than those 10 extra wins.

You sense that New Yorkers have been too dizzy from a week of Larry Fever to notice that even the No. 8 slot in the East might take more than a 10-win spike.

There is little question Brown's arrival can indeed lead to that sort of improvement right away. For all the drama he generates and that history of wearing on his stars -- and his bosses -- Larry's résumé says so. Brown has taken every NBA franchise he has ever coached to the playoffs, all seven of them.

That's a league record.

There can also be no dispute that, just by signing a contract, Brown makes the Knicks relevant again, for maybe the first time this century. It's bad enough that one of the league's flagship franchises has been so toothless lately, stringing together four straight losing seasons and coming off a 33-49 showing. It's far worse that the Knicks have been so boring in the new millennium, even after appointing Thomas in December 2003 to succeed Scott Layden.

However ...

There is plenty in New York to discomfort Brown, all of it separate from the serious bladder problems that plagued him for much of last season and which still linger.

Larry has already found it difficult to coach Stephon Marbury (at last summer's Olympics) and now faces philosophical clashes with two shoot-first guards in the same ill-conceived backcourt: Marbury and Jamal Crawford, neither of whom possesses a trade-friendly contract.

Larry is known for defense, but few Knicks are (if any). He'll be trying to preach his defense-first message not to the selfless Ben Wallace, Rasheed Wallace or Tayshaun Prince but to a group that finished 28th in the league in opponent field-goal percentage last season.

Larry is famed for getting role players to overachieve, but he's looking at a lot of role players on his hometown team. In Philadelphia, Brown at least had one MVP-caliber talent to build around. Marbury is no Allen Iverson, and the cast surrounding Marbury features no less than five undersized power forwards (Malik Rose, Jerome Williams, Michael Sweetney, Maurice Taylor and rookie David Lee) and two centers (James and No. 8 overall pick Channing Frye) who are far from proven.

Want more?

Maybe most unsettling of all is the underrated level of competition in the East.

New Jersey, last season's No. 8 seed, suddenly has a core (Jason Kidd, Vince Carter, Richard Jefferson and Shareef Abdur-Rahim) that should put the Nets in the top four alongside Detroit, Miami and Indiana.

Washington rebounded from the loss of Larry Hughes by striking deals to acquire Caron Butler and Antonio Daniels, which figures to keep the Wiz in the top eight, and Chicago still has a youthful core to envy, provided the Bulls hang onto Tyson Chandler and Eddy Curry.

With Philadelphia bringing everyone back and hiring a coach (Maurice Cheeks) adored by Iverson, Boston looks like the only '04-05 playoff qualifier that could slide, and that's only because the Celtics are going young.

Cleveland and Milwaukee, meanwhile, are two non-playoff teams that have strengthened significantly through free agency.

Both look more like playoff material than the Knicks, unless Isiah and Larry can trade the expiring contracts of Tim Thomas and Penny Hardaway for parts that fit better.

You can understand why Isiah was willing to sacrifice a good chunk of his space on the Madison Square Garden marquee and thus empower the Gotham press to start calling this Larry's Team -- to keep hope alive among Knicks fans and extend his own teetering tenure. As with the Lakers, who have similar payroll problems that prevent major roster upgrades, adding a Hall of Fame coach was the straightest route to improvement for the Knicks.

You can likewise understand why Larry couldn't say no. He admitted during the NBA Finals that he lives to be loved, even by the 12th man he's not playing. His beloved Knicks have showered Brown and his family with Come Home affection from the minute his messy split with the Pistons became final. And he doesn't have to win a championship with the Knicks to cement his legacy because he won one with the Pistons. Love is what Brown craves most now and he figures he'll win enough with the Knicks to get that validation, even if it doesn't happen in Year 1.

You can't say it much better than Phoenix Suns assistant coach Alvin Gentry said it in a recent discussion with the New York Times. Reminiscing about Larry with our pal Howard Beck, Gentry likened his former boss to the Lone Ranger.

"He's comes in, does what needs to be done and moves on for another challenge," Gentry said.

Guess so.

This will be Brown's 11th coaching stop, presumably the last for a man who'll be 65 when training camp starts in October ... and fittingly his biggest challenge yet.

Jason Hart: Obtained by Kings

Update: The Kings acquired Hart from the Bobcats for a second-round draft pick, the Sacramento Bee reports.

Recommendation: Hart, who is expected to back up starting point guard Mike Bibby, owned the league's third-best assist/turnover ratio (3.6/1) with Charlotte last year while splitting time with Brevin Knight. He averaged a career-high 5.0 assists in 25.5 minutes per game, giving us an indication that he can provide some help in assists while playing short minutes.

Emopunkthrice

07/27/05, 05:52 PM

Karl to have surgery this week

DENVER -- Denver Nuggets coach George Karl is scheduled to undergo prostate cancer surgery in Salt Lake City, a team spokeswoman said Tuesday.

Karl will have the operation on Thursday and expects to be released on Sunday, Nuggets spokeswoman Teri Washington said.

"They caught the cancer early. We're anticipating a full recovery," Washington said. "He's upbeat and positive."

Washington said Karl was diagnosed with cancer near the end of last season. Neither Karl nor Nuggets general manager Kiki Vandeweghe returned phone messages.

Karl joined the Denver Nuggets on Jan. 27 with just over two months left in the past season, taking over for interim coach Michael Cooper who had stepped in when coach Jeff Bzdelik was fired Dec. 28 after six straight losses and a 13-15 start.

Eight games under .500 when he took over, Karl moved Denver from 11th in the West to seventh before losing to San Antonio in five games in the first round of the playoffs.

The Nuggets' 49-33 record was the fourth-best in team history.

The planned surgery was first reported by The Denver Post and the Rocky Mountain News.

Turiaf expected to recovery from surgery in Spokane

SPOKANE, Wash. -- Former Gonzaga basketball star Ronny Turiaf plans to return to Spokane to recover from heart surgery and resume his quest to play in the National Basketball Association.

Turiaf underwent surgery at Stanford University Medical Center in Palo Alto, Calif., on Tuesday, and Dr. Craig Miller said afterward that he was able to repair Turiaf's enlarged aortic root without having to replace the heart valve.

That means Turiaf could still play for the Los Angeles Lakers, who drafted him in the second round and are paying for his medical care.

Gonzaga coach Mark Few, one of several team officials at the hospital, called the surgery outcome "terrific," adding, "It's as good as we could have hoped for."

Turiaf plans to eventually return to Spokane to recover from his surgery, GU officials said.

"It'll be good for him to get back among friends,'' Few said Tuesday. He pulled himself and assistant coaches Bill Grier and Leon Rice off the recruiting trail to have dinner with Turiaf on Monday, the eve of the surgery.

The Lakers team physician discovered the seriousness of Turiaf's heart condition, prompting them to void the two-year, $1 million contract he had signed earlier this month.

Instead of replacing the heart valve, Miller was able to mend Turiaf's enlarged aortic root by inserting a synthetic conduit into the base of the aorta. The conduit will reinforce the weakened walls of Turiaf's main artery.

He's expected to be hospitalized about a week.

Turiaf, selected 37th in the draft, was diagnosed with an enlarged aortic root during a team physical after the draft. Had the condition not been caught and treated it could have been fatal, team spokesman John Black said.

The 6-foot-10 power forward averaged 15.9 points, 9.5 rebounds and 1.9 blocked shots as a senior at Gonzaga last season.

Miller told the Lakers representative and the Gonzaga contingent that he felt Turiaf should be able to eventually resume his basketball career. But the Lakers will ultimately have to decide if Turiaf will be cleared to play.

"And that could be months, maybe even a year or more, before that's all sorted out," Few said.

Grier and Rice left California on Tuesday morning to return to Spokane, where the Bulldogs are holding their annual team basketball camp.

Gonzaga assistant coach Tommy Lloyd and Turiaf's former teammate and roommate Brian Michaelson were to stay with Turiaf on Wednesday.

Drobnjak signs contract with Tau Ceramica

VITORIA, Spain -- Forward-center Peja Drobnjak, who began his professional career in Europe before joining the NBA, signed a three-year contract with Spanish powerhouse Tau Ceramica on Wednesday.

Drobnjak, 29, averaged 8.4 points and 3.4 rebounds last season with the Atlanta Hawks before becoming a free agent. In four seasons with Seattle, the Los Angeles Clippers and Atlanta, the native of Serbia Montenegro has averaged 7.9 points and 3.5 rebounds in 278 games.

The 6-11 Drobnjak is expected to play for his homeland in 2005 Eurobasket in September, where countries will be trying to qualify for the 2006 World Championships. He helped the erstwhile Yugoslavia win the 2002 World Championships and played for Serbia Montenegro in the 2004 Olympics.

With Tau, Drobnjak will be part of a frontcourt rotation that includes NBA draft pick Luis Scola, future NBA draft pick Tiago Splitter and former NBA player Kornel David, who recently agreed a new deal to stay in Vitoria.

Drobnjak is the second new arrival at Tau, which lost in the final of both the Spanish ACB and the Euroleague last season. The team also signed Croatian international point guard Roko Leni Ukic of KK Split.

Ukic was a second-round pick of Toronto in the June draft but is expected to remain in Europe at least one more season.

"My aim after playing for Split is to play for another one or two years in Europe and then move to the NBA," Ukic said. "I didn't doubt for an instant when I knew Tau were interested in me. You don't have to go to the NBA at whatever price and it will be good for me to play in Spain."

Phoenix clears $1.875 million for Johnson

The Phoenix Suns continue to position themselves to match an expected five-year, $70 million dollar offer sheet from the Atlanta Hawks for Joe Johnson.

On Wednesday the Suns agreed to send center Jake Voskuhl to the Charlotte Bobcats for a conditional second round pick, a Suns team souce said.

The move clears $1.875 million off the cap for Phoenix. Suns owner Robert Sarver has charged Suns managment with finding a way to match Johnson's offer without incurring the luxury tax next season.

According to the same Suns source, the team still intends to match any offer for Johnson.

This move combined with the new amnesty clause (Phoenix plans to ask for relief from Howard Eisley's contract) should do the trick.

Alex Djaferis

07/28/05, 02:06 AM

thanks for all those updates

Emopunkthrice

07/28/05, 02:23 PM

Portland to play Dixon $8 million, agent says

PORTLAND, Ore. -- The Portland Trail Blazers have reportedly agreed to a three-year deal with free agent Juan Dixon, although the contract cannot be formally announced by the team until the NBA's collective bargaining agreement is ratified.

Dixon's agent, Calvin Andrews, told The Washington Post the contract was worth $8 million.

Dixon, who met with Blazers' management last week, played three seasons with the Wizards, who have acquired guards Chucky Atkins, Caron Butler and Antonio Daniels in the offseason.

Dixon, the 17th overall pick in the 2002 NBA draft, was Maryland's career leading scorer. He averaged 8.2 points and 1.6 assists with 23 starts in three years with Washington. He averaged 11.3 points in the playoffs last season.

The Blazers cannot comment on the signing until the new collective bargaining agreement is finalized, which is expected early next week.

Teams have been negotiating with free agents throughout July, and many of the most prominent players have already reached tentative agreements on new contracts. Among them is forward Shareef Abdur-Rahim, who will go from Portland to New Jersey in a sign-and-trade.

Milicic under contract for two more seasons

AUBURN HILLS, Mich. -- The Detroit Pistons exercised their team option on Darko Milicic on Thursday, keeping the 20-year-old center under contract for the next two seasons.

"We are pleased to have Darko Milicic signed through the 2006-07 season and we look forward to seeing his continued growth as a player," said Joe Dumars, the Pistons' president of basketball operations. "Darko was able to play a lot of minutes during summer league this July and we are happy that he is on Serbia-Montenegro's roster during the European Championships this September."

Dumars drafted Milicic with the second overall pick in the 2003 draft, behind LeBron James and ahead of players who have developed much more rapidly, including Carmelo Anthony, Dwyane Wade and Chris Bosh.

The 7-foot, 245-pound Milicic has averaged 1.6 points and 1.2 rebounds in 71 games over two seasons with Detroit.

Emopunkthrice

07/29/05, 12:36 PM

Magic, agent surprised by Vazquez's decision

ORLANDO, Fla. -- First-round draft pick Fran Vazquez has decided to remain in Europe instead of joining the Orlando Magic this season.

The 6-foot-10 power forward from Spain was the 11th pick in the June draft and the first European player selected. He was expected to play right away for the Magic, but surprised the team and his agent with his decision Thursday.

"I've said no because I was afraid to adapt to the American way of life and of not giving the level they have asked," Vazquez told the Spanish newspaper Malaga Hoy. "I'm not a coward, but I prefer to stay in Spain, progress, and who knows? Maybe jump to the NBA in a few years."

The Magic knew Vazquez had a $650,000 buyout clause in his European contract when they drafted him, but they insisted it wouldn't be a problem.

"Yes, we're a little surprised," Magic co-general manager Dave Twardzik said. "The message we've been getting all along -- before the draft, after the draft -- was that he was excited about playing here. He said it was his dream to play in the NBA."

The team expected to sign Vazquez shortly after the league and the players' union formalized a new collective bargaining agreement next week. Under the already agreed-upon salary scale, Vazquez was slated to sign a guaranteed contract worth more than $5 million over three years.

The Magic have not spoken to Vazquez but only to his European agent, Jose Cobelo. The team had been in almost daily dialogue with either Cobelo or his American-based partner, Marc Cornstein.

Cornstein issued a statement Thursday.

"I was shocked and dismayed to read over the Internet that Fran is reconsidering his earlier decision to join the Orlando Magic," Cornstein said.

Even though Vazquez said he won't join the Magic this season, the team will retain his NBA rights indefinitely and could sign him in the future.

McInnis joins roster of double-digit scorers

The New Jersey Nets have reached an agreement with free-agent point guard Jeff McInnis, the New York Post reported Friday.

New Jersey, which has already added Shareef Abdur-Rahim this offseason, will get a two-year, $7 million contract when the CBA is completed and teams are allowed to sign free agents, the paper reported.

"The Nets really did a masterful job with this," said McInnis' agent, Steve Kauffman. "They sought out Jeff with professional precision and [coach] Lawrence Frank played a big part."

McInnis averaged 12.8 points and 5.1 assists in 76 games last season with the Cleveland Cavaliers.

He joins a roster of double-digit scorers that now inlcudes Jason Kidd, Vince Carter, Richard Jefferson, Abdur-Rahim and Nenad Krstic.

Emopunkthrice

07/30/05, 12:21 AM

Star guard asks Phoenix to let him go

TORONTO -- Restricted free agent Joe Johnson, who next week plans to sign a lucrative offer sheet from the Atlanta Hawks, told ESPN.com on Friday night that he has asked the Phoenix Suns not to match the offer.

In town for Steve Nash's charity game at Air Canada Centre, Johnson revealed that he directly informed Phoenix managing partner Robert Sarver earlier this week that he would prefer to continue his career as a Hawk.

"We had a discussion," Johnson said in his first extended interview about his future since free agency began July 1.

"I did tell them that."

Asked why he wants to leave the Suns after a breakthrough season, for himself and the team, Johnson said: "It's a lot of things. How things were handled [with Johnson's contract] last summer, how things have been handled this summer. There's been some things going on that aren't great."

Informed late Friday of Johnson's comments, Suns officials declined to respond.

Johnson hoped to sign a six-year, $50 million extension with Phoenix before last season, but the talks stalled with the sides about $5 million apart. At the time, Sarver was hesitant to make another splashy expenditure after committing to front the $400 million purchase of the franchise and then signing Nash and Quentin Richardson to long-term deals worth a combined $110 million.

The Suns offered Johnson a six-year deal in the $60 million range this summer, some $30 million less than he's eligible to receive from his current team. Hoping for significantly more after averaging 17.1 points and shooting 48 percent on 3-pointers to help Phoenix win a stunning 62 games and advance to the Western Conference finals, Johnson and agent Arn Tellem quickly entered into negotiations with the Hawks.

According to sources close to the situation, Johnson is also unhappy with what he perceives as his standing as a "fourth wheel" behind the All-Star trio of Nash, Amare Stoudemire and Marion. Besides the opportunity to be the star man on its youthful roster, Atlanta is offering as much as the rules allow without holding Johnson's Larry Bird rights -- a frontloaded five-year deal worth an estimated $70 million, with an up-front payment as high as $20 million in Year 1.

The Hawks have been planning for weeks to sign Johnson to an offer sheet as soon as the leaguewide moratorium on free-agent signings is lifted. That day, originally scheduled for July 22, is expected to come Tuesday.

The Suns, who would have seven days to match an offer sheet, have consistently said they intend to do just that, and NBA front-office sources reiterated Friday that Phoenix hasn't changed its stance.

Even Johnson, when asked to describe the Suns' reaction to his request to be set free, said: "They say they're going to match."

Phoenix chairman Jerry Colangelo and team president Bryan Colangelo delivered that message to Tellem in a July 9 meeting during a summer-league game in Las Vegas. To increase its matching flexibility, Phoenix agreed Wednesday to trade center Jake Voskuhl to Charlotte and thus remove nearly $2 million from next season's payroll.

It remains to be seen whether Johnson will indeed sign with the Hawks as soon the moratorium ends. If he is intent on going to Atlanta, he and Tellem could choose to hold off on signing the offer sheet in an attempt to draw an improved contract offer out of the Suns or to convince the Suns to engage Atlanta in sign-and-trade talks.

A sign-and-trade could ultimately appeal to the Suns as well, if they decide over the weekend that Johnson's let-me-go plea is more than a mere statement of frustration with negotiations. It's unlikely they would be willing to lose one of their prized assets without compensation, even if management changes course and determines that it's best to sever ties with a player who says he wants to leave.

Johnson, though, insists that his play and commitment to the Suns wouldn't be affected if a signed Hawks offer sheet results in a return to the desert.

"I would come back and work as hard as I ever have," Johnson said. "If they match, all this stuff is behind me from that minute on. I hope everybody [in Phoenix] puts everything behind them, too."

The prospect of Johnson switching teams made Friday's inaugural Steve Nash Foundation Charity Classic perhaps the last time Nash, Marion and Johnson will play together as teammates. Stoudemire was also scheduled to play but joined Philadelphia's Allen Iverson as a late withdrawal.

"I'm really trying not to think about that," Nash said. "No one wants us to keep Joe more than I do. I've been talking to him and trying to persuade him to stay, because we really have a special thing going in Phoenix, but I want whatever he feels is best for him."

Nash added that Johnson's new public stance doesn't change how much his teammates want him to stay, repeating his oft-cited belief that Johnson's shooting and ballhandling skills are as important to the Suns' success as Nash's chemistry with finishers Stoudemire and Marion.

Marion echoed that, saying: "I understand that this is a business and everybody's got to do [what's best] for their family, but we're hoping Joe don't need nothing more than a Suns jersey next year."

"They're in my ear every five minutes," Johnson said with a laugh, referring to persistent lobbying from Nash and Marion.

Some league executives have privately questioned whether the Suns would indeed match a max offer sheet to Johnson, given Sarver's stated aversion to letting his annual payroll stray far beyond $50 million. With Johnson earning an average annual wage of $12 million and Stoudemire soon to receive a maximum contract extension that would kick in starting with the 2006-07 season, Phoenix would be in the rare position of carrying four players who earn roughly $50 million by themselves.

If Johnson winds up with the Hawks, Nash plans to intensify his efforts to recruit Michael Finley of the Dallas Mavericks as a replacement. Unless the Mavericks can trade Finley first, in hopes of keeping Finley out of the Western Conference, they are expected to use the new amnesty clause to release the 32-year-old and spare themselves from nearly $52 million in luxury-tax payments.

The Hawks, dating to last summer, have had no success in their high-dollar attempts to land a prominent restricted free agent. Yet they remain quietly hopeful that they'll soon be able to play Johnson as a point guard should they finally score this time.

Johnson's playmaking ability is viewed by scouts as a critical component to the Suns' success. Phoenix doesn't have another dependable ballhandler to punish opponents who try to force the ball out of Nash's hands.

"I love the idea," Johnson said. "I'd love that, having the ball in my hands. I think I'm a great shooter, but that's where I think I'm most effective, making decisions."

Emopunkthrice

07/30/05, 09:58 PM

CBA in place means Portland has moves to make

Former Blazers guard Damon Stoudamire is headed to the Memphis Grizzlies, the Houston Chronicle reported on its Web site on Saturday. The Portland native is said to have agreed to a four-year-deal.

The 31-year-old Stoudamire, who made $12.5 million last season, averaged 15.8 points and 5.7 assists for the Blazers.

With the NBA's new collective bargaining agreement was signed and ratified Saturday, the way has been cleared for free agent signings to begin Tuesday.

That means the league will be busy, especially the Trail Blazers.

First, there's the sign-and-trade deal that would send free agent forward Shareef Abdur-Rahim to the New Jersey Nets for a draft pick next year.

Also, the Blazers will reportedly sign free agent guard Juan Dixon, who has spent the past three seasons with the Washington Wizards, to a three-year deal.

Emopunkthrice

08/02/05, 06:58 PM

Heat close to acquiring Walker, Posey, Williams

MIAMI -- Antoine Walker, Jason Williams and James Posey could soon be coming to the Miami Heat in a proposed five-team trade that was nearing completion Tuesday, according to a lawyer and league official both familiar with terms of the complicated deal.

"Unless something strange happens, it's going to happen," said the lawyer, who spoke on condition of anonymity.

Miami -- which signed Shaquille O'Neal to a $100 million, five-year deal earlier Tuesday -- would obtain Walker in a sign-and-trade from the Boston Celtics, then add Williams, Posey and rookie Andre Emmett from the Memphis Grizzlies in exchange for veteran swingman Eddie Jones.

The trade -- which has been submitted to the league for approval -- was first reported by The Miami Herald. League and team officials generally do not openly discuss proposed trades until they become finalized.

Walker, Williams and Jones are the headliners in the proposed deal, one that also includes the aftereffects of a three-team deal agreed to earlier Tuesday by Sacramento, Memphis and Utah.

As part of the Walker deal, Boston would obtain Qyntel Woods, the rights to Spanish center Albert Miralles and the Heat's $1.9 million trade exception.

Walker, a three-time All-Star who averaged 19.1 points and nine rebounds last season for the Atlanta Hawks and Boston Celtics, would be a welcome addition to the Heat, said forward Udonis Haslem -- who formally signed his $30.7 million, five-year deal Tuesday.

"We're two different players and we can bring two different things to the table," Haslem said. "If we put that together, we should have a pretty good tandem."

The Celtics would get Borchardt from Memphis; Borchardt was part of Tuesday's earlier trade in which Sacramento acquired guard Bonzi Wells from Memphis for guard Bobby Jackson and center Greg Ostertag.

Memphis was then expected to send Ostertag to the Utah Jazz for guard Raul Lopez, forward Kirk Snyder and Borchardt. Snyder would be sent to New Orleans, along with the Heat's Rasual Butler, and Borchardt would head to Boston.

It's a deal that represents a major shakeup for Miami, which reached Game 7 of the Eastern Conference finals this past season -- even though O'Neal and Dwyane Wade were both hurt at the time.

Jones, a career 16.4-point-per-game scorer, averaged 12.7 in the regular season and 13.7 in the playoffs as Miami's third option. Williams averaged 10.1 points and 5.6 assists for the Grizzlies last season.

"He's one of the best playmakers in the game," Haslem said of Williams.

Posey was limited to 50 games this past season because of injuries, and only 18 starts. He averaged 8.1 points and 4.4 rebounds.

Spurs keep Horry, sign Argentine forward Oberto

SAN ANTONIO -- Robert Horry, one of the NBA's best clutch 3-point shooters and the star of Game 5 of the NBA Finals, has signed a new contract to remain with the league champion San Antonio Spurs.

The Spurs also announced Tuesday the signing of Argentine forward Fabricio Oberto, who has played in Europe the past seven years.

Horry, who has won six championships with three teams, was San Antonio's top bench scorer in the playoffs averaging 9.3 points per game. He was on the floor during several critical junctures of the Spurs' seven-game triumph over the Pistons.

During the regular season, Horry averaged 6.0 points and 3.6 rebounds.

Horry, 34, will be going into his third year with the Spurs. He has played in the postseason in each of his 13 NBA seasons and is one of 12 players in league history with at least six championships.

The 6-foot-10 Oberto played with Spurs guard Manu Ginobili on the Argentine team that won the Olympic gold medal in Athens last year. He broke his right hand in the semifinal win over the United States and did not play in the championship game against Italy.

He would be the sixth member of Argentina's gold-medal team to play in the NBA, joining Ginobili, Andres Nocioni, Carlos Delfino, Pepe Sanchez and Ruben Wolkowyski.

Oberto, 30, played five pro seasons in Argentina before he joined Olympiakos Pireus in Greece in 1998. Since 1999 he has played in Spain, first for Tau Ceramica and then Pamesa Valencia. He averaged 14.2 points and 7.3 rebounds for Pamesa Valencia in 2004-05 and led the Spanish League by shooting 65.4 percent from the floor.

Johnson will leave Suns for Hawks if NBA approves

ATLANTA -- The Atlanta Hawks and Phoenix Suns ran into "procedural issue" Tuesday, holding up a sign-and-trade deal that would send guard Joe Johnson to the Hawks.

The Hawks wouldn't reveal the nature of the hang-up, but said the deal had not been finalized.

"At this time, there is a procedural issue regarding the reported deal with Atlanta and Phoenix that needs to be resolved," Atlanta general manager Billy Knight said in a statement released through a team spokesman. "That's all I can say at this time."

The Hawks would send Phoenix two first-round picks, second-year guard Boris Diaw and a $4.9 million trade exception for the 6-foot-8 Johnson.

Suns president Bryan Colangelo declined comment on the deal "until our business is complete."

Diaw's agent, Doug Neustadt, said his client was excited about the chance to play for a team that had the best record in the Western Conference last season.

"If this goes through, he's going to a playoff team and he is excited about going to a good team," Neustadt said.

Because Tuesday ended a monthlong moratorium on trades and signings, there was an apparent backlog for league attorneys to approve.

The 24-year-old Johnson averaged 17.1 points, 5.1 rebounds and 3.5 assists with the Suns last season. He first must sign a five-year, $69.6 million contract with Phoenix that would include a 2005-06 salary of about $20 million. He would become the Hawks' highest-paid player.

Johnson is a restricted free agent, meaning the Suns can match other offers, but he told ESPN.com last week that he asked Suns owner Robert Sarver to let him go to the Hawks. The teams then worked out a deal involving Diaw and the two first-round picks.

Diaw, also a 6-8 guard, averaged only 4.8 points and 2.6 rebounds last season.

The Hawks are coming off a league-worst 13-69 season, the poorest record in franchise history. The team hopes Johnson can play point guard and give the team an unusually big backcourt.

Josh Childress, yet another 6-8 player, finished his rookie season as the team's starting shooting guard.

The Hawks also are looking for a center to bolster a front line that already includes forwards Al Harrington, Josh Smith and the team's No. 1 pick, Marvin Williams.

The Atlanta Journal-Constitution reported Tuesday the team has made an offer to sign Milwaukee center Zaza Pachulia, a restricted free agent who averaged 6.2 points and 5.1 rebounds in a backup role for the Bucks last season.

Former Sonic signs 5-year, $30 million deal with Wiz

WASHINGTON -- Life just won't calm down for Antonio Daniels. After spending a nerve-racking summer in free agency, the veteran guard formally joined the Washington Wizards on Tuesday -- just one day before his wife is due with the couple's first child.

"I haven't slept for a while," Daniels said. "Now, I'm really not going to sleep for a while."

The former Seattle guard made a whirlwind stop at the MCI Center, signing a five-year, $30 million contract before flying home to San Antonio.

The Wizards have lost free agent guards Larry Hughes to Cleveland and Juan Dixon to Portland, replacing them with Caron Butler, Chucky Atkins and Daniels. Butler and Atkins will come from the Los Angeles Lakers in a sign-and-trade deal for disgruntled former No. 1 overall pick Kwame Brown. Forward Michael Ruffin was also re-signed.

"We're a much deeper ball club," president of basketball operations Ernie Grunfeld said. "I think our toughness level has gone up. I think we've improved on the defensive end. We're going to be a more balanced team than we have been in the past. We're going to have players that have a lot of playoff experience, and once we've finished all our business we'll have added one or two more with a lot of playoff experience."

The Wizards broke an eight-year playoff drought last season, advancing to the second round before getting swept by Miami. Lack of playoff experience was a considered a major factor against the Heat, and Daniels will help in that department. He has played in 59 postseason games and won a championship with San Antonio in 1999.

"What I'll do is come in here and try and show the guys who haven't been there what it takes to get there," Daniels said. "Getting to practice on time, practicing hard night-in, night out. Little things, like making the bus on time. This team is ready to make some noise. They're right on the verge."

Daniels was the No. 4 overall pick by Vancouver in 1997, but he needed a few years to find his comfort zone. He's become a solid defender who doesn't make mistakes -- he led the league in assist-to-turnover ratio two seasons ago and was second in the category last season.

Daniels said he was attracted by the Wizards' up-tempo style under coach Eddie Jordan.

"This team is already a good basketball team," Daniels said. "They don't have to adjust to me; I have to adjust to them."

Jazz, Kings, Grizzlies complete deal

The Sacramento Kings acquired guard Bonzi Wells from the Memphis Grizzlies on Tuesday in a long-anticipated trade for guard Bobby Jackson and center Greg Ostertag.

The Grizzlies then traded Ostertag to the Utah Jazz for guard Raul Lopez, forward Kirk Snyder and center Curtis Borchardt.

Wells averaged 11.3 points and 3.3 rebounds for Memphis last season, but the controversial guard was removed from the Grizzlies' playoff roster during the club's first-round playoff loss to Phoenix after clashing with coach Mike Fratello.

Wells, a seventh-year pro, also found trouble during his first five NBA seasons in Portland, but will get a fresh start in Sacramento. A proven scorer who averaged 17 points per game for the Trail Blazers in 2001-02, Wells is expected to be the Kings' starting shooting guard, replacing departing free agent Cuttino Mobley.

"We're excited about the opportunity to get Bonzi and rebuild our backcourt with some size, length and versatility," said Geoff Petrie, the Kings' president of basketball operations. "We really look forward to him coming in and having a terrific year and adding a dimension to our team that's different from what we've had before."

Earlier in the offseason, Memphis exercised an $8 million option on Wells for next season.

Jackson, the NBA's top sixth man in 2003, was the Kings' most popular and versatile player when healthy in recent years, but the point guard has missed big parts of the last three seasons because of injuries.

He averaged 12 points, 3.4 rebounds and 2.4 assists last season, but sat out 51 games with a torn ligament in his wrist, returning late in the regular season. He missed 21 games with a broken left hand during the 2002-03 season, then missed 28 of the Kings' final 29 regular-season games and the 2004 playoffs with a strained abdominal muscle.

He will make just $3.375 million in the final season of a six-year deal he signed with the Kings in 2000.

"Bobby is not only a talented player and great competitor, but he is an individual of tremendous character," said Jerry West, the Grizzlies' president of basketball operations. "He will be a veteran leader and an explosive scorer."

Ostertag, a 10-year veteran who played sparingly in Sacramento, is back with the Jazz, where he spent his first nine NBA seasons.

With Jackson's departure, Mike Bibby and Peja Stojakovic are the only Kings who were with the club just two seasons ago. Petrie has overhauled the roster in the last year with the departures of Chris Webber, Doug Christie, Mobley and Jackson.

The Jazz gave up on three youngsters to re-acquire Ostertag, who will make $4.4 million next season. Borchardt, Snyder and Lopez all failed to live up to expectations with the Jazz.

Charlotte making moves heading into second season

CHARLOTTE, N.C. -- The Charlotte Bobcats on Tuesday acquired center Jake Voskuhl from Phoenix, traded Jason Hart to Sacramento and re-signed Kareem Rush.

Voskuhl, a 6-foot-11 center, appeared in 38 games for the Suns last season and averaged 2.1 points and 2.4 rebounds in 9.5 minutes. His best season in the NBA was in 2003-04 with Phoenix, when he averaged 6.6 points and 5.2 rebounds in 24.3 minutes.

In Charlotte, he's expected to be the backup to center Primoz Brezec and give the Bobcats enough depth to play Emeka Okafor primarily at power forward.

"He gives us more size, and a chance, if we are so inclined, to leave Emeka at the four," coach Bernie Bickerstaff said. "He gives us flexibility. He's a big kid who runs the floor and he's very aggressive. He has a good opportunity here to earn playing time.'

The Bobcats gave Phoenix a conditional 2007 second-round draft pick in exchange for Voskuhl.

Hart requested to be traded after the Bobcats drafted point guard Raymond Felton last month. Charlotte sent him to the Kings for a future second-round pick.

Originally signed to be Charlotte's starting point guard, Hart lost the job to Brevin Knight. And with Felton expected to become Charlotte's new starter, Hart knew his playing time would be limited.

"This was not adversarial at all," Bickerstaff said. "He called me and said he appreciated the fact we gave him his first contract, but he felt that the minutes would not be there for him."

Hart appeared in 74 games for the Bobcats last season, averaging 9.5 points, 5.0 assists, 2.7 rebounds and 1.3 steals in 25.5 minutes. In 27 starts, he averaged 10.6 points, 6.6 assists, 3.5 rebounds and 1.1 steals in 31.7 minutes.

Rush, a shooting guard Charlotte traded for last season, re-signed with the Bobcats after speaking briefly with Denver and the New Jersey Nets, his agent said.

"Kareem loved playing for the Bobcats and made returning to the team his top priority," agent Calvin Andrews said. "There were some talks with Denver and New Jersey, however all our real focus was on resigning with the Bobcats."

Terms were not disclosed.

With moratorium lifted, trade goes through

PORTLAND, Ore. -- The Portland Trail Blazers formally reached a deal that sent forward Shareef Abdur-Rahim to the New Jersey Nets as the moratorium was lifted on NBA free agent signings on Tuesday.

Signings were supposed to begin nearly two weeks ago, but complications in putting the NBA's new six-year collective bargaining agreement into writing forced a pair of delays.

The Blazers signed Abdur-Rahim then dealt him to New Jersey for a protected first-round draft pick next year. If the draft pick is a lottery selection, then Portland would receive the following year's first-round pick from the Nets.

New Jersey President Rod Thorn would not disclose terms of the contract. It was not yet signed because it is contingent on a physical exam, he said.

"I think Shareef is at a point in his career where he has a lot to prove, and that bodes well for us," Thorn said. "He's a very prideful individual, and he wants to prove that the lack of team success in his NBA career is due to the teams he's played on, rather than to him. To me, he's right in his prime as a player."

Abdur-Rahim has averaged 19.8 points and 8.1 rebounds over a nine-year NBA career in Vancouver, Atlanta and Portland.

"We are continuing to work toward salary cap flexibility while acquiring assets that we can use to build a young, competitive ball club," said Portland general manager John Nash. "The move today follows those guidelines and now gives us the potential for three first round picks in next year's draft."

Guard Damon Stoudamire, a Portland native, was expected to sign with a new team after more than seven years with the Blazers. It was reported earlier that the Blazers had agreed to terms with guard Juan Dixon, who has played for the past three seasons with the Washington Wizards, although there was no formal announcement.

The Trail Blazers are rebuilding under new head coach Nate McMillan, appointed last month to replace Maurice Cheeks, who was fired in March. With director of player personnel Kevin Pritchard at the helm for the remainder of the season, Portland finished 27-55, matching their worst season of 1973-74.

The Blazers have missed the playoffs for two straight seasons, snapping a streak of 21 straight years reaching the postseason.

Swift leaves Memphis for multiyear deal

Houston Rockets: Stromile Swift signed a multiyear contract.

The second overall pick in 2000 behind Kenyon Martin, the 6-foot-9 Swift spent his first five seasons with the Grizzlies, averaging 9.0 points, 5.0 rebounds and 1.5 blocks.

"We are thrilled to add Stromile's special talents to our lineup," Rockets general manager Carroll Dawson said. "He gives us a unique combination of strength and athleticism at the power forward position. We believe that he will join Tracy McGrady and Yao Ming to form one of the elite frontcourts in the NBA today."

Swift, 25, had trouble cracking the starting lineup with Memphis, playing behind Pau Gasol. Known for his leaping ability, Swift has garnered the label as an underachiever.

In 60 games last season, Swift averaged 10.1 points, 4.6 rebounds and 1.5 blocks.

New York Knicks: Free agent Jerome James, who had spent his last four seasons with the SuperSonics, was signed.

Terms of the deal were not disclosed, but it is believed that James accepted the New York's $5.1 million mid-level exception, worth $30 million over five years.

The 7-1 James averaged 4.9 points and 3.0 rebounds in 16.6 minutes for Seattle last season. But James' stock soared after he averaged 17.2 points and 9.4 rebounds in Seattle's first-round playoff win over Sacramento.

The Knicks traded center Nazr Mohammed to San Antonio before the trade deadline last season and were forced to move power forward Kurt Thomas to the middle. Thomas was traded to Phoenix for swingman Quentin Richardson.

James, who will turn 30 in November, will fill the hole at center and Channing Frye, the team's first-round pick in the June draft, likely will serve as a backup.

The 6-11 Frye may be better suited as a power forward rather than a center in the NBA. However, he is big enough to play some minutes at center and the Knicks have plenty of power forwards with Michael Sweetney, Maurice Taylor, Malik Rose, Jerome Williams and David Lee, the last pick in the first round of the June draft, on the roster.

The SuperSonics offered James a three-year contract. They likely will start Robert Swift, a first-round pick in 2004, at center.

Boston Celtics: Former Nets forward Brian Scalabrine signed a five-year contract.

Financial terms of the deal were not disclosed.

The 6-foot-9 Scalabrine was chosen by the Nets in the second round of the 2001 draft out of Southern California. He played in 54 games last season, averaging 6.3 points and 4.5 rebounds per game.

"We need a player like Brian Scalabrine," said Danny Ainge, the Celtics' head of basketball operations. "He's not a guy that fills up the stat sheets, he does the little things it takes to win."

New Orleans Hornets: The Hornets re-signed three-year NBA veteran Bostjan Nachbar and signed newcomer Arvydas Macijauskas, an Olympic star for his home country of Lithuania, to free-agent contracts.

Terms were not disclosed.

Macijauskas, 25, played for Lithuania in the 2004 Olympics in Athens and scored a team-high 24 points in a 104-96 loss to the United States in the bronze medal game. He also helped Lithuania upset the United States 94-90 in a preliminary round game. He scored eight points in that game

He has played professionally in Europe since age 16.

Agent Marc Fleisher said last month that Macijauskas settled on New Orleans because he will have an opportunity to contribute from the start.

The Hornets acquired Nachbar in a trade with Houston in December. The native of Slovenia was selected by the Rockets with the 15th overall pick in the 2002 NBA Draft.

He had his best season as a pro in 2004-05, posting career highs in every statistical category and averaging 7.0 points and 2.6 rebounds in 71 games with Houston and New Orleans. Nachbar lifted his averages to 8.1 points and 2.8 rebounds in his 55 games with the Hornets and led the team in three-point field goal percentage at .371 (65-175).

"Signing Bostjan and Arvydas today dramatically improves our team," Hornets General Manager Allan Bristow said. "Adding them to our roster gives us an immediate boost in scoring and outside shooting, two areas we needed to address this offseason."

Dallas Mavericks: Josh Powell, who left North Carolina State two years early but went undrafted in 2003, signed a free agent contract with the Mavericks.

Powell, 6-foot-9, 225 pounds, led the Mavericks' summer league team in rebounding at 8.2 per game and also averaged 11.5 points in nine games. He also played for the Mavericks summer league team in 2003.

Powell played in Italy last season.

Terms of the deal were not disclosed.

Sacramento Kings-Charlotte Bobcats: The Kings acquired guard Jason Hart from the Bobcats in exchange for a future second-round draft choice.

Sacramento also signed free agent guard Ronnie Price to a contract, capping a busy day. Earlier, Sacramento traded point guard Bobby Jackson and center Greg Ostertag to the Memphis Grizzlies for guard Bonzi Wells.

Hart averaged 9.5 points, 5.0 assists and 2.7 rebounds for the Bobcats last season, finishing third in the NBA with a 3.6 assist-to-turnover ratio. Geoff Petrie, the Kings' president of basketball operations, said Hart could play solid defense while backing up Mike Bibby next season.

Price, an undrafted free agent from Utah Valley State, impressed the Kings during the Las Vegas summer league last month. Price averaged 24.3 points per game in his senior season.

Philadelphia 76ers: Willie Green should have waited before playing basketball again.

On the day the Philadelphia 76ers were expected to announce they had re-signed Green to a $20 million, six-year contract, they instead said the deal was on hold because the guard injured his knee in a pickup game.

Sixers president Billy King said Green suffered cartilage damage and needs knee surgery. No date was announced.

"It's just an unfortunate situation at this time," King said.

Green, who averaged 7.7 points playing sporadically under former coach Jim O'Brien last season, expected to get additional playing time under Maurice Cheeks.

Now, everything is on hold.

"The offer hasn't been rescinded," said Green's agent, Noah Croom. "Billy wants to wait to determine the extent of his injury before we move forward."

Croom described Green, who reads the Bible before most games, as optimistic and upbeat about his future.

"If we don't have Willie it's going to hurt us," Allen Iverson said. "But we have so many guys ready to step up."

That includes swingman Kyle Korver and center Samuel Dalembert, who were re-signed by the Sixers.

radiofriendly

08/03/05, 06:40 AM

just adding to emopunkthrice previous post with confirmation.

this is unbelievable... posey, williams, and walker!?!? this completely changes things for the heat in my opinion...any initial impressions. whose the best starting lineup now. damn it, this is huge.

Heat gets Walker in largest-ever NBA trade

TIM REYNOLDS / Associated Press

MIAMI - In the largest trade in NBA history, Antoine Walker was dealt from Boston to Miami on Tuesday night in a transaction involving five teams and 13 players.

The Heat also acquired point guard Jason Williams and small forward James Posey from Memphis, while the Grizzlies received guard Eddie Jones from the Heat. The New Orleans Hornets and Utah Jazz were also involved in the deal.

The trade was larger than a 12-player, four-team deal in 2000 involving Patrick Ewing that had been the biggest in league history.

Miami also received Andre Emmett from Memphis and the draft rights to Roberto Duenas of Spain from the Hornets; Utah received Greg Ostertag from Memphis; Boston picked up Curtis Borchardt from Utah and a package - Qyntel Woods, the draft rights to Spanish center Albert Miralles, two second-round draft picks and cash - from Miami; New Orleans acquired Rasual Butler from Miami and Kirk Snyder from Utah; and the Grizzlies received guard Raul Lopez from the Jazz.

Hours after signing Shaquille O'Neal to a five-year deal, the Heat added three significant pieces to a roster that nearly reached the NBA Finals last season.

"We traded a lot, but we got back three quality players," said Heat president Pat Riley. "Antoine Walker is one of the very best multi-faceted, versatile players in this game. ... He is able to handle the ball, pass it, make plays, shoot 3's and rebound the ball. There isn't anyone in this league better at doing that."

Walker, a three-time All-Star, figures to become the starting small forward and would be backed up by Posey, one of the league's better defenders.

Walker signed a six-year deal worth nearly $53 million with Boston as of the deal's preliminary framework, and agent Mark Bartelstein said he appreciated the Celtics' willingness to help out their longtime forward.

"Antoine is thrilled," Bartelstein said. "This was a grueling process trying to put a sign-and-trade together. This took a lot of time and work and energy from a lot of people."

Williams would take over as Miami's starting point guard if Damon Jones leaves as a free agent.

Jones exits Miami after five years with the Heat.

"I spoke to him and he's appreciative of the five great years he's had in Miami," agent Leon Rose said. "He's proud that he's helped build something, although it's unfortunate that he won't be able to see it to fruition. But he wishes the organization nothing but the best."

Riley wished the three players leaving Miami well, especially Jones, whom he called "the consummate professional through thick and thin."

"I know he had fun and he was a major part of this," Riley said. "But in order to get something good back, you have to give up something good going out. I wish him nothing but the best."

Memphis acquired Borchardt earlier Tuesday in a deal in which Sacramento got Bonzi Wells from the Grizzlies in exchange for guard Bobby Jackson and Ostertag.

The Hornets did not give up any players under contract in the megatrade, which was approved by league officials late Tuesday night.

"Our cap flexibility is what allowed us to get these two players as part of this deal," Hornets general manager Allan Bristow said. "We were able to acquire two young, quality players while only giving up the rights to a player who has never appeared in a Hornets uniform."

Walker, who averaged 19.1 points and nine rebounds last season for Atlanta and Boston, will be a welcome addition to the Heat, said forward Udonis Haslem - who formally signed his $30.7 million, five-year deal Tuesday.

"We're two different players and we can bring two different things to the table," Haslem said, a few hours before the trade got done. "If we put that together, we should have a pretty good tandem."

Miami reached Game 7 of the Eastern Conference finals this past season - even though O'Neal and Dwyane Wade were both hurt at the time. And not only was Jones a starter on that team, he was the Heat's best perimeter defender - a role that Heat president Pat Riley and coach Stan Van Gundy have long valued.

Jones, a career 16.4-point-per-game scorer, averaged 12.7 in the regular season and 13.7 in the playoffs as Miami's third option.

"Eddie Jones is an All-Star caliber player who has had a terrific NBA career. He is a great 3-point shooter who will make an immediate impact on our offense, while also serving as a solid defender in the backcourt. We look forward to Eddie finishing his NBA career in Memphis," Grizzlies president Jerry West said.

Williams averaged 10.1 points and 5.6 assists for the Grizzlies last season. Riley likened his playmaking ability to Steve Nash and Jason Kidd.

"He is a very athletic, quick, explosive scorer and has great experience," Riley said. "One of the reasons why we are making the trade is that we haven't had anyone here like that since Tim Hardaway left."

Posey was limited to 50 games this past season because of injuries, and only 18 starts. He averaged 8.1 points and 4.4 rebounds.

The trade capped a flurry of activity by the Heat - who moved quickly once the league's moratorium on player signings expired Tuesday at noon EDT.

O'Neal was signed to a $100 million contract; the move was expected, although the contract was considerably smaller than what O'Neal figured to command.

Haslem said the team has full confidence in whatever personnel choices Riley and general manager Randy Pfund make. "Since I've been here, they've made great decisions," Haslem said. "And I'm sure they'll make the right decision here."

Emopunkthrice

08/03/05, 05:23 PM

Mobley goes west for reported 5-year deal in L.A.

LOS ANGELES -- As expected, guard Cuttino Mobley has joined the Los Angeles Clippers.

Three weeks after the Los Angeles Times reported that the Clippers had signed the free agent, the team made it official Wednesday, saying it signed Mobley to a multiyear contract.

Mobley, who finished last season with the Sacramento Kings and will turn 30 on Sept. 1, could not sign a contract until the league's player movement moratorium was lifted on Tuesday.

According to the newspaper, the contract was believed to be a five-year deal worth $42 million, which would be the richest contract the Clippers have ever awarded a free agent from outside the organization.

The 6-4 Mobley, who ranked third in the NBA in 3-point shooting percentage (.439), is expected to replace Bobby Simmons in Los Angeles' starting lineup, allowing leading scorer Corey Maggette to shift back to his natural position of small forward.

Last season's Most Improved Player, Simmons reportedly is to join the Milwaukee Bucks.

Mobley scored 17.2 points in 66 games with the Orlando Magic and Kings last season. He has averaged 17.1 points over his seven-year career and has made over 38 percent of his 3-pointers.

"Cuttino is a very tough competitor at both ends of the floor," Clippers vice president of basketball operations Elgin Baylor said. "He shoots the ball extremely well from the perimeter, which will help our low-post players. He's a veteran who brings both playoff experience and leadership."

Mobley played the first six years of his NBA career with the Houston Rockets before being traded with Steve Francis and Kelvin Cato to Orlando for Tracy McGrady, Juwan Howard, Tyronn Lue and Reece Gaines on June 29, 2004. Mobley was traded to Sacramento on January 10 in a deal that sent Doug Christie to Orlando.

"Cuttino is a great addition to our club," Clippers coach Mike Dunleavy said. "We were looking for a player that would add some key dimensions to our team that we were lacking. His 3-point shooting ability was third best in the league last season. He is a solid defender and excellent all-around player."

Also Wednesday, the Clippers renounced the rights to free agent guards Kerry Kittles and Rick Brunson.

The veteran Kittles averaged 6.3 points and 2.9 rebounds in just 11 games last season. He missed 71 games due to a degenerative disc in his lower back.

Brunson averaged 5.5 points and 5.1 assists in 80 games for the Clippers last campaign.

Blazers are first team to use rule for luxury tax relief

PORTLAND, Ore. -- The Portland Trail Blazers on Wednesday waived veteran guards Nick Van Exel and Derek Anderson.

Anderson will be designated as the team's amnesty player under the NBA's new collective bargaining agreement, allowing the Blazers to release him and remove his almost $19 million contract from the team's salary cap for purposes of calculating the luxury tax.

The Blazers chose not to retain Van Exel for the last non-guaranteed year worth $12.8 million of his contract.

Van Exel averaged 10.7 points and 4.3 assists and made 39 starts for the Blazers last season before going on the injured list on March 12 with left knee pain. The 12-year veteran was acquired in a 2004 offseason trade that sent forward Dale Davis and guard Dan Dickau to Golden State.

Van Exel, 34, who has also played for the Los Angeles Lakers, Denver Nuggets and Dallas Mavericks, has averaged 15 points and 6.9 assists in 821 career games.

The Blazers will pay the final two years of Anderson's contract and he can sign with another team.

"Given the direction of the team and Derek's limited availability in recent years we felt this was the best solution for all parties. This move gives us additional cap flexibility and minutes for our younger players," Blazers general manager John Nash said in a statement.

The eight-year NBA veteran averaged 9.2 points three assists with 47 games with the Blazers last season but had a variety of injuries, including back spasms.

Anderson, 31, was acquired with Steve Kerr and a second-round draft pick from San Antonio in exchange for Steve Smith on July 25, 2001.

In his four seasons with Portland, Anderson averaged 12 points, 3.1 rebounds and 3.3 assists in 244 games.

Anderson, a big guard in the mode Phil Jackson has always preferred, is expected to draw interest from the Lakers as a potential backcourt partner to Kobe Bryant.

The Mavericks, Houston Rockets, San Antonio Spurs and Miami Heat are among the playoff contenders expected to pursue Van Exel, a former All-Star who has said in the past that he hopes to finish his career with a team in Texas -- and a team with title aspirations.

Emopunkthrice

08/04/05, 12:48 AM

Phoenix gets shooting guard known for defense

PHOENIX -- The Phoenix Suns, who have lost one shooting guard this summer and are close to losing another, signed free agent Raja Bell to a five-year contract worth just under $24 million on Wednesday.

The Suns insisted they never pursued Bell to hedge against the loss of Quentin Richardson and Joe Johnson.

"People speculated that signing Raja was an insurance policy," team president Bryan Colangelo told a news conference. "That is not the case. We signed Raja Bell because we thought we were greatly improving our team, the makeup of the organization."

Bell, who has started just 80 of his 299 career games, is likely to be a regular this season.

The former Utah Jazz co-captain is a renowned defensive player whose scoring averages have increased dramatically with playing time. Last season, he set career highs in scoring (12.3), rebounds (3.2), assists (1.5), field-goal percentage (.454) and minutes (28.4).

The Suns traded Richardson and Nate Robinson to New York for forward-center Kurt Thomas and guard Dijon Thompson on June 28 to get some inside toughness. At the time, it was assumed they would be able to re-sign Johnson, who developed into a dangerous 3-point shooter last season and averaged a team-high 39.5 minutes.

But Johnson began airing complaints about the Suns and avoiding their attempts to negotiate. Phoenix could have kept the restricted free agent by matching Atlanta's five-year, $69.6 million offer, but eventually tired of his attitude and worked out a sign-and-trade deal with the Hawks.

"From the get-go, our entire intention was to sign Joe Johnson," Suns managing partner Robert Sarver said. "As I read some of the reports and listen to some of the commentary about how we kind of duped our fans or tricked our fans or whatever, it's just totally false. We went out of our way to do everything we could to sign Joe Johnson."

The deal is on hold, possibly until this weekend, while Atlanta works out what Suns chairman Jerry Colangelo called "their internal problems and issues."

The Suns lose 2 inches -- Bell is 6-foot-5 -- and five points a game in a direct comparison of the guards, but believe fans will take to Bell.

Bell earned a reputation as a defender with assignments against the likes of Ray Allen, Kobe Bryant and Manu Ginobili.

Ginobili, who has the same agent as Bell, Herb Rudoy, complained to Rudoy when he learned that his defensive nemesis was going to a team that San Antonio met in the Western Conference finals.

"It was funny," Bell said. "You know, Manu's a competitor, and I do a good job, I'd like to say, on him, but he's a tough guard for me. So it's just a respect level. It's cool to hear somebody thinks you're that way, especially being the All-Star that he is, so it was flattering."

Bell likes the idea of playing in a backcourt with All-Star point guard Steve Nash, a former Dallas teammate, and said the Suns' relentlessly up-tempo style is his kind of game.

"That was a major reason why I wanted to come to Phoenix," Bell said. "I'm so excited about the style of basketball that's played here and the atmosphere and commitment to winning. It was really a no-brainer when I heard there was interest -- this was the first team on my list."

Bell, 28, took a circuitous route to the NBA. Undrafted in 1999 after using up his college eligibility with two seasons at Florida International, he played in Spain and for Sioux Falls of the International Basketball League and Yakima of the CBA before catching on with Philadelphia in April 2001.

After a full season with the 76ers, Bell played for Dallas in 2002-03 and then Utah.

Emopunkthrice

08/04/05, 05:48 PM

Ray-Ray remains in Seattle

SEATTLE -- Ray Allen listened to pitches from Cleveland, Atlanta, the Los Angeles Clippers and others.

In the end, the All-Star guard decided staying with the Seattle SuperSonics was the right choice for him.

"I wanted someone to say something to knock me off my feet. And I was very disappointed," Allen said Wednesday after signing a five-year contract extension with the SuperSonics. "This organization, I knew what it was all about."

Coming off the best season of his career, Allen signed a deal worth as much as $85 million -- $80 million in salary and as much as $5 million in incentives. Allen's agent, Lon Babby, announced July 5 that an agreement had been reached, but the deal wasn't signed until Wednesday.

"The importance of getting Ray done; that was our No. 1 priority in the offseason," Seattle general manager Rick Sund said. "He's really taken this team under his control in terms of leadership."

Allen, who just turned 30, returns to a different Seattle squad than the one that surprised the NBA by winning 52 games and the Northwest Division title last year.

Most notably, coach Nate McMillan darted down Interstate 5 to Portland to become the Trail Blazers' coach. Reserve guard Antonio Daniels and starting center Jerome James also left, signing free-agent contracts with Washington and New York, respectively.

Allen said he and forward Rashard Lewis played phone tag with McMillan after the season ended, and had no inkling the guy dubbed "Mr. Sonic" was about to leave for Portland.

Allen quickly recommended longtime assistant Bob Weiss to take McMillan's place. The Sonics hired Weiss as head coach last month.

"I always thought Bob, he seemed like the guy who knew it all," Allen said. "I have no doubt in my mind he has the ability to do the job and do it in a fashion that everybody will be pleased."

Wednesday was about celebrating Allen, with balloons displayed around Seattle's practice facility, and team owner and chairman Howard Schultz presenting a newly blond Allen with a framed sketching commemorating last season's success.

Last year, he averaged a career-high 23.9 points per game -- 10th in the league. In the playoffs, Seattle beat Sacramento in five games for its first playoff series victory since 1997, before losing to San Antonio in six games in the conference semifinals.

Allen again starred, averaging 26.5 points in 11 playoff games, including a playoff career-high 45 in Game 4 against the Kings.

Allen spent his first 6½ seasons in Milwaukee before moving to Seattle in February 2003 in a trade for Gary Payton. The UConn grad has averaged 20.6 points over his nine-year career.

He'll return to a core group that includes Lewis, and youngsters Luke Ridnour and Nick Collison.

"You talk about keeping your core together, if Ray leaves that's all down the drain and you're scrambling and starting over," Weiss said. "Ray ... he's the kind of guy that pulls everyone in. It's the kind of leader he is."

Four teams became serious in the talks with Allen, Babby said, and offered deals in the range of what Allen signed. But Milwaukee and Cleveland were also pursuing Michael Redd, and the track records of Atlanta and the Clippers worked against them, Allen said.

"At the end of the day, what brought me back here was my players, the guys I've played with," Allen said. "That meant to me more than anything."

Forward had elbow surgery in January

EAST RUTHERFORD, N.J. -- The New Jersey Nets' trade with the Portland Trail Blazers for Shareef Abdur-Rahim has been put on hold after the veteran forward failed to pass a physical.

The Nets did not disclose the nature or cause of the problem, but said the injury in question was one that neither the team nor Abdur-Rahim was aware of. The examination was performed by Dr. Michael Kelly, the Nets' orthopedist.

"It was a shock," Nets President Rod Thorn said Thursday. "We had scheduled a press conference. We did not think there was going to be anything wrong whatsoever."

The 29-year-old Abdur-Rahim missed 22 games with the Blazers last season after undergoing surgery in mid-January to address loose particles in his right elbow.

New Jersey agreed to a six-year deal with the veteran forward, who has averaged 19.8 points and 8.1 rebounds during his nine-year career with Vancouver, Atlanta and Portland.

Thorn said the team was looking at other options in case the deal doesn't go through. In order to make a deal with another team using their trade exception, the Nets would have until next Tuesday when the exception expires.

"You have to have somebody to deal with, and it took a long time to make a deal with Portland," Thorn said. "In this case the time frame would be much shorter."

Under NBA rules, the Nets have 10 days to complete the trade for Abdur-Rahim from the day it was announced, which would give them until Aug. 12.

Guard Jeff McInnis and forward Cliff Robinson, two other players the Nets reached agreements with recently, both passed physicals, Thorn said. Robinson signed a contract and the McInnis will sign once details are worked out, he said.

Los Angeles Clippers: The team re-signed free agent Zeljko Rebraca to a multiyear contract Thursday.

The backup center averaged 5.8 points, 3.2 rebounds and 16 minutes in 58 games for the Clippers last season. He shot 56.8 percent from the floor and 85.9 percent from the free-throw line.

Rebraca has averaged 6.1 points, 3.4 rebounds and 15.4 minutes over his four NBA seasons. He played for the Pistons for two-plus seasons and spent part of the 2003-04 season with the Hawks.

A former star in Europe, he led Yugoslavia to the World Championship gold medal in 1998, when he was the tournament's MVP.

Financial terms of his contract with the Clippers were not announced.

Emopunkthrice

08/05/05, 11:27 AM

76ers sign Randolph, Gai

Philadelphia 76ers: The Philadelphia 76ers signed undrafted free agents Shavlik Randolph and Deng Gai on Friday.

Randolph, a 6-foot-10 forward, played in 92 career games with Duke and averaged 6.3 points and 4.3 rebounds. He also averaged 1.4 blocks per game and finished seventh on Duke's career blocked shots list with 129.

An early entry in the 2005 NBA draft, Randolph was a part of two ACC championship teams (2003, 2005) and one Final Four squad (2004) as a Blue Devil.

Gai, a 6-foot-9 forward, was a three-time MAAC defensive player of the year at Fairfield.

Originally an early entry candidate for the 2004 draft, the 6-foot-9 forward participated in a pre-draft camp before withdrawing his name.

radiofriendly

08/05/05, 04:36 PM

here are some rumors, that many may have heard already, but for those who haven't

The Sentinel's Tim Povtak reports that the Magic plan to waive Doug Christie. Look for Christie to resurface with the Mavericks if he is cut loose. link (http://www.orlandosentinel.com/sports/orl-sptmagic05080505aug05,0,2120068.sto ry?coll=orl-sports-headlines)

A source told Sun columnist Bill Harris that the Timberwolves could trade Kevin Garnett to the Pistons for Rasheed Wallace, Ben Wallace and two draft picks. link (http://torontosun.com/Sports/Columnists/Harris_Bill/2005/08/05/1160089.html)

Although the Mavericks, Heat and Spurs are rumored to be interested in Nick Van Exel, the Morning News' Chuck Carlton reports that the former Blazer would prefer to sign with the Rockets. link (http://www.dallasnews.com/sharedcontent/dws/spt/basketball/mavs/stories/080505dnspomavsdate.1c838297.html)

The Register's Kevin Ding reports that ex-Blazer Derek Anderson plans to meet with the Lakers next week. Anderson is expected to sign with either the Lakers, Pistons or Timberwolves. link (http://www.ocregister.com/ocr/2005/08/05/sections/sports/pro/article_623368.php)

The Knicks may be in the market for a veteran point guard if Stephon Marbury changes positions. The Star-Ledger's David Waldstein reports that the Knicks could try to acquire Cleveland's Eric Snow, Philadelphia's Kevin Ollie, Memphis' Earl Watson, Boston's Gary Payton, Atlanta's Tyronn Lue or Miami's Damon Jones. link (http://www.nj.com/knicks/ledger/index.ssf?/base/sports-0/1123222551200000.xml&coll=1)

Emopunkthrice

08/05/05, 09:31 PM

Grizzlies sign guard Damon Stoudamire

MEMPHIS, Tenn. (AP) -- Guard Damon Stoudamire on Friday signed a four-year contract with the Memphis Grizzlies, who traded Jason Williams and Bonzi Wells earlier this week.

The 10-year veteran spent the past eight seasons in Portland. He is coming off his best season with the Trail Blazers, averaging 15.8 points and 5.7 assists and shooting 91.5 percent from the foul line.

``Damon is an experienced veteran and proven leader on the court,'' said Jerry West, the Grizzlies' president of basketball operations. ``We feel we have added a significant player to our team and know that he will help take us to a different level than where we are today.''

The 5-foot-10 guard was drafted in the first round by Toronto in 1995 and was the 1996 rookie of the year. He was traded to Portland 49 games into the 1997-98 season. He left Portland ranked second behind Terry Porter for career 3-pointers and third in assists.

Trail Blazers sign Gs Juan Dixon, Charles Smith

PORTLAND, Oregon (Ticker) - The Portland Trail Blazers continued their offseason overhaul with the signing of free agent guard Juan Dixon to a multi-year contract.

Financial terms were not disclosed. The Trail Blazers also signed journeyman guard Charles Smith to a multi-year contract. Both signings were announced Thursday night.

The 6-3 Dixon averaged 8.0 points and 1.8 assists in 63 games last season, his third in the NBA. As a third guard, he helped the Washington Wizards reach the playoffs for the first time in eight years and win a postseason series for the first time since 1982.

Dixon should get plenty of playing time in Portland, which has revamped its backcourt. The Trail Blazers waived veteran guards Nick Van Exel and Derek Anderson and allowed guard Damon Stoudamire to leave via free agency.

In their place, the Blazers expect to use Dixon, Smith, rookies Jarrett Jack and Martell Webster and returnee Sebastian Telfair, a teenage rookie last season.

Dixon was named Most Outstanding Player of the Final Four after leading Maryland to the 2002 NCAA title. He was a first-round pick of the Wizards and averaged 8.2 points and 1.6 assists in 176 games.

Smith, 29, was a 1997 first-round pick of Miami who also played with the Los Angeles Clippers, San Antonio and Portland. The 6-4 guard averaged 5.4 points and 1.5 rebounds in 120 games.

Last season, Smith played with Scavolini Pesaro of the Italian League. He led the prestigious Euroleague in scoring at 22.2 points per game.

Wizards formally re-sign Ruffin

WASHINGTON (AP) -- The Wizards formally announced Friday that they re-signed forward Michael Ruffin, a role player whose physical play helped the team break its eight-year playoff drought.

Ruffin averaged 1.4 points and 4.2 rebounds last season, his first with the Wizards, but his blue-collar defense in the paint made him a fan favorite.

``A lot of the things he does don't show up in the boxscore, but he adds a tremendous amount to our team with his toughness,'' president of basketball operations Ernie Grunfeld said. ``We wanted to get tougher, become more physical and bring players in here that have a great work ethic. Michael has all of those qualities.''

Ruffin was happy to stay with the same team after moving from Chicago to Philadelphia to Utah in four seasons before joining the Wizards.

``We have plenty of players on our team who can score, but there are other things that go into the game to help the team win,'' Ruffin said.

The Wizards and Ruffin reached a deal in late July, but it could not be announced until the league and union agreed on a new collective bargaining agreement.

Rookie Marshall signs with Mavericks

DALLAS (AP) -- Rookie free agent Rawle Marshall signed with the Dallas Mavericks on Friday.

Marshall, a 6-foot-7 swingman, averaged almost 20 points and eight rebounds as a senior at Oakland University last season.

A native of Guyana, Marshall played five games with the Mavericks during its summer league, averaging 10.6 points and three rebounds.

Terms of the deal were not disclosed.

Emopunkthrice

08/06/05, 11:31 AM

Magic will waive Christie (just to clarify)

ORLANDO, Fla. - (KRT) - With no trading partners in sight, the Orlando Magic will waive disgruntled guard Doug Christie in the next couple of days under the NBA's amnesty clause to free up a roster spot and avoid paying $8.2 million to the league in luxury taxes.

Although the Magic declined to comment on the waiver, NBA sources in New York confirmed the upcoming transaction.

Christie still must be paid the $8.2 million he is owed in the final year of his contract, but he will be allowed to re-sign with another team. Franchises exceeding the tax threshold ($61.7 million this season) must pay a dollar-for-dollar tax to the league.

The amnesty waiver can be used only once by each team during the league's newly approved six-year collective bargaining agreement with the players.

Without Christie on the roster, the Magic still will exceed the tax threshold by a few million dollars this season if, as expected, they sign another front-court player in the coming weeks.

The waiving of Christie will put an end to his brief, bizarre stay with the Magic. Christie, 35, grudgingly came in a trade with the Sacramento Kings last season for Cuttino Mobley, but he never was happy and quickly alienated his teammates.

With nagging bone spurs in his left ankle, he left the team without telling anyone shortly after he was taken out of the starting lineup.

He played only 21 games for the Magic, averaging 5.7 points and 2.2 assists in 25.2 minutes per game.

He then demanded another trade, saying he wanted to return to the West Coast.

Christie has told those close to him that he also would like to play in Dallas. The Magic talked to the Mavericks - and almost everyone else in the league - about a possible trade in the past month, but nothing materialized.

The Magic already have filled Christie's roster spot with free-agent point guard Keyon Dooling, who was at the RDV Sportsplex on Thursday after signing a three-year, $10 million contract Wednesday.

"I don't know about other people, but coming here was a no-brainer for me," said Dooling, who played last season with the Miami Heat. "I want to be here and help this organization get back to where it was the first time Coach (Brian) Hill was here."

Dooling, 25, is expected to battle Jameer Nelson and DeShawn Stevenson in training camp for playing time in the backcourt alongside Steve Francis.

NBA teams have until Aug. 15 to waive a player under the amnesty rule. Earlier this week, the Portland Trail Blazers waived guard Derek Anderson.

The Magic, in the market for another frontcourt player after No. 1 draft pick Fran Vazquez decided to stay in Spain, are waiting to see whom else is waived. They also are looking at a variety of free agents still available and a possible trade to fill that spot.

Sonics sign guard Brunson

SEATTLE – Free agent guard Rick Brunson signed with the Seattle SuperSonics on Friday, his seventh different team in a seven-year NBA career.
Terms of the deal were not released. Brunson played with the Los Angeles Clippers last season, but had his rights renounced by the team Wednesday.
"Rick's playmaking ability, ball handling skills and size make him a nice complement for our team," Seattle general manager Rick Sund said in a statement. "He is a true point guard and I think he and Luke Ridnour will give us a good tandem at that position."
After never playing more than 59 games in a season, Brunson appeared in 80 games last year for the Clippers. The 6-foot-4 Temple graduate averaged 5.5 points and was ninth in the league in assist-to-turnover ratio.
Brunson previously played for Portland, New York, Boston, Chicago and Toronto. He started his career with the Trail Blazers in 1997.
Brunson should take Antonio Daniels' role as the back up to Ridnour. Daniels recently signed a five-year, $30 million deal with the Washington Wizards.

Walker says he'll defer to Shaq, Wade

MIAMI - (KRT) - Antoine Walker said he's not coming here trying to get 20 shots a game.

He's not coming here insisting to start.

And he's willing to defer to Shaquille O'Neal and Dwyane Wade, because, as he said, players in this league dream about the chance to play with them.

"I've never come into a season and said, `Our goal is to win a championship,' so this is a big difference in my career," Walker said. "Now I have the opportunity to fight for championships and win championships. This is an opportunity I don't want to let go by."

Officially introduced as a Heat player on Thursday, Walker did his best to dissolve uncertainty about how and where he fits in with his new team.

Will he play small or power forward? Will he start or come off the bench? What impact will he have on team chemistry?

Thursday, Heat President Pat Riley called Walker's addition "a boon for this franchise," and referred to him as "the real link in the chain for us," in regards to offseason acquisitions.

Riley said the 6-foot-9, 245-pound Walker can stretch the defense and has unique skills for his size like only two players he has coached, Magic Johnson and Lamar Odom. Walker has averaged 19.8 points, 8.7 rebounds and 4.1 assists in his career, though just 64.2 percent free-throw shooting and less than 56 percent the past four seasons.

Traded four times in the past two years - from Boston to Dallas to Atlanta, back to Boston and then to Miami - after seven seasons with the Celtics, there also have been questions about Walker's attitude. He has a reputation for being a player who's uninterested in defense, shoots too many 3-pointers and is selfish. His upper-body shimmy dance on the court, known as The Wiggle, doesn't help his image.

Heat coach Stan Van Gundy said he doesn't expect problems.

"It's not right nor fair to come into a situation and prejudge guys on what their attitudes are going to be. ... I mean, look, we've had histories of guys," Van Gundy said.

"Supposedly Lamar Odom was one type of guy, and supposedly Rafer Alston was one type of guy, and supposedly Damon Jones was. And I think all of those guys have been fabulous to deal with."

Walker already has good relationships with the Heat's two stars. O'Neal called last week and encouraged him to join the Heat, and Wade, like Walker, is from Chicago.

However, Walker hasn't thrived off the bench before. In 2003-04 with Dallas, he averaged a career-low 14 points a game and played mostly small forward. With newly re-signed Udonis Haslem at Walker's preferred power forward spot, he seems better suited for small forward.

But it would be a challenge for the Heat to start Walker alongside Haslem, as Walker would be relied upon to guard the other team's best perimeter player, previously Eddie Jones' responsibility.

"You can put whoever you want out there offensively, but how are you going to guard the other team?" Van Gundy said. "The issue with him playing down is can he guard (small forwards)? Some he probably could, and others he probably would struggle with."

Emopunkthrice

08/09/05, 07:04 PM

Nowitzki's coach jailed on tax evasion charges

BERLIN -- Dirk Nowitzki's longtime coach and friend was arrested on tax evasion charges, distracting the Dallas Mavericks star as he prepares for the European championships.

"It's difficult for me to concentrate on basketball," Nowitzki said in a statement on the German Basketball Federation Web site. "I'm training every day as good as I can."

Holger Geschwindner has been held since July 19, reportedly on suspicion he failed to declare income earned through Nowitzki. He was arrested because of fear he would flee or suppress evidence.

The district attorney's office told The Associated Press on Tuesday the coach will go to court Thursday, trying to be set free while the investigation continues.

Nowitzki's statement came after reports he would drop out of the European championships, which run from Sept. 15-24. Afterward, the All-Star will join the Mavericks for the new season.

"Even though the championships aren't the main thing on my mind, I will gladly play because the Germany national team is dear to my heart," he said.

"I can't even imagine, though, a championships without my longtime friend and coach," he added.

When Nowitzki is in Germany, Geschwindner works on new aspects of the 7-footer's game, putting him through elaborate drills. The 59-year-old Geschwindner often flies to Dallas to help when the smooth-shooting forward -- who finished third in the MVP race -- is slumping.

Germany has been tough on celebrities thought to dodge taxes, especially in sports. Steffi Graf's father spent time in jail; Boris Becker avoided the same fate by winning his case in court.

Wilcox's gun was found during June traffic stop

ELLICOTT CITY, Md. -- A handgun charge against Los Angeles Clippers forward Chris Wilcox was dismissed Tuesday. The former Maryland star was arrested in June after police found a gun in his car during a traffic stop.

The discovery probably would not have been admissible in court because Wilcox should have been allowed to leave the scene before the arrival of a canine unit that found the weapon, Howard County State's Attorney Tim McCrone said.

"The police officers acted in good faith, but if you miss it by a minute you miss it," McCrone said.

Wilcox could not provide documentation at the time that the gun belonged to him or that he had a permit to carry the weapon, police said.

The player's lawyer, Rebecca Nitkin, said Tuesday the gun was registered in North Carolina and Wilcox had begun carrying it because he was robbed at gunpoint a few years ago.

She said a number of professional athletes are growing concerned that their wealth makes them a potential target of violent crime, noting that Philadelphia Eagles linebacker Jerome McDougle was shot last week in Miami by three teenagers during an apparent holdup.

She added that Wilcox's demeanor toward authorities on the night of his arrest contributed to prosecutors' decision to drop the charges.

"He was considered by all 12 police officers to be incredibly respectful and polite," Nitkin said.

Wilcox helped Maryland reach the Final Four in his two seasons, including the NCAA championship during his sophomore year. The Clippers selected him with the eighth pick in the 2002 draft. In his three seasons, he has averaged 7.9 points in 18.6 minutes.

Wolves bolster bench with Madsen, Tskitishvili

MINNEAPOLIS -- The Minnesota Timberwolves bolstered their bench on Tuesday, signing forwards Mark Madsen and Nikoloz Tskitishvili.

Madsen, a free agent who had spent the two previous seasons in Minnesota, signed a five-year contract. The terms of Tskitishvili's deal were not disclosed.

Madsen agreed to terms with the Timberwolves in July, but a deal couldn't be announced officially until Aug. 1. He carved a niche on the team with his tireless effort and boundless energy.

"Mark brings so much more to a team than just statistics," Timberwolves vice president of basketball operations Kevin McHale said. "First and foremost, he brings energy, and a tremendous work ethic. Plus, he is a good teammate and a great guy to have in the locker room."

Madsen, 6-foot-9 and 245 pounds, is recovering from surgery in March to repair a ruptured ligament in his shooting wrist.

Madsen spent his first three NBA seasons with the Los Angeles Lakers after a standout career at Stanford. He averaged 2.1 points, 3.1 rebounds and 14.7 minutes last season, appearing in only 41 games. A broken thumb sidelined him about six weeks and then the ruptured ligament kept him out the rest of the season.

"We really missed Mark when he was hurt," McHale said. "All of his intangibles are off the charts."

While the Timberwolves were adamant about wanting to re-sign Madsen for most of the offseason, McHale said the 7-foot Tskitishvili caught them by surprise.

Tskitishvili spent his first two-and-a-half seasons in the league with Denver before finishing last year with Golden State.

He averaged just 3.0 points and 1.8 rebounds in his NBA career, but impressed the Timberwolves at their summer camp before being injured.

"He was very, very hungry," McHale said. "I was very impressed with his desire not just to return to Europe and play, but to play in the NBA."

Tskitishvili turned heads with 25 points, including four 3-pointers, and 10 rebounds in 17 minutes against the Milwaukee Bucks. But he broke his right hand in the second game against New York and missed the remainder of the league.

"I thought the kid had tremendous, tremendous upside," McHale said. "He has very quick feet and he picked up things very quickly."

The Timberwolves aren't done yet.

McHale said the team is still in discussions with "a number of free agents." One of those figures to be forward Eddie Griffin, who enjoyed a solid season with the team last year.

"We have a list of things we're trying to accomplish," McHale said. "We're moving down the list."

Whatever happens, McHale said he is confident that missing the playoffs last season was a fluke.

"We're definitely a playoff team," McHale said. "We found unique and beautiful ways to lose games last year. I'm very confident things will be different this year."

Heat sign Earl Barron to back up Shaq

MIAMI -- Earl Barron missed an opportunity to play against Shaquille O'Neal a year ago, when the Orlando Magic cut him from their training camp just before facing the Miami Heat in a preseason game.

This year, Barron will finally get to see O'Neal -- this time, as a teammate.

The 7-foot forward-center who played college ball at Memphis has signed a one-year, partially guaranteed contract with the Heat, who became enamored with his standout play for their summer league team that competed in Long Beach, Calif.

Heat president Pat Riley even called Barron "the best player" in that league.

"It's kind of crazy to hear he said that," Barron said Monday, when the Heat introduced him and announced his formal signing. "Everyone knows who Pat Riley is. He's one of the greatest coaches, if not the greatest coach in this game. For him to say such great words is remarkable. I'm just a guy from a small town who never thought I'd hear praises from him about me."

Barron, who grew up in Clarksdale, Miss., has been on a bit of a basketball odyssey since leaving Memphis, which he helped capture the 2002 NIT title. He's played for Huntsville in the NBA's developmental league, plus had overseas stints in Turkey and the Philippines.

He was only a few days removed from the end of his season in the Philippines when joining Miami's summer team. If he was weary, Barron didn't show it.

He averaged 17.4 points on 65.2 percent shooting from the field, 83.7 percent from the line during the seven-game summer season. He also had 7.6 rebounds per game -- and his averages were hurt by a zero-point, zero-rebound, foul-plagued game midway through the summer.

"I know I can score. I'm real gifted offensively," Barron said. "I needed to focus on my rebounding, and I think I did that."

Barron's success has been a pleasant surprise to his college coach, John Calipari, who said last week that his former center "proved me wrong."

"My first thought was for him to go overseas, make $5 or $6 million over his career, then come home and do whatever he wants," Calipari told the Memphis Commercial Appeal. "But he chose the unconventional way, the NBDL, which is hard. But he did it."

Calipari was out of the country Monday, vacationing with family, and unavailable for further comment, according to a Memphis spokesman.

Already, Barron is settling into his new home. He appeared at Little River Elementary School on Monday along with teammates Wayne Simien and Dorell Wright, handing out school supplies and welcoming kids back for their first day of classes.

And soon, he'll start working out in earnest with the full roster _ including O'Neal and presumably Alonzo Mourning, who has not publicly announced if he's returning or retiring.

"Those are two of the best centers to play the game," Barron said. "That really hasn't sunk in yet, but when they get here, it'll be a shock, a little dream come true for me."

Philadelphia 76ers: Philadelphia 76ers guard Willie Green will have arthroscopic surgery Tuesday to repair cartilage in his left knee.

He was scheduled to sign a $20 million, six-year contract, but the restricted free agent injured his knee in a pickup game. While contract terms were reached, the deal was never signed.

Green will be operated on by specialist Dr. James Andrews.

Agent Noah Croom said Green has been running and doing light weightlifting, and is optimistic about playing this year.

"He wants to get this over with so he can get back on the court as soon as possible," he said.

Green thrived as a sub last year when Allen Iverson was injured, including a 32-point game against Washington in January.

In two seasons with the 76ers, Green averaged 7.3 points and 1.4 assists. He was drafted in the second round in 2003 by Seattle and acquired by Philadelphia in a draft-night trade.

Toronto Raptors: The Raptors signed free agent guard Chris Duhon to an offer sheet and resigned free agent forward Pape Sow on Tuesday.

Duhon, a second-round pick out of Duke a year ago, became a starter last season and helped the Chicago Bulls make the playoffs for the first time since 1998. He averaged 5.9 points and 4.9 assists in 82 games, 73 as a starter.

Chicago general manager John Paxson said they will more than likely match the offer for the restricted free agent.

Sow, also a second round pick, averaged 2.3 points and 2.1 rebounds in 27 games with Toronto.

Chicago Bulls: Eddie Basden, a guard who was not drafted out of Charlotte, signed a two-year contract Tuesday with the Chicago Bulls.

The 6-foot-5 free agent led the Bulls in summer league play, averaging 14 points. As a senior at Charlotte, he averaged 15.2 points and eight rebounds.

General manager John Paxson also said Monday the Bulls will more than likely match an offer Chris Duhon received from the Toronto Raptors. The second-year guard is a restricted free agent.

Duhon, a second-round pick out of Duke a year ago, became a starter last season and helped the Bulls make the playoffs for the first time since 1998.

Sacramento Kings: Forward Jamal Sampson signed with the Kings on Tuesday, joining his fourth team in four NBA seasons.

Sampson played one season at California before entering the NBA draft. He appeared in 23 games with Charlotte last season, averaging 3.4 points and 5.3 rebounds before being waived. He missed significant amounts of playing time because of various injuries.

Sampson also played for Milwaukee and the Los Angeles Lakers.

Washington Wizards: Second-round draft pick Andray Blatche signed a two-year contract Tuesday with the Wizards.

Blatche, a 6-foot-11 forward, was the 49th overall pick. The 18-year-old played last season at Connecticut's South Kent Prep School, where he averaged 27.5 points, 16 rebounds and 6 blocks as a fifth-year high school senior. Blatche played with the Wizards' summer league team in Las Vegas last month and averaged 9.2 points and 6.8 rebounds. He turns 19 later this month.

Nets pull offer to Abdur-Rahim after failed physical

EAST RUTHERFORD, N.J.-- The New Jersey Nets on Tuesday rescinded their trade with the Portland Trail Blazers for forward Shareef Abdur-Rahim and acquired forward Marc Jackson from Philadelphia.

The Abdur-Rahim trade was put on hold last week after the nine-year veteran failed a physical. The Nets didn't disclose the nature of the medical problem, but team president Rod Thorn said it was something neither Abdur-Rahim nor the Trail Blazers knew about.

"Obviously we weren't aware of it, and after all the conversations back and forth, I don't think the player was aware there was any problem," Thorn said. "He hadn't missed any games regarding this. To my knowledge, [Portland] wasn't aware of it."

The Nets had planned to use their trade exception to acquire the 29-year-old Abdur-Rahim, who has averaged 19.9 points and 8.1 rebounds in nine years with Vancouver, Atlanta and Portland. With the trade exception scheduled to expire at midnight Tuesday, New Jersey was forced to scramble to make a deal.

"We had a list of guys we had interest in, and he was at the top of our list," Thorn said. "We thought he would fit in very well with us."

New Jersey quickly set its sights on the 30-year-old Jackson, acquiring him from the 76ers for cash and future considerations. The 6-foot-10 center-forward averaged 12 points and five rebounds in 81 games for Philadelphia last season. He has averaged nine points and 4.7 rebounds in five NBA seasons with Golden State, Minnesota and the 76ers.

"He's a good shooter, he's a force down low and draws a lot of fouls," Thorn said. "We feel he's a player who can play in our rotation and help us."

New Jersey had agreed to a six-year deal with Abdur-Rahim, who was acquired earlier this month for a 2006 first-round pick and the Nets' trade exception.

"After consulting with several noted specialists, we felt that rescinding the trade is our best course of action," Thorn said.

Abdur-Rahim missed 22 games with the Blazers last season after undergoing surgery in mid-January to remove loose particles in his right elbow. Thorn said that the Nets tried negotiating a different deal with Abdur-Rahim in recent days, but that he didn't want to change the agreement that was in place.

"We were notified by New Jersey this afternoon that they were rescinding the sign and trade for Shareef Abdur-Rahim," Trail Blazers general manager John Nash said Tuesday. "They cited some concerns after a physical examination and believe that rescinding the trade is in their best interest. The contract that was agreed to with Shareef becomes null and void and he is now a free agent."

Emopunkthrice

08/10/05, 05:08 PM

Cooper to coach Developmental League team

ALBUQUERQUE -- One-time Los Angeles Lakers star and University of New Mexico standout Michael Cooper is returning to Albuquerque to coach a new NBA Development League team.

"Now that I'm through with my playing days, coaching is what's satisfying for me," he said.

Cooper said Tuesday his appointment brought back recollections of his first arrival in Albuquerque in the 1970s.

"I have the same giddy feeling -- less hair, but I feel young again," he said.

Cooper said he thinks teaching is his best attribute.

"Here, I'll be able to teach younger guys the game," he said. "With the way dollars are today in the NBA, it's rare to be able to teach kids the fundamentals of basketball."

Cooper, 49, played for the Lobos from 1976 to 1978.

He joined the Los Angeles Lakers, playing for them for 11 seasons before retiring in 1990 after five NBA championships.

Cooper was a special assistant to then-Lakers general manager Jerry West for three seasons and, in 1994, became a Lakers assistant coach.

Cooper joined the WNBA Los Angeles Sparks as an assistant coach in 1999 and took over as head coach the next season. He guided the Sparks to two championships.

Cooper left the Sparks last year to join the Denver Nuggets as an assistant coach. He became interim coach Dec. 31 and was later replaced by George Karl. Cooper has been a scout for the Nuggets since then.

New Orleans Hornets: Bob Licht, the play-by-play announcer for the Hornets' radio broadcasts, will move to the television broadcasts in the same capacity, the team announced on Wednesday.

Sean Kelley will take over the radio play-py-play duties.

Licht was the radio announcer for the past nine seasons .

Kelley worked as the Hornets' primary studio host and occasionally filled in on the radio.

Grant waived by Lakers, designated amnesty player

EL SEGUNDO, Calif. -- The Los Angeles Lakers waived forward Brian Grant on Wednesday, taking advantage of the amnesty clause, a one-time provision to the NBA's new collective bargaining agreement that allows teams to save nearly $30 million in luxury tax penalties.

"The amnesty rule was not in place and thus not a factor when we made the trade which included Brian," said Lakers GM Mitch Kupchak. "However, this is a one-time opportunity to take advantage of this situation, and exercising this will give us greater roster flexibility and the ability to improve our team. We're grateful to Brian for his professionalism and contributions to our team last season and wish him the best of luck with the rest of his career."

Grant was part of the July 14, 2004, trade that sent Shaquille O'Neal to the Miami Heat last July. The Lakers acquired Grant, Lamar Odom, Caron Butler and a future first-round draft pick.

Grant was the Lakers' second-highest paid player after Kobe Bryant and still is owed $29.8 million on his contract.

He averaged a career-low 3.8 points and 3.7 rebounds last season while bothered by chronic tendinitis in his knees. He also had a neck injury in training camp and spent a month on the injured list because of the tendinitis.

The Lakers will have to pay nearly all of Grant's remaining contract, even if the 33-year-old player signs with another team as a free agent. The Lakers will gain no additional salary cap flexibility until after the 2006-07 season, when Grant's contract expires.

By removing Grant's salary from the NBA's luxury tax calculations, the Lakers benefit because the league assesses a dollar-for-dollar penalty for the amount teams spend over the luxury tax threshold, which will be $61.7 million for next season.

TJ Wells

08/11/05, 06:01 AM

Go Bulls!

Emopunkthrice

08/11/05, 09:36 PM

Orlando Magic: Guard Doug Christie on Thursday became the third player in the league to be released under the new amnesty clause after a disappointing season marred by injury and public squabbles with Orlando management.

Portland's Derek Anderson and the Lakers Brian Grant were the first two amnesty waivers.

ESPN.com's Marc Stein reported Aug. 1 that, according to NBA front-office sources, Christie plans and hopes to be in Dallas next season. It remains to be seen how much Christie can still contribute after ongoing foot problems, but he's remembered in Dallas for his dogged defense on Steve Nash in more than one Sacramento-Dallas series.

The Magic still have to pay Christie $8.2 million next season, but they will not pay any further luxury tax on his contract. The Mavericks are expected to offer Christie a one-year deal in the $3 million range.

The amnesty clause is a one-time exception that allows every team in the league to release one player -- through Aug. 15 -- to avoid paying any further luxury tax on the player's contract.

The Magic still have to pay Christie $8.2 million for the final year of his contract, but he will be allowed to sign with another team.

Orlando got Christie from Sacramento in January for Cuttino Mobley and Michael Bradley. A fan favorite with the Kings, Christie was disappointed to be traded and took a few days to report to the Magic.

He averaged just 5.7 points on 36.7 percent shooting in 21 games.

Just before he was placed on the injured list, Christie lost his starting spot to rookie Jameer Nelson.

Atlanta Hawks: The team's youth movement continued Thursday when the team signed 21-year-old center Zaza Pachulia from the Milwaukee Bucks.

Pachulia, a backup with the Bucks, is a probable starter for the Hawks. The only other center on the Hawks' roster is Jason Collier.

The Bucks declined to match the Hawks' offer for Pachulia, who was a restricted free agent. The four-year deal is believed to be worth $16 million.

Pachulia will join 2004-05 rookies Josh Smith and Josh Childress, 2005 first-round pick Marvin Williams and Al Harrington as key players in the youth movement. The team hopes to add guard Joe Johnson in a sign-and-trade deal with Phoenix that has been blocked by a rift among the Hawks' owners.

Indiana Pacers: Sarunas Jasikevicius became one of the team's elder statesmen Thursday after signing a 3-year contract.

The 29-year-old Lithuanian played at Maryland and spent the past seven years playing in Europe.

"Hopefully I'll be a small piece of the puzzle and contribute," Jasikevicius said at a news conference in Indianapolis. "On a daily basis, I have to earn respect from my teammates and my coaches and everybody in the organization.

"So it's a different situation than if I changed teams in Europe. I'm OK with that, because this has been a dream for me to play in the NBA for many years."

The 6-foot-4 guard averaged 15.7 points and 5.3 assists last season, helping Maccabi Tel Aviv win its second straight Euroleague championship. With the retirement of 39-year-old Reggie Miller and the uncertainty of the return of 36-year-old free agent Dale Davis, Jasikevicius is older than all but four of Indiana's veteran players.

Houston Rockets: Free agent guard Jon Barry re-signed with the team Thursday.

Barry joined the Rockets in December and averaged seven points in 53 games. He made 60-of-133 3-point attempts for 45.1 percent last season, a single-season record for the Rockets.

Terms of his contract weren't immediately available.

The 6-foot-5 Barry was traded to Houston from the Atlanta Hawks last season in exchange for Tyronn Lue. He ranks seventh in the league with a 43 percent career 3-point percentage. He has spent time with eight different teams in his 13-year career.

Dallas Mavericks: Dirk Nowitzki's longtime coach and confidant was denied a request to be released from jail by a court Thursday.

The court and district attorney's office said negotiations were continuing on how long Holger Geschwindner will be held while he's investigated for tax evasion.

Nowitzki has worked with Geschwindner since he was a teenager and regards him as a "second father." The coach puts the Dallas Mavericks' 7-footer through elaborate drills every NBA offseason to develop his game.

The two were one week into their annual training program when Geschwindner was arrested July 19.

"The whole thing has bothered me enormously the last three weeks," Nowitzki told the German news agency DPA Wednesday at the German national team's training camp in Spain. "I think often about him."

Nowitzki is training for the European championships, which run from Sept. 15-24. Afterward, the All-Star will join the Mavericks for the new season.

Dumars quietly rewarded as Pistons executive

DETROIT -- Joe Dumars was a quiet All-Star as a player. The same can be said for him as an executive.

The Detroit News is reporting that the Detroit Pistons have rewarded Dumars, the team's president of basketball operations since June 2000, with a multi-year contract.

"I am looking forward to our continued success and the opportunity to bring another championship to the Detroit Pistons," Dumars told the newspaper.

But if Dumars has his way, the Pistons will probably not even bother to formally announce the extension.

That is quite a contrast to the media circus that surrounded former Pistons coach Larry Brown, who had the remaining three years of his contract bought out by the team on July 19.

In two years in Detroit, Brown guided the Pistons to the 2004 title and within one quarter of a repeat championship. However, wanderlust and health issues brought his tenure to an end.

Brown twice left the Pistons last season to deal with health issues. But Pistons owner Bill Davidson was especially annoyed with Brown for seeking permission to speak with the Cleveland Cavaliers about a front office job.

Questions about Brown's future status overshadowed Detroit's second straight trip to the NBA Finals, angering Davidson. After getting fired by the Pistons, Brown was named coach of the New York Knicks.

Dumars should have been the one to cause distractions since he somehow was in the final year of his contract after building Detroit's championship team.

Dumars took over a troubled franchise that had All-Star forward Grant Hill and little else and turned it into a franchise which has won 50 or more games each of the last four seasons.

Dumars acquired All-Star center Ben Wallace as part of a sign-and-trade for Hill in August 2000. He also signed point guard Chauncey Billups, the 2004 NBA Finals Most Valuable Player, as a free agent in July 2002; acquired shooting guard Richard Hamilton from Washington for Jerry Stackhouse in September 2002; selected forward Tayshaun Prince 23rd overall in the 2002 draft and acquired power forward Rasheed Wallace from Atlanta in February 2004.

Dumars lured Brown away from the Philadelphia 76ers and the Pistons won the NBA title in 2004 and lost in the Finals to San Antonio this past season.

After Brown's two-year run came to an end, Dumars hired former Minnesota Timberwolves coach Flip Saunders as his replacement.

Dumars helped the Pistons win back-to-back titles in 1989 and 1990 as a star guard. But Isiah Thomas, Dennis Rodman and Bill Laimbeer grabbed most of the headlines on those teams.

Former North Carolina star to back up Kidd

EAST RUTHERFORD, N.J. -- Jeff McInnis signed a two-year deal with the New Jersey Nets on Thursday to back up Jason Kidd.

"I still think I am a starter in this league," McInnis said by telephone from Charlotte, N.C. "The short-term contract will give me an opportunity to be a starter in this league, whether with New Jersey or not."

The former 30-year-old North Carolina star said he's looking forward to a fresh start after a tumultuous exit from Cleveland. He was benched by coach Paul Silas on March 20 for a game in Toronto, a day before Silas was fired and replaced by assistant coach Brendan Malone.

McInnis did not accompany the team to its final regular-season game, also in Toronto, because of an unspecified and unexplained "viral syndrome." The day before, at a game in Boston, he remained in the locker room for part of third quarter and sat on the bench for the rest of the game with a towel wrapped around his head.

The Cavaliers finished the season with a 42-40 record and missed out on the final Eastern Conference playoff spot in a tiebreaker with the Nets.

"The Cleveland thing is in the past," McInnis said. "I'm just happy go be a Net. I just want to move forward."

McInnis has averaged 10.6 points and 4.6 assists in eight seasons with Denver, Washington, the Los Angeles Clippers, Portland and Cleveland. Last year with the Cavaliers, he averaged 12.8 points and 5.1 assists.

Nets President Rod Thorn has said McInnis will back up Kidd at point guard and also play shooting guard, a prospect McInnis said was appealing.

"Playing behind Jason Kidd, or just to go against him every day in practice, you can learn," McInnis said. "I'm really excited about it."

McInnis qualifies as the Nets' major offseason acquisition after a deal for Portland forward Shareef Abdur-Rahim fell apart when Abdur-Rahim failed a physical. On Tuesday, New Jersey used the trade exception it had planned to use in that deal to acquire 76ers forward Marc Jackson instead.

The team also re-signed veteran forward Cliff Robinson, who played in 29 games for the Nets last season after being acquired from Golden State midway through the season.

Stern's affidavit attempts to unblock Johnson trade

ATLANTA -- NBA commissioner David Stern submitted an affidavit Thursday supporting a vote by the majority of the Atlanta Hawks' ownership board to remove Steve Belkin as the team's representative on the NBA Board of Governors.

The owners sought intervention from Stern after Boston judge Allan van Gestel on Tuesday granted Belkin's request for a temporary injunction against his ouster.

Stern's affidavit, along with a subsequent motion from the Hawks for van Gestel to withdraw the injuction, could lead to the formal removal of Belkin as team governor as early as Friday.

If van Gestel upholds Stern's recommendation to replace Belkin with Michael Gearon Jr. as Hawks governor, Atlanta would then be able to complete its sign-and-trade with the Phoenix Suns for coveted guard Joe Johnson.

The Suns and Hawks reached agreement in late July on a deal that involves Johnson signing a five-year, $70 million contract with Phoenix -- with a $20 million balloon payment up front -- and then moving to Atlanta in exchange for Boris Diaw and two future first-round picks.

Two-thirds of the Hawks' three-headed ownership structure backed the trade from the start. But Belkin, a part-owner who possesses a 30-percent stake in the franchise, refused to approve the trade, saying the Hawks were giving up too much for Johnson.

NBA rules dictate that every team, no matter how many owners it has, must designate one representative to notify the league on player transactions. That representative is typically the team governor. Belkin's partners, however, have maintained that his refusal to sign off was an action taken against the majority's wishes and thus grounds for removal.

The Atlanta Journal-Constitution reported earlier this week that van Gestel, at Tuesday's hearing, urged Belkin's partners to take their case to the commissioner, saying: "Why can't you simply contact the NBA and say, 'We've got a problem. Mr. Belkin is doing terrible things. Can we remove him?'"

As part of Tuesday's ruling, van Gestel said Stern's approval was a precondition for ousting Belkin. The Journal-Constitution reported on its website Thursday night that Stern, in his affidavit, questioned whether such approval was necessary. But Stern went on to back the Hawks' request and provided his views on the case "in the interest of assisting the court in reaching an ultimate determination."

The newspaper reports that Stern's affidavit read in part: "My conclusion is that, under [the Hawks owners' partnership agreement], if the Governor knows or reasonably should know that he is acting contrary to the wishes of a majority of the [owners'] Board of Managers, and he nevertheless proceeds to take an action in connection with a material matter that legally binds the team, such as consummating a player trade or preventing the consummation of a player trade, the requirements for removal have been met."

Stern, according to the newspaper, also disputes Belkin's claim that blocking a trade does not constitute an "action" and therefore does not provide grounds for removal as governor.

"I do not believe there is a meaningful distinction between acting to consummate a trade or acting to prevent the consummation of a trade," Stern's affidavit said. "There appears to be no dispute that if Mr. Belkin had proceeded to consummate the trade for Joe Johnson against the wishes of the majority of the Board of Managers, he would have acted to 'legally bind' the team and faced removal. ... Directing the NBA not to proceed with the trade ... was also an 'action' that ... was no less 'legally binding' on the team, in that it compelled the NBA to bar the trade." The "Board of Managers" cited by Stern is the ownership committee that governs the Hawks and the NHL's Thrashers. There are separate groups from Atlanta, Washington and Boston (Belkin) and each holds one vote

76ers agree to terms with C Hunter

PHILADELPHIA (Ticker) - The Philadelphia 76ers found a replacement for Marc Jackson.

The 76ers announced Thursday they have agreed to terms with free agent center Steven Hunter, two days after trading Jackson to the New Jersey Nets.

Terms were not disclosed. Hunter is expected to sign with the Sixers on Friday.

Hunter was a key member of the Phoenix Suns' bench last season. In 76 games, the athletic 7-footer averaged 4.6 points, 3.0 rebounds and 1.3 blocks.

"We felt that Steven was one of the top free-agent big men out there," Sixers president Billy King said. "He is an extremely important addition to our team."

Hunter, 23, provides a defensive presence to a frontcourt which already features five-time All-Star forward Chris Webber and improving center Samuel Dalembert.

"He is young, athletic and a natural shot-blocker," King said. "This move really strengthens our frontcourt."

The Sixers will be the fourth team for Hunter, a 2001 first-round pick of Orlando who has averaged 3.9 points 2.7 rebounds and 1.1 blocks in 221 games.

Emopunkthrice

08/12/05, 10:57 AM

Dallas Mavericks: The team reached an oral agreement with veteran swingman Doug Christie on a one-year, $3 million deal, the Dallas Morning News reported Friday. Christie, 35, was waived Thursday by the Orlando Magic as part of the NBA's luxury-tax amnesty provision.

Before Christie officially becomes a Maverick, he must wait seven days to clear waivers, according to league rules. The Morning News said it is unlikely any team will claim Christie and his $8.2 million salary, making him an unrestricted free agent who could then sign with the Mavericks on Wednesday.

Christie's agent, Bradley Marshall, declined comment to the newspaper other than to say than Christie and his wife, Jackie, would be visiting Dallas soon to meet with the Mavericks.

Milwaukee Bucks: Andrew Bogut says he's confident he can juggle the demands of playing in the NBA and for Australia's national team.

"A lot of the [NBA] guys haven't played the world championships and Olympics because it's so tough," said Bogut, who is visiting relatives in Melbourne before the Bucks open training camp.

"We play 82 games a year, then you have to go into a preseason again with the national team and you've got to play games again; it's very tough on the body. My main goal is to play every two years, to play the world championships and the Olympics."

Bogut has already said he would not be available for the Commonwealth Games next March in Melbourne because it clashes with the NBA season. He is also bypassing a Four Nations tournament with Australia this week and world championship qualifiers later in August. However, he plans to play in next year's world championships and the 2008 Beijing Olympics.

Bogut's home opener for Milwaukee is Nov. 5 against the Heat and Shaquille O'Neal. Bogut has no grand illusions of his first regular-season matchup against O'Neal.

"I'm not going to have the best game against him -- there's no chance," Bogut said Friday. "When you play against Shaq for the first time, it's a learning experience. You're going to get pounded by the big fella, you've got to keep working. Hopefully by the third or fourth time I play him, I'll learn how he plays."

Two-year deal for Mutombo? Hold on, agent says

HOUSTON -- Houston Rockets center Dikembe Mutombo said Thursday he expects to re-sign with the team.

Mutombo, 39, has indicated he will sign a two-year contract with the Rockets, the Houston Chronicle and Houston television station KRIV reported Thursday.

Mutombo's agent, David Falk, told The Associated Press he could not confirm that.

"Dikembe has really enjoyed his tenure in Houston. They've done a good job of making him feel welcome there," he said. "It's his decision to remain in Houston. I'm confident that [Rockets general manager] Carroll Dawson and I will finalize officially a contract for him. It's a great situation for him."

Rockets spokesman Nelson Luis told the AP he could not confirm whether the team is close to re-signing Mutombo.

Mutombo said in a story in the Chronicle's online edition that he would likely not sign his new contract until late next week.

"Money was not that important to me. I feel I made good money in my career. So I'm going to sign a deal and be happy here," he told the newspaper.

"I think I made the best decision for myself, my wife and my kids," Mutombo told KRIV during a telephone interview. "Hopefully I will play two years and hang up my jersey."

Mutombo told the newspaper that he wanted to be in Houston to complete his career and his work to build a hospital in the Democratic Republic of the Congo.

"I have a chance to be in an organization that accepts what I'm doing in the community and embraced it," he told the newspaper. "People came to the games and understand my devotion, my passion, which is helping people. I have a chance to help the team and to be with teammates who have been so good in my life and Jeff [Van Gundy], who I respect so much as such a great coach.

The 7-foot-2 Mutombo is an eight-time All-Star and four-time defensive player of the year who started playing in the NBA in 1991. He was acquired by the Rockets last season in a trade with the Chicago Bulls.

Emopunkthrice

08/12/05, 10:21 PM

Miami Heat: Rookie power forward Wayne Simien signed a two-year contract worth about $1.8 million Friday.

The 6-foot-9, 255-pound Simien -- the 29th overall pick in this year's draft -- led the Big 12 in scoring (20.3) and rebounding (11.0) as a Kansas senior, and was a finalist for the Wooden and Naismith Awards.

Cracking Miami's rotation will be difficult. The Heat committed more than $83 million this summer to keep power forward Udonis Haslem and acquire Antoine Walker.

"I came into the situation knowing playing time was something that's going to have to be competed for," Simien said. "Now with the addition of a few more guys that play that same position, the stakes will be a little bit higher."

Also Friday, the Heat signed former Kentucky guard Gerald Fitch.

Alongside Simien in the frontcourt mix are centers Shaquille O'Neal, Michael Doleac and Alonzo Mourning. Simien, Haslem, Walker and newcomer Earl Barron will vie for time at power forward.

"I emerged from summer league feeling that I would have no trouble, no problem playing Wayne Simien," Heat coach Stan Van Gundy said last week after the Heat acquired Walker. "And I think that's the first step for any player. & I think he has the skills and the smarts and the toughness where you would have no problem."

Simien averaged 15.0 points and 8.3 rebounds per game on 55.8 percent shooting in his college career, and left as Kansas' 12th leading scorer (1,593 points).

Detroit Pistons: The Pistons announced they hired Sidney Lowe and Don Zierden and retained Igor Kokoskov as assistant coaches.

Lowe most recently was assistant coach in Minnesota to Flip Saunders, now Detroit's head coach. Lowe also spent two seasons as coach of the Vancouver and Memphis Grizzlies, and was an assistant coach in Cleveland.

His four-year playing career included stints with Indiana, Detroit, Atlanta, Charlotte and Minnesota.

Zierden has spent the last five seasons as director of player development with the Timberwolves. He also worked with Saunders at Tulsa, and has worked in the Continental Basketball Association.

Kokoskov, a native of Serbia-Montenegro, enters his third seasons with the Pistons.

Amnesty clause strikes 76ers guard McKie

PHILADELPHIA -- The Philadelphia 76ers waived guard Aaron McKie on Friday and signed free agent Steven Hunter.

McKie will be designated as the team's amnesty player under the NBA's new collective bargaining agreement. That allows the Sixers to release him and remove his contract amount from the team's salary cap for purposes of calculating the luxury tax.

Acquired by Philadelphia on Dec. 18, 1997, from Detroit, McKie scored 4,143 points in seven-plus seasons with the Sixers and was the 2001 NBA Sixth Man of the Year award when he helped the Sixers reach the NBA Finals.

McKie, a 6-foot-5 guard who played at Temple, has averaged 7.6 points, 3.3 rebounds and 2.7 assists in 11 seasons with Portland, Detroit and Philadelphia.

The 7-foot Hunter adds needed depth to Philadelphia's frontcourt and will back up Samuel Dalembert and Chris Webber.

"I didn't know I was coming here until yesterday when I finally made a decision," Hunter said.

Hunter, the No. 15 overall pick in the 2001 draft, spent the first three years of his career with Orlando and last season with Phoenix. In four seasons, Hunter has averaged 3.9 points, 2.7 rebounds and 1.1 blocks on 54.4 percent shooting from the field in 221 career games.

Last season with the Suns, Hunter averaged 4.6 points and 3.0 rebounds in a career-high 76 games and appeared in all 15 playoff games off the bench.

"I can play physical, I can run and up down. It don't matter to me," he said.

Sixers president Billy King said the team used a healthy portion of their mid-level exception to sign Hunter. They created salary space earlier in the week when they traded forward Marc Jackson to New Jersey

'Sam I Am' to bring playoff experience to Clippers

MINNEAPOLIS -- The Minnesota Timberwolves traded aging point guard Sam Cassell and a conditional first-round draft pick to the Los Angeles Clippers on Friday night for guards Marko Jaric and Lionel Chalmers.

The deal ends a two-year, up-and-down stint in Minnesota for Cassell, who helped lead the team to the Western Conference finals in 2003-04 after arriving in a trade with Milwaukee.

But Cassell began to wear out his welcome last season, complaining about his lack of a contract extension when training camp started and then struggling through an injury-plagued season at age 35 while averaging 13.5 points and 5.1 assists in 59 games. The Wolves missed the playoffs for the first time since 1996.

"Last year was a disappointing year," Timberwolves vice president of basketball operations Kevin McHale said. "It was time to go in another direction."

Jaric, a 6-foot-7 guard from Serbia-Montenegro, was a restricted free agent who was signed by the Clippers before the trade. He averaged a career-high 9.9 points, 6.1 assists and 33.1 minutes for Los Angeles last season.

McHale said the Timberwolves targeted Jaric all offseason, calling him as soon as free agency opened on Aug. 1.

"We really like Marko," McHale said. "He's very versatile."

Versatility is something new coach Dwane Casey covets, and McHale said Casey lobbied hard for the team to go after Jaric.

Jaric is also considered a better defender at the point than Cassell, a big plus for the Timberwolves, who were picked apart by opposing point guards all last season.

"Marko is a big guard who can see over the defense, and he can defend both the point guard and shooting guard position," Casey said in a statement issued by the team. "We feel we've really upgraded our defense and our team with the addition of Marko."

Chalmers appeared in 36 games for the Clippers as a rookie last season, averaging 3.1 points, 1.4 assists and 12.0 minutes.

The first-round pick is lottery protected, so if Minnesota misses the playoffs again this season the Timberwolves will hang on to that selection.

McHale said the Timberwolves were also close to re-signing free agent forward Eddie Griffin. And with the addition of Jaric, Griffin and Nikoloz Tskitishvili, McHale was comfortable giving up the first-round pick.

"Our young base is pretty solid," McHale said. "We have plenty of young big guys, so I think we're in pretty good shape.

Latest ruling could pave way for Johnson trade

Joe Johnson's long-anticipated move from the Phoenix Suns to the Atlanta Hawks moved a significant step closer to completion Friday when a Boston judge reversed a ruling that had given Hawks part-owner Steve Belkin hope of blocking the sign-and-trade arrangement.

Johnson, in fact, traveled to Atlanta on Thursday night in anticipation of finally joining the Hawks, sources close to the situation told ESPN.com. After urging the Suns to let him go, the restricted free agent has been poised for nearly two weeks to sign a five-year, $70 million contract with an up-front payment of $20 million and then leave Phoenix for Atlanta in a swap sending Boris Diaw and two future first-round picks to the desert.

Formal completion of the trade, though, remains on hold until next week.

Suffolk County (Mass.) Superior Court judge Allan van Gestel on Friday dissolved a temporary injuction he had granted Belkin on Tuesday, after receiving an affidavit from NBA commissioner David Stern supporting a request from the Hawks' ownership board to remove Belkin as the team's representative on the NBA Board of Governors.

Yet as part of Friday's ruling, van Gestel also decreed that the Hawks' ownership board "now must comply strictly with the requirements" specified in the club's partnership agreement "to complete Belkin's removal" as team governor.

Those steps include providing written notice to Belkin of his "removable act" -- specifically Belkin's directive to the NBA last week not to proceed with the Johnson trade -- and giving him five business days to rescind that act.

It was not immediately clear if Belkin can now preserve his governor status by notifying the league office to go ahead with the Johnson trade, or if the Hawks will be able to complete their plans to strip Belkin of his governor status. The other two parties in the Hawks' three-headed ownership triangle -- one in Atlanta and another in Washington -- want to replace Belkin as governor with Atlanta-based Michael Gearon Jr.

It was also unclear Friday if the trade, which the teams agreed to in principle on July 30, can be consummated before those five business days elapse. If not, formal completion of the deal might be on hold until next Friday.

The Hawks' ownership agreement states that the groups from Atlanta and Washington and the Boston-based Belkin each hold one equal vote on club matters. Two-thirds of the Hawks' power structure backed the Johnson trade from the start.

NBA rules, however, dictate that every team -- no matter how many owners it has -- must designate one representative to notify the league on player transactions. That representative is typically the team governor.

Belkin, who possesses a 30-percent stake in the franchise, refused to approve the trade, saying the Hawks were giving up too much for Johnson by including the draft picks. Belkin's partners have maintained that his refusal to advise the league office that Atlanta was prepared to complete the trade last Tuesday was an action taken against the majority's wishes and thus grounds for removal.

Amid the ongoing uncertainty regarding Belkin's status, Atlanta management was tight-lipped after van Gestel's ruling. What the Hawks were prepared to acknowledge in a team statement Friday evening is that they "look forward to Joe Johnson becoming a member of the Hawks in the very near future."

Ultimately landing Johnson will be a huge catch for Hawks general manager Billy Knight, who has struggled since last summer to convert his considerable salary-cap space into a marquee acquisition. Having whiffed a year ago in its attempts to score free agents such as Kenyon Martin and Erick Dampier, Atlanta has been quietly optimistic for weeks that it would be able to import Johnson as a point guard to team with its cadre of young swingmen: Al Harrington, Josh Childress, Josh Smith and Marvin Williams, selected No. 2 overall in the June draft.

"I love the [point guard] idea," Johnson told ESPN.com last month, during an interview in which he revealed his desire to leave the Suns after a breakthrough season for the 24-year-old and the team.

"I'd love that, having the ball in my hands," Johnson said. "I think I'm a great shooter, but that's where I think I'm most effective, making decisions."

Losing Johnson is an undeniable blow for the Suns, who have long considered the versatile swingman no less critical to last season's overwhelming success than any of their three All-Stars: Amare Stoudemire, Shawn Marion and Steve Nash. Next to Nash, the league's reigning MVP, Johnson was the only other dependable playmaker on a 62-win team and shot a deadly 47.8 percent from 3-point range.

The Suns, though, will create a valuable $4.9 million trade exception as part of this sign-and-trade arrangement to help in their pursuit of a Johnson replacement.

They also still hope to have a shot at signing former Phoenix draftee Michael Finley, who will be released Monday under the league's new "amnesty clause" by the Dallas Mavericks unless the Mavericks can trade Finley before Monday's amnesty deadline.

Although it would face stiff competition from Miami, Detroit and San Antonio if Finley is waived, Plan A for Phoenix is setting up a four-man platoon (Finley, Diaw, Jim Jackson and the recently signed Raja Bell) to fill the void left by Johnson, whose desire to leave Phoenix stems in part from his wish to have a bigger role than he had with the star-laden Suns

Kings sign Abdur-Rahim

When the New Jersey Nets decided they didn't want Shareef Abdur-Rahim, the Sacramento Kings eagerly grabbed him.

The Kings signed Abdur-Rahim to a multiyear contract Friday, three days after the Nets rescinded a trade with the Portland Trail Blazers because of medical concerns about the nine-year veteran's right knee.

The Kings, who bid for the free agent's services earlier in the summer, wasted no time reasserting their interest. They quickly closed a deal, locking up a 28-year-old power forward who has racked up impressive statistics and made plenty of money, but never reached the playoffs.

``The biggest thing for me was trying to get on a team that had a chance to win and win big,'' Abdur-Rahim said. ``That's what I want to try and do for the rest of my career. The guys that are already here are accustomed to winning and competing at a high level. I'm looking forward to coming in and being a part of it. It's a nice fit for me here.''

Abdur-Rahim, who made more than $14 million last season in Portland, took a pay cut to join the Kings, who have made the postseason seven straight times and won 50 games in five straight seasons. Because the Kings already are over the salary cap, he is expected to be paid the NBA's midlevel exception, worth about $5 million next season.

Abdur-Rahim has averaged 19.9 points and 8.1 rebounds in a career with Vancouver, Atlanta and Portland, but he doesn't want to go down in league history as the archetypal good player on bad teams. His playoff drought seems likely to end with the Kings, who added him to a starting lineup that now could be one of the NBA's strongest.

But until early this week, he thought he would be playing alongside Jason Kidd and Vince Carter in New Jersey.

``The only thing I can tell you is that I'm healthy,'' Abdur-Rahim said. ``I guess (the Nets) did their physical and found something that made them uncomfortable. I've never missed games or practices because of my knees, so like I said, their concerns came out of the blue to me.''

Geoff Petrie, the Kings' president of basketball operations, moved swiftly to complete the latest move in his yearlong makeover of the franchise, which has parted ways with Chris Webber, Vlade Divac, Doug Christie, Cuttino Mobley and Bobby Jackson since last summer. With Abdur-Rahim in town, Maurice Evans and Darius Songaila now are likely to leave as free agents.

Petrie said the Kings' medical staff shares none of the Nets' concerns about Abdur-Rahim's knees. Abdur-Rahim missed 22 games last season with an elbow injury -- the first time he missed more than five games in an NBA season.

``We think he'll improve our team in areas where we wanted to get better and give us dimensions on the (low) block,'' Petrie said. ``He has not only been a high-caliber player, but also a high-caliber citizen.''

Sacramento acquired high-scoring guard Bonzi Wells in a trade with Memphis last week, and the Kings picked up guard Francisco Garcia in the draft. Abdur-Rahim joins a projected starting lineup with Wells, Mike Bibby -- Abdur-Rahim's former teammate in Vancouver -- Peja Stojakovic and Brad Miller, along with Kenny Thomas, Corliss Williamson, Brian Skinner and new signees Jason Hart and Jamal Sampson on the bench.

``I think we've been able to add pieces that are going to fit together well,'' coach Rick Adelman said. ``The challenge this team has is that so many new players have to come together quickly. In talking with Shareef and the other players we have, we're all about trying to win as a team. I'm excited this worked out.''

While Abdur-Rahim visited his list of potential new teams in recent weeks, he said the Kings were among his top two choices. His wife is from the San Francisco Bay area, about 90 miles west, and he played one collegiate season at California.

``Since college, I've always like this area,'' Abdur-Rahim said. ``I spent two or three years after college here in the offseason, so if I have a second home other than Atlanta, it would be here.''

Gadzuric's deal with Bucks officially signed

MILWAUKEE (AP) -- The Milwaukee Bucks re-signed center Dan Gadzuric on Friday.

Gadzuric's agent said last month the contract was for six years and worth $36 million.

``Dan is an extremely active player who has improved every year he's been with us,'' Bucks general manager Larry Harris said in a statement. ``He plays with high energy and runs the floor extremely well.''

The 27-year-old Gadzuric is beginning his fourth NBA season after being selected by the Bucks in the second round of the 2002 draft. He averaged a career-high 7.3 points and 8.3 rebounds and played in all but one game last season.

Gadzuric posted 19 double-doubles, tops on the team and a career high.

``Dan gives us another young, athletic big man to help anchor our defense,'' Bucks coach Terry Stotts said. ``He's taken steps every year to get better, and I believe he and Andrew Bogut will complement each other very well.''

Emopunkthrice

08/13/05, 05:39 PM

New York Knicks: The New York Post reported Allan Houston isn't expected to be waived before the league's amnesty deadline Monday.

The Post said the team may waive one of four players to take advantage of the one-time league provision that allows teams to reduce their luxury tax liability. The three possible candidates are power forwards Malik Rose, Maurice Taylor and Jerome Williams. Also, the Knicks may waive the contract of Shandon Anderson, bought out last October, The Post said.

If the team waives Houston, it would save $39.8 million in luxury tax, the newspaper said. The provision in its new collective bargaining agreement is informally referred to as "The Allan Houston Rule."

The Knicks would prefer that Houston agree to a medical retirement, which would save them much more than just the luxury tax reduction of the amnesty rule. Houston would get every penny but insurance -- not the Knicks -- would pay 75 percent of Houston's $39.8 million in salary, minus a 20 percent deductible.

Sources close to Houston told The Post that Houston had not yet been informed of the Knicks' decision.

The Knicks can save $18 million if they waive Anderson's pact on Monday. The Knicks would save $18.8 million waiving Taylor, but his contract becomes a big asset next summer when it enters its final year. Rose, in contrast, has three years remaining and the Knicks could be relieved of $19.5 million in luxury tax.

Milwaukee Bucks: Guard Michael Redd re-signed Saturday with the team after agreeing to a deal last month of six years, $90.1 million.

"This was something that we felt was going to happen ever since the start of last season, when we knew Michael was going to be a free agent," Bucks general manager Larry Harris said in a statement. "Today's signing is definitely the culmination of everything we've done this offseason."

Redd, a 6-foot-6 shooting guard from Ohio State, averaged a career-high 23 points last season and averaged 17.7 points since Milwaukee drafted him in the second round in 2000.

His deal with the Bucks is the largest contract a second-round pick has ever received. He is the only free agent to sign a maximum contract this offseason.

Redd returned to the Bucks to play alongside No. 1 draft pick Andrew Bogut after spurning a multiyear offer made by the Cleveland Cavaliers.

TJ Wells

08/14/05, 04:05 AM

Go Bulls!

Emopunkthrice

08/15/05, 01:23 PM

Miami Heat: Matt Walsh signed a two-year contract with the team, completing a deal that was essentially agreed to in principle more than a month ago.

The former Florida forward, an undrafted free agent, could make over $1 million in the deal, which is partially guaranteed for the first year.

He's the third former Gators standout on the Heat roster, joining power forward Udonis Haslem and newly acquired point guard Jason Williams, who came to Miami in a trade with Memphis.

Walsh averaged 14-point-1 points in three seasons at Florida. He left after his junior season and entered the draft, yet wasn't selected.

In his final college season, the 6-foot-6 Walsh was a second-team All-Southeastern Conference selection after leading the Gators in 3-point accuracy (42.6 percent) and assists (3.0 per game).

Duhon stays with Bulls after they match Raptors' offer

The Chicago Bulls announced Monday they have matched the contract offer to restricted free agent guard Chris Duhon by the Toronto Raptors.

Per team policy, terms of the contract were not disclosed. The Raptors had made their offer August 9.

"Chris was an integral part of our success last season and we're excited to have him back," said John Paxson, the Bulls' executive vice president of basketball operations.

"The opportunity to retain our continuity and see our young team grow together has been a key offseason focus for us, and this is a step in that direction," he said.

Drafted by Chicago in the second round (38th overall) of NBA Draft 2004, the 6-1, 185-pound Duhon was one of only two Bulls to appear in all 82 games during the 2004-05 season, including 73 starts.

The 6-1, 195 pound guard averaged 5.9 ppg, 4.9 apg (NBA rookie-high), 2.6 rpg, 1.00 spg and 26.5 mpg. He also appeared in all six of Chicago's playoff games in 2005 and posted 6.2 ppg, 4.3 rpg, 3.5 apg and 26.5 mpg.

Amnesty roundup: Knicks ditch "Junkyard Dog"

All "amnesty" rumors will come to an end soon. The deadline for releasing a player via the amnesty clause ends tonight at midnight. The provision allows teams a one-time exception to waive a player without paying any further luxury tax on the player's contract. However, team's are not awarded any cap relief.

As for the released player, he becomes an unrestricted free agent and can sign with any team other than his previous employer.

Here's a list of the amnesty casualties thus far:

New York Knicks: Team president Isiah Thomas announced today that forward Jerome Williams -- aka "Junkyard Dog" -- has been waived as the designated player for the amnesty provision, and not Allan Houston.

The Knicks will be responsible for the $21-plus million left on the remaining three years of his deal. Williams, 32, averaged 4.5 points, 3.6 rebounds and 15.3 minutes in 79 games last season for New York and has career averages of 6.6 points and 6.4 rebounds in 587 games for four teams.

New Jersey Nets: The team waived guard Ron Mercer on Monday and will save $1.76 million salary on their payroll for next season. The Nets still must pay Mercer for this coming season, but he was not under contract beyond that.

Signed as a free agent on August 12, 2004, the 29-year-old Mercer averaged just 7.6 points and 2.2 rebounds in 18 games for the Nets last season. He missed 63 games due to injury, including 42 for a left knee ailment that required arthroscopic surgery on November 15.

Milwaukee Bucks: Calvin Booth will have to find a new home as the Bucks waived the center on Monday. The Bucks still must pay Booth more than $13 million over the next two seasons.

Booth was acquired by Milwaukee on February 24 along with Alan Henderson and an undisclosed amount of cash from Dallas for Keith Van Horn. The 29-year-old Booth averaged just 2.5 points and 2.9 rebounds in 11.1 minutes in 17 games with the Bucks last season. In six NBA seasons, he has averaged 4.1 points and 3.3 rebounds in 250 games.

Emopunkthrice

08/15/05, 05:17 PM

Amnesty roundup: Pacers waive retired Miller

All "amnesty" rumors will come to an end soon. The deadline for releasing a player via the amnesty clause ends tonight at midnight. The provision allows teams a one-time exception to waive a player without paying any further luxury tax on the player's contract. However, teams are not awarded any cap relief.

As for the released player, he becomes an unrestricted free agent and can sign with any team other than his previous employer.

Indiana Pacers: The team announced Monday they have waived guard Reggie Miller, who retired last season and has one year remaining on his contract.

"I've spoken with Reggie and he is fine with it," said Pacers CEO and President Donnie Walsh in a team statement. "This will go down as his final assist."

Miller is the Pacers' all-time leading scorer and played his entire 18-year career with the team.

Emopunkthrice

08/15/05, 10:26 PM

Mavs use amnesty clause, waive Finley

DALLAS -- Michael Finley's final day with the Dallas Mavericks arrived Monday, when the team waived its longtime leader and captain.

"This has been a very difficult process for all of us," Mavericks president of basketball operations and assistant coach Donnie Nelson said in a statement. "Michael has played a huge role in rebuilding this franchise and taking it to where it is today. He is a winner in every sense of the word and I am proud to have shared a locker room with him. We thank him and wish him nothing but the best."

Under a one-time amnesty provision in the NBA's new labor contract, the Mavericks saved $51 million in luxury taxes over the next three years by waiving Finley, who became an unrestricted free agent.

Finley will still be guaranteed the $51 million left on his contract, plus whatever money he gets from a new team. He won't be able to re-sign with the Mavericks until his original contract expires after the 2007-08 season, when he will be 35.

Among the teams expected to try to sign Finley are the Suns, Spurs, Heat, Pistons and Nuggets, according to ESPN.com's Marc Stein.

The San Antonio Spurs have just over half of their $5 million mid-level exception remaining to woo Finley, and the top two teams in the East are offering more. The Miami Heat and the Detroit Pistons will be offering Finley a contract starting at the full mid-level exception, as will the on-the-rise Denver Nuggets.

The deadline for taking advantage of the amnesty provision was midnight ET Monday.

Finley was traded to the Mavericks from Phoenix on Dec. 26, 1996, and is the longest-tenured player on the Dallas roster. He averaged 19.8 points for the Mavericks over 626 games the past 8½ seasons.

The Mavericks reportedly have already found Finley's replacement.

Reports out of Texas said the Mavericks have reached an oral agreement with veteran swingman Doug Christie on a one-year, $3 million deal. Before Christie officially becomes a Maverick, he must wait seven days to clear waivers, according to league rules.

Christie was waived Thursday by the Orlando Magic under the same amnesty clause.

Finley was an All-Star before Steve Nash and Dirk Nowitzki were, then together that trio became known as the "Big Three" -- taking the Mavericks from being one of the league's worst teams to having at least 50 wins and going to the playoffs four straight seasons. Nash left as a free agent last summer to the Suns.

In 2001, Finley signed a maximum contract of $100-plus million over seven years. The Mavericks owe him about $16 million for 2005-06, with salaries of roughly $17 million and $18 million over the next two seasons.

This past season, Finley had some of the lowest averages in his 12 NBA seasons, scoring 15.7 points a game -- his lowest ever in Dallas. He shot 42.7 percent from the field and averaged a career-low 4.1 rebounds.

Since averaging at least 20 points a game in his first five full seasons in Dallas, Finley's scoring average has dropped each of the last three seasons.

In June, Finley had arthroscopic surgery to remove bone chips from his right ankle, which bothered him most of the season and even made him miss 15 games before Christmas. The surgery was successful, and he should be fully recovered by the start of training camp.

Christie, who played for the Sacramento Kings before being traded to the Magic in January, will still get about $8 million for Orlando. He's also played for the Los Angeles Lakers, New York Knicks and Toronto Raptors, averaging 11.4 points and 1.9 steals per game over his career.

Alex Djaferis

08/16/05, 12:51 AM

this is quite an offseason

radiofriendly

08/16/05, 06:45 AM

great article by mike kahn that breaks down the waivers that wil be happening, and possible scenarios

The amnesty waiver deadline is Aug. 15, so any team that wants to release a player with a contract that pushes them into possible luxury tax territory must do it now. Keep in mind, it doesn't absolve the teams of the contract responsibility, nor salary cap ramifications, it just saves ownership the dollar-for-dollar matching of the luxury tax.

1. Commissioner David Stern submitted an affidavit approving the removal of Steve Belkin as the governor of the Atlanta Hawks, with the hope of moving forward with the trade of Boris Diaw and two No. 1 draft choices to Phoenix for Joe Johnson, who signed a five-year, $70 million contract with the hopes of being traded to the Hawks.

What this really means: Tuesday, Allan van Gestel, the Massachusetts superior court judge who issued the restraining order last week to prevent Belkin's ousting, lifted the restraining order. The Atlanta Spirit, the ownership group that owns the Hawks, now will remove Belkin as governor and presumably replace him with Michael Gearston Jr. It was a logical move, to put it mildly. As Stern stated in his affidavit, if a governor can be removed for making a trade that the other owners disapprove of, then he should certainly be subject to the same situation if he blocks a trade they want to complete.

Once again, the Hawks have been humiliated as an organization, but this time they will overcome it because Stern did the right thing to help expedite this transition. It sure seems like Belkin is pining for a huge buyout, but more importantly, he is in the minority when it comes to the value of the trade. Whether Johnson turns into a superstar or not isn't the issue. They sorely need a player even at the caliber he plays right now. And what is even more remarkable in this situation is the patience of the Suns organization. Having agreed to the five-year, $70 million deal, they could have pushed Johnson into a trade somewhere else, but have the class to wait this out. Hopefully, the judge will take care of this in short order. The Hawks and the NBA need this resolved quickly and quietly.

2. The New Jersey Nets decided not to complete the sign-and-trade with the Portland Trail Blazers for Shareef Abdur-Rahim when scar tissue showed up in his arthritic knee during his physical exam. They then signed free agent point guard Jeff McInnis and swung a deal for Philadelphia's Marc Jackson to play power forward.

What this really means: The Nets panicked. And it's going to cost them, because Abdur-Rahim really fit their need for a low-post scorer, which they still don't have. Jackson doesn't have a low-post game, prefers to face up, and doesn't rebound or defend anywhere near what his size and demeanor would indicate. So the Nets still don't have a post game to go along with the race-horse tendencies of Jason Kidd, Vince Carter and Richard Jefferson. Young center Nenad Krstic is a fine shooter, but another face-up player and Jason Collins has no offensive game. And it's hard to fathom how McInnis, who has always become discontented when he doesn't get consistent minutes, will deal with playing such a minor role in the backcourt behind Kidd and Carter. This is so odd, and so unlike president Rod Thorn, it's hard to fathom. Abdur-Rahim has played with his knee issue since high school and is one of the class players in the NBA. He has wanted to play for the Nets for more than a year, and was crushed when they went public with the knee issue. Perhaps he will get the last laugh.

3. The Sacramento Kings stepped right up in the wake of the scuttled deal and signed Abdur-Rahim to a reported five-year, $28 million contract Saturday.

What this really means: This is a classic move by Kings president Geoff Petrie. Petrie has shown he is never concerned about what other teams feel about players, and certainly the Kings physicians saw the same test results as did those of the Nets. But with his limited budget, this was his chance to complete a starting five that coach Rick Adelman is eminently qualified to help seriously compete in the West. They grabbed high-scoring, high-spirited Bonzi Wells to start in the backcourt with Mike Bibby. Abdur-Rahim now is the low-post complement to Peja Stojakovic. Center Brad Miller, whom many believe the Kings overpaid for, closes the circle with fine shooting, passing and rebounding skills. The Kings were knocked out in the first round last spring in the wake of trading Chris Webber, and were ripped by the media. Abdur-Rahim, who has never played on a winning team, let alone on a playoff team, deserves this chance and could be the difference toward them returning to at least a second-round playoff presence in the years to come.

4. The Orlando Magic waived Doug Christie, which in the wake of Cuttino Mobley leaving the Kings to sign a free-agent deal with the Los Angeles Clippers, means the two-player deal of last season created a net zero for both clubs.

What this really means: Both players are loaded with talent, but both are even bigger headaches than the productivity they bring to the floor justifies. Mobley is one of the great streak shooters in the league, but whether it was in Houston, Orlando or Sacramento, there were always issues with selfishness and his overall game. Christie is even more bizarre. His impossibly possessive wife Jackie has interfered with him during games, meetings and has been a ludicrous distraction everywhere he's been because she doesn't allow him to be around other women. She barely tolerates him even looking at another woman during conversation. Ironically, Sacramento was his longest and most effective stay. But as his body continues to break down, so does his value. Will he last in Dallas? Now that his wife Jackie knows the Mavs have a very talented public relations director in Sarah Melton, how will Jackie handle that? Sometimes, the internal issues dealt with by NBA general managers aren't all that different than those facing a sixth grade teacher.

5. As expected, the Indiana Pacers signed Lithuanian guard Sarunas Jasikevicius to a three-year, $12 million last week.

What this really means: The Pacers now have added a key element to their backcourt that will help ease the retirement of Reggie Miller. Jasikevicius is 29 years old, and has been successful at all levels of international play — whether in the Olympics for Lithuania or in Israel for Maccabi Tel Aviv. He is 6-4, has great shooting range, and is experienced at both point guard and shooting guard. Pacers president Larry Bird has been hot on his trail for years and is convinced he's a perfect blend for his team. In case people forgot, the Pacers were serious contenders to win the NBA title last season before the brawl in Detroit crippled their team. With plenty of quality depth up front, it has been the injuries and lack of experience in the backcourt that has been in question. Bird is convinced Jasikevicius is the answer ... who's to argue?

6. Brian Grant became an unrestricted free agent last week when the Los Angeles Lakers waived him under the amnesty rule.

What this really means: For years, Grant has been the subject of trade rumors because first the Miami Heat, and then the Lakers, tried desperately to get rid of his maximum contract while his knees continued to deteriorate and render him a shadow of his former effectiveness. Now that he's a free agent, and available for perhaps as little as the veteran's minimum (since the Lakers will pay the remainder of his contract), expect everyone from the Heat to the Nets to the Chicago Bulls to battle for the interior toughness Grant brings both defensively and on the boards every night with what ever he has left in his game. He's the classic guy playing with more heart than tools at this point of his career, and that is invaluable on any team with aspirations to go deep into the playoffs.

7. Following a season during which he was a lame duck president of basketball operations for the Detroit Pistons, Joe Dumars signed an extension with owner Bill Davidson last week for an undisclosed length.

What this really means: Davidson is a loyalist, and Dumars is not only a loyalist but arguably one of the top three general managers in all of professional sports. With a payroll in the lower half of the NBA the past two seasons, the Pistons have been to the NBA Finals both seasons — winning in 2004. His first year as president, Grant Hill told him he was leaving to play for the Orlando Magic. Dumars turned it into Ben Wallace and Chucky Atkins and the rebuilding process was on. Within two years he turned them into a division champion; three years and they were competing in the conference semifinals; and the past two in the finals. He is as bright and talented as an executive as he was a player — that is rare in this age of shortcuts and prima donnas. People in every walk of life can learn from Joe Dumars — just look and listen.

8. Marko Jaric finally found a home when the Los Angeles Clippers proved they really weren't interested in re-signing him, so they signed and traded him along with Lionel Chalmers to the Minnesota Timberwolves for aging point guard Sam Cassell and a conditional No. 1 draft choice.

What this really means: For some reason, the rest of the league seemed far more interested in Jaric than the Clippers. Was it the typical bad decision-making or does the 6-7 Jaric have some fatal flaws to his game? Here's believing the former. Cassell has been falling apart physically the past two seasons and he's not going to get any better with his 36th birthday coming in a few months. And the conditional first round pick — lottery protected — will matter little considering the youth of the drafts these days and the possibility of Jaric helping the Timberwolves get back to being serious playoff contenders. The Timberwolves still have plenty of talent around Kevin Garnett and new coach Dwane Casey deserves the opportunity to take some rejuvenated and motivated players without the baggage of last year's team. Adding Jaric, trading Cassell and letting Latrell Sprewell go is a great start.

9.: The Philadelphia 76ers traded Marc Jackson for a second-round draft pick, signed unproven 7-footer Steven Hunter to a four-year, $16.5 million contract, and waived aging native son Aaron McKie as the makeover continues around Allen Iverson.

What this really means: It's difficult to know whether president Billy King actually knows what he's doing rebuilding this team for new coach Maurice Cheeks. They've been spinning their wheels for four seasons since Larry Brown coached them to the finals, and they haven't come close since. Hunter has some talent, but is completely unproven. And that leaves us with the tossup question as to whether Chris Webber has enough left in his legs and heart to help snap them out of this mediocre funk or will end up being a financial and emotional albatross that tears them apart.

10. Michael Finley was released by the Dallas Mavericks late Monday night, meaning the competition will begin for the 32-year-old shooting guard's services.

What this really means: Sure, the Mavs probably tried to trade him, but did any other team really want to pick up the final three years of his contract that averages $17 million? Finley is a great asset if you are trying to woo him with the mid-level exception of $5 million a year ... not when you have to pay him $17 million. He did average 15.7 points and 4.1 rebounds last season, but after not missing a game the first six seasons of his career — even playing 83 when he was dealt from Phoenix to Dallas — he has missed an average of 14 games a year the past four. Nonetheless, he is 6-foot-7, 225 pound great shooter and another superb person who is an asset to the community. Look at every competing team — Phoenix, Denver, Detroit and Miami to start — as teams that will be lining up after midnight Monday to lure him into the fold. Where he will land is tough to say, but whoever gets him will be glad to pay him the $5 million a year or so, plus reap the benefits.

Alex Djaferis

08/16/05, 06:59 AM

^^ that was a good read.

Doug Christie is a joke.

radiofriendly

08/16/05, 08:38 AM

Doug Christie is a joke.
eh, i give him a little more credit. as a person i don't really understand what he's all about. his wife is a nutcase. as a ballplayer, he is an excellent defender. im really optimistic about the move. it seems he wants to play in dallas, and that's not a bad place to start for him. take away his injuries and his unwillingness to play, you have what he did for the Kings, which was solid play.

it's really too bad we had to dump finley. last season he was in a lot of pain. i think he's going to be a powerhouse this season, especially if he signs with phoenix. he won't ever be worth what we were paying him, but he will be missed.

b e L I E v e

08/16/05, 11:13 AM

eh, i give him a little more credit. as a person i don't really understand what he's all about. his wife is a nutcase. as a ballplayer, he is an excellent defender. im really optimistic about the move. it seems he wants to play in dallas, and that's not a bad place to start for him. take away his injuries and his unwillingness to play, you have what he did for the Kings, which was solid play.

it's really too bad we had to dump finley. last season he was in a lot of pain. i think he's going to be a powerhouse this season, especially if he signs with phoenix. he won't ever be worth what we were paying him, but he will be missed.
I will literally die to have finely on the nets

Emopunkthrice

08/16/05, 09:50 PM

Green undergoes surgery on left knee

PHILADELPHIA -- Philadelphia 76ers restricted free agent Willie Green will miss six to nine months after undergoing successful surgery on his left knee Tuesday.

The 6-foot-2 guard was scheduled to sign a $20 million, six-year contract, but the restricted free agent injured his knee in a pickup game. While contract terms were reached, the deal was never signed.

"I have been in contact with Willie's agent and we are exploring options with Willie," team president Billy King said. "There will be no immediate answer at this time."

Agent Noah Croom said he was unsure when he'll talk about the contract with King.

"I'm sure that he has some concerns and issues. We'll figure it out," Croom said. "There's no need to get into specifics. We'll have to figure out what our next step is."

Green thrived as a reserve last year when Allen Iverson was injured, including a 32-point game against Washington in January.

In two seasons with the 76ers, Green averaged 7.3 points and 1.4 assists. He was drafted in the second round in 2003 by Seattle and acquired by Philadelphia in a draft-night trade.

Croom said Green was optimistic he would return sometime this season and was ready to start his rehab.

"The doctors seemed to think he should be cleared medically within six months, then it's just a matter of when he can play," he said.

James' likeness to appear on Bobby Labonte's car

Coca-Cola will test LeBron James' crossover appeal when the company puts the Cleveland Cavaliers guard on Bobby Labonte's hood next Saturday night.

A comic book character resembling the 20-year-old NBA marketing icon will be plastered on the hood of the No. 18 car for the Sharpie 500 at the Bristol Motor Speedway to promote POWERade's new James-inspired flavor, SourMelon.

Coca-Cola officials say that recent data shows that 74 percent of all NBA fans are also NASCAR watchers.

"We're about doing things differently and changing the way sports and entertainment are combined to better connect with our consumers," said Michael La Kier, Coca-Cola's senior brand manager of sports drinks.

Coca-Cola will be flying in James to see his first live NASCAR race.

"I really like the look of the race car," James said in a statement. "But I'm thinking we need to add some new rims."

Coca-Cola will hand out commemorative comic books, with James and Labonte as characters, to fans at the track.

The flavor, which is scheduled to hit shelves in 32-ounce bottles on Oct. 1, is the second in the line called FLAVA23. Sourberry, which matched the colors of his Cleveland Cavaliers jersey, hit supermarket and convenience store shelves last September. James helped chose the flavor, which is colored an emerald green, the color of his jersey at St. Vincent-St. Mary High School.

Coca-Cola signed James two years ago to a six-year deal worth $2 million annually. Per the contract, James endorses both the POWERade and Sprite brands. Sources with knowledge of the contract told ESPN.com that James receives a bonus if POWERade's market share grows. La Kier would not confirm details of the contract.

For every four Gatorade bottles sold in the United States, one POWERade bottle is sold, but the Coca-Cola sports drink brand is doing extremely well. La Kier said that total volume sold has increased 23 percent year-to-date.

POWERade is an official sponsor of NASCAR, but in recent years has battled for placement with Gatorade, which owns victory lane at some tracks and has individual deals with drivers.

"We enjoy the competition," La Kier said.

James isn't the first person to appear on a race car. Arnold Palmer, James Dean, Muhammad Ali, the Harlem Globetrotters, Carrot Top and the Allman Brothers have all appeared on cars. In 2001, Bobby Labonte's car featured the image of Cal Ripken Jr.

Labonte is currently in 24th place in the point standings. The last time he won a race was Nov. 16, 2003. A sellout crowd of more than 160,000 people is expected to see the race in person on Aug. 27.

Duhon stays with Bulls after they match Raptors' offer

The Chicago Bulls announced Monday they have matched the contract offer to restricted free agent guard Chris Duhon by the Toronto Raptors.

Per team policy, terms of the contract were not disclosed. The Raptors had made their offer August 9.

"Chris was an integral part of our success last season and we're excited to have him back," said John Paxson, the Bulls' executive vice president of basketball operations.

"The opportunity to retain our continuity and see our young team grow together has been a key offseason focus for us, and this is a step in that direction," he said.

Drafted by Chicago in the second round (38th overall) of NBA Draft 2004, the 6-1, 185-pound Duhon was one of only two Bulls to appear in all 82 games during the 2004-05 season, including 73 starts.

The 6-1, 195 pound guard averaged 5.9 ppg, 4.9 apg (NBA rookie-high), 2.6 rpg, 1.00 spg and 26.5 mpg. He also appeared in all six of Chicago's playoff games in 2005 and posted 6.2 ppg, 4.3 rpg, 3.5 apg and 26.5 mpg.

Emopunkthrice

08/17/05, 07:23 PM

Mourning says he's 'more committed than ever'

MIAMI -- Miami center Alonzo Mourning announced Wednesday that he will return for another season with the Heat.

The 35-year-old Mourning had been contemplating retirement since the Heat were eliminated by the Pistons in the Eastern Conference finals two months ago.

"I remain more committed than ever to bring a championship to Miami,'' Mourning said in a statement released by the team.

The former All-Star center was due to become a free agent after last season, but the Heat picked up the option on his contract in June.

"We feel his decision to come back is going to be critical toward our success and goal of winning an NBA championship,'' team president Pat Riley said. "We have the utmost respect for Alonzo and he deserves to be part of this championship run.''

A win away from the NBA Finals last season, Mourning's return is just the latest move for the Heat. In the last month, the Heat signed Shaquille O'Neal to a five-year deal and dealt awayEddie Jones, Rasual Butler and Qyntel Woods in a 13-player, five-team trade that brought Antoine Walker, Jason Williams, James Posey and Andre Emmett to South Florida.

"I'm thrilled with all the improvements the team has made this summer and can't wait to get on the court and start playing,'' Mourning said.

Mourning averaged 5.0 points, 3.7 rebounds and 1.74 blocks in 19 games backing up O'Neal last season, after he signed with the Heat in March as a free agent after playing two seasons with New Jersey.

He averaged 7.6 points, 5.4 rebounds and 2.0 blocks in 37 games with the two teams last season.

In his 14 NBA seasons, Mourning has averaged 19.4 points, 9.4 rebounds and 2.93 blocks in 671 career NBA games. He ranks sixth in NBA history in blocks per game, 14th in total blocks and 29th in field goal percentage.

radiofriendly

08/18/05, 09:36 AM

from dmn, chuck carlton

The Mavericks were close to a deal this morning with free-agent center DeSagana Diop, who they hope will fill the backup center spot behind Erick Dampier. An announcement could come today or Friday. "It's going in a great direction," said Mavericks president of basketball operations Donnie Nelson when contacted Thursday morning. But Nelson emphasized that the Mavericks don't have a deal in place yet. The 7-foot Diop, 23, was the eighth overall pick in the 2001 draft and played four seasons in Cleveland.

Although he showed flashes of talent, he never averaged more than 13 minutes a game playing behind All-Star Zydrunas Ilgauskas. Diop's best season came in 2003-04, when he averaged 2.3 points, 3.6 rebounds and .91 blocks a game. His minutes dropped to 7.8 this past season. But the Mavericks like his athleticism, upside and the fact he has spent four seasons in the NBA. He could provide a defensive and rebounding presence, something the Mavericks lacked in the playoffs when Dampier encountered foul trouble. The Mavericks are familiar with Diop. Nelson has been scouting Diop since he was a teen-ager in Senegal.

Swingman Doug Christie, 35, is expected to sign a one-year, $3 million deal soon after clearing waivers today. Christie was waived by Orlando last week under the luxury tax amnesty clause.

Emopunkthrice

08/18/05, 05:26 PM

Milwaukee Bucks: Guard Charlie Bell, who led the Spanish league in scoring last season, signed a multiyear contract with the Bucks.

Bell, who went undrafted out of Michigan State, played for the Suns and Mavericks in 2001-02.

The 6-foot-3 guard spent three seasons in Italy, leading all scorers in 2003-04 with 25.5-point average for Livorno. He was tops in Spain last season, averaging 27 points for Breogan.

"Charlie is an explosive scorer who can play both the point and two-guard positions," Bucks general manager Larry Harris said.

Boston Celtics: The Celtics signed second-round draft pick Ryan Gomes on Thursday.

Gomes, the 50th selection overall in the 2005 draft, made six appearances in the Celtics summer league, averaging 12.2 points and 6.2 rebounds per game, with a 59.6 shooting percentage from the field.

The 6-foot-7 Gomes averaged 18.4 points and 8.9 rebounds in 116 career games at Providence, where he was the school's all-time leading scorer with 2,138 career points. As a senior he led the Big East with 23.2 points per conference game. Overall, he averaged 21.6 points and 8.2 rebounds his senior year.

Philadelphia 76ers: The 76ers signed second-round draft pick Louis Williams to a multiyear contract.

Williams entered the draft direct from high school and was taken 45th overall with Philadelphia's only pick. He was Georgia's Mr. Basketball as a junior and senior and won the 2005 Naismith Award given to the best prep player in the country.

The 6-foot-2 guard averaged 27.5 points, 6.6 rebounds and 5.2 assists while leading his team to a 28-3 record and a fourth-place finish in the state.

Williams was the first high school player picked by the Sixers since they took Darryl Dawkins with the fifth overall pick in 1975.

Denver Nuggets: The Nuggets signed rookie free agent Luke Schenscher Thursday.

Terms were not released.

Schenscher, a 7-foot-1 center, averaged 7.3 points and 5.4 rebounds in four years at Georgia Tech. He helped lead the school in its surprise run to the NCAA finals in 2004, averaging 14 points and 11.5 rebounds in the playoffs.

He ranks fifth all-time at Georgia Tech with 157 blocked shots.

PHOENIX -- Free agent forward Brian Grant signed a one-year, $1.67 million contract Thursday with the Phoenix Suns.

The 11-year NBA veteran called the decision to go to the Suns a "no-brainer." He became the first of the players waived under the one-time "amnesty clause" to sign with another team.

Grant was given an option for a second year.

The Suns also signed 6-foot-11 center Pat Burke, who spent seven of the last eight seasons playing in Europe.

Grant has career averages of 10.7 points and 7.6 rebounds with Sacramento, Portland, Miami and the Los Angeles Lakers. The 6-9, 254-pound forward said the Suns and Chicago Bulls and showed the most interest.

While the Bulls could have been a good fit, Grant said, he quickly chose Phoenix because of the organization's reputation and what he believes is an opportunity to win an NBA title. When the Suns' Steve Nash called to sell the deal, Grant told him to save his breath.

"I knew he was going to start to tell me why I should come to Phoenix," Grant said. "But before he even got to it, I just said, 'Look, you don't have to really say anything. I'm coming.' I think somebody put in the paper, 'He had me at hello.' "

Grant played in 309 of 312 games from 2000 to 2004 with Miami. Then he went to the Lakers as part of the Shaquille O'Neal trade and suffered through an injury-hampered season. Bothered by a neck injury and knee tendinitis, he averaged career lows of 3.8 points and 3.7 rebounds in 69 games.

Grant, 33, believes, though, that the injuries are behind him and he can keep pace with the up-tempo style.

"We'll clean off the boards, then run down the court," he said.

Emopunkthrice

08/18/05, 08:14 PM

MINNEAPOLIS -- The Minnesota Timberwolves signed Seattle forward Damien Wilkins to an offer sheet on Thursday.

The Sonics have seven days to decide whether to match the offer or let Wilkins, a restricted free agent, leave. Terms of the deal were not disclosed.

As a rookie last season, Wilkins averaged 6.3 points and 2.3 rebounds a game for Seattle, but saved his best basketball for the playoffs.

He averaged 7.8 points, 3.2 rebounds and 25.2 minutes in the Western Conference semifinals against San Antonio, including 15 points and six rebounds in Game 3.

"Damien is someone that we believe has tremendous upside," general manager Jim Stack said. "He continually improved throughout last season, and he became a significant contributor for Seattle during the playoffs. Hopefully, we'll see him in a Timberwolves uniform this upcoming season."

Wilkins' transition to Minnesota would be a relatively easy one. In the offseason, the Wolves hired longtime Seattle assistant Dwane Casey as their head coach. Casey plans to use a system much similar to the free-wheeling transition game that made the Sonics one of the surprise successes last season.

Wilkins is the son of former pro Gerald Wilkins and the nephew of nine-time All-Star Dominique Wilkins.

DALLAS -- Free agent Doug Christie plans to sign a contract with the Dallas Mavericks, his agent said Thursday.

"For us, it's been exactly what we wanted," agent Bradley Marshall told The Associated Press. He wouldn't disclose details of the agreement, but said it was for more than one year.

Marshall said Christie, a guard, likes the Mavericks style of play and believes his defensive prowess makes him a good fit for the team.

"They have got a coach [Avery Johnson] who knows how to win and make players better and the ownership is strong," Marshall said. "It's a solid situation."

The Mavs scheduled a Friday morning news conference with team owner Mark Cuban and Johnson, but didn't say what would be discussed.

Telephone messages left for Donnie Nelson, the Mavs president of basketball operations, were not immediately returned.

Christie, expected to be a successor to Michael Finley, was waived by the Orlando Magic last week. The Mavs waived Finley on Monday.

Last year, Christie played 52 games and averaged 6 points per game. In his 13-year career with five teams, he has averaged 11.4 points per game.

Christie may look familiar to Mavs' fans from the time he wore a Sacramento Kings uniform during playoffs series in 2002, 2003 and 2004.

A strong defender who would fit well into Avery's scheme, Christie didn't necessarily command a lot of money because Orlando still owed him about $8 million.

So Christie could narrow his selections to front-running teams who may not have a lot of salary-cap wiggle room.

Because of salary cap constraints, the Mavs could offer no more than $5 million and were not likely to use all of it on one player.

While Marshall would not offer details of Christie's contract, he did say that his client turned down a one-year, $4-million deal and a 4-year, $20 million deal with other NBA teams.

"He was sought after by six or seven teams very strongly and one other team very aggresssively," Marshall said.

"If that doesn't tell you that he is more interested in winning and more interested in making his family comfortable with a nice place to live, I don't know what more he can do to indicate that."

Christie was among a group of players released by 18 NBA teams who took advantage of a one-time chance to avoid luxury tax obligations.

Teams whose payrolls exceed $61.7 million for the upcoming season must pay a dollar-for-dollar tax on the overage.

But they had until Monday to cash in on an "amnesty" option that allowed them to avoid the luxury taxes by releasing players.

Players still received guaranteed money from their old team and whatever they could get from the new team.

The development is part of the six-year collective bargain agreement reached during the summer between the NBA and the players union.

Marshall said being released will work well for Christie.

"Nothing happened with respect to amnesty that we didn't urge or encourage," Marshall said. "They were seeking to exercise that option, too."

The Mavs were also in negotiations with free-agent center DeSagana Diop, who could be a backup behind Erick Dampier.

Messages were left with Diop's New Jersey-based agent Leon Rose, but he could not be reached for comment.

Alex Djaferis

08/19/05, 03:08 AM

i hate doug christie. what a baby

Emopunkthrice

08/19/05, 10:49 AM

Charlotte Bobcats: Brevin Knight re-signed, giving Charlotte an experienced point guard as rookie Raymond Felton adjusts to the NBA.

Knight averaged 9.0 assists last season, second in the league. He is expected to lose his starting job to Felton, the fifth pick in the draft.

Knight, an unrestricted free agent, has spent nine seasons in the league, longer than any other Charlotte player. Cleveland drafted him in the first round in 1997, and he has played for seven teams since.

Steve Belkin's partners are buying him out, clearing the way for the Atlanta Hawks trade for Joe Johnson.

The Hawks-Thrashers ownership group reached a deal to purchase Belkin's 30 percent stake.

Co-owner Michael Gearon Jr. will take over as the team's NBA governor, the role which Belkin used to block the Johnson trade with the Phoenix Suns.

"The differing opinions among Hawks owners over the Joe Johnson trade made it clear that philosophical differences exist over how best to build the Hawks into a winning franchise," NBA commissioner David Stern said. "I appreciate that Steve has voluntarily resigned as NBA governor in order to ensure that the team can move forward with one voice."

The buyout of Belkin should be finalized by the end of the year.

radiofriendly

08/19/05, 12:43 PM

Christie, Diop join Mavericks

11:45 AM CDT on Friday, August 19, 2005

By CHUCK CARLTON / The Dallas Morning News

The Mavericks announced the additions of swingman Doug Christie and center DeSagana Diop on Friday at American Airlines Center.
Diop signed a three-year, $5.7 million contract. Christie signed a multi-year deal with the club, but only the first season is guaranteed with both he and the Mavericks holding options.
Returning point guard Darrell Armstrong and youngsters Josh Powell and Rawle Marshall also attended the news conference.
"We're excited to have all of these guys," said coach Avery Johnson. "This is a really big day for us. We didn't overhaul this whole team."
Johnson feels comfortable with the talent on hand, despite the luxury-tax amnesty waiver of Michael Finley and the likely retirement of Shawn Bradley later this summer.

Asked what kind of team Mavericks fans can expect, Johnson pointed to last season's edition, which went 18-2 in the last 20 games.
With one key improvement. "I've said all along as an assistant coach and as a head coach, we cannot continue at our rate of playing defense if we want to win a championship," Johnson said. "It's just not good enough. Did we make some strides? Yes. Are we there yet? No."
Christie said he received other offers in other places, but called Dallas a "perfect fit."

Johnson is working on the shooting guard rotation. The Mavericks have Christie, Jerry Stackhouse and Marquis Daniels, each capable of bringing something different.

"The great thing about it is we'll have a lot of different options," Johnson said. "I don't want to get anything etched in stone. I want to get to training camp and see what combinations play well together."

"But we feel Doug Christie is going to be just a heckuva asset to our team to pass the ball better, to help with our perimeter defense and take some pressure from our frontcourt defense."

The 7-foot Diop, 23, was the eighth overall pick in the 2001 draft and played four seasons in Cleveland. Although he showed flashes of talent, he never averaged more than 13 minutes playing behind All-Star Zydrunas Ilgauskas. Diop's best season came in 2003-04, when he averaged 2.3 points, 3.6 rebounds and .91 blocks a game. His average minutes dropped to 7.8 last season.

Diop could provide an inside presence, something the Mavericks lacked in the playoffs when Erick Dampier encountered foul trouble.

"He's young, athletic and – again – defensive-minded," Johnson said of Diop. "He makes his money on blocking shots and clogging up the middle. That's what we want."

Emopunkthrice

08/19/05, 11:29 PM

Boston Celtics: The Celtics signed free agent Will Bynum on Friday.

Bynum played in the Celtics' summer league, averaging 4.2 points and 2.7 assists in six appearances.

The Georgia Tech guard led his team to the NCAA championship as a junior in 2004, scoring the last-second layup to beat Oklahoma State at the Final Four. The Yellow Jackets lost to Connecticut in the title game.

Last season, Bynum scored an ACC tournament-record 35 points in the semifinal upset of No. 2 North Carolina. He averaged 9.4 points and 2.1 rebounds in 101 career games at Georgia Tech.

Bynum spent two seasons at Arizona, where he averaged 6.6 points

SPOKANE, Wash. -- Los Angeles Lakers second-round draft pick Ronny Turiaf said Friday he's well on his way to recovery from heart surgery and hopeful he'll one day wear the purple and gold.

Turiaf, who is recuperating here after open-heart surgery July 26 to repair an enlarged aortic root, said he will be cheering for his potential teammates this season as he works his way back into playing shape.

A decision on whether he can eventually play in the NBA is "way down the road" and up to his physicians and Lakers' management, Turiaf said, vowing to return stronger and better than before.

"I'm going to play basketball again," he said. "My heart is fixed ... there is no question. There is no need to tell me I can't play basketball if my heart is fine. So, I will play basketball, unless you don't want me to."

Turiaf, 22, was the 37th pick in this year's NBA Draft.

The 6-foot-9 power forward averaged 15.9 points, 9.5 rebounds, 2.7 assists and 1.9 blocked shots as a senior at Gonzaga last season.

Turiaf's contract with the Lakers was voided when the potentially life-threatening condition was discovered in a post-draft physical, but the Lakers paid for his pre-operation medical costs and the cost of the operation.

His post-operation costs are being paid through a fund approved by the NCAA and administered by Gonzaga for student athletes in situations similar to Turiaf's, sports information director Oliver Pierce said.

Turiaf, who canceled a scheduled Aug. 5 news conference because of a severe headache, said he is feeling much better and has begun riding a stationary bicycle and dribbling a basketball up and down the court. He lost 25 pounds and is still weak and fatigued, he said.

His doctors told him he can start playing basketball again on a limited basis in about three months, Turiaf said.

"What does that mean? I don't know," he said. "Can I start playing professional basketball? Can I start having contact in three months? I don't know."

Turiaf said he wants to use his situation to show others that "you can come back from heart surgery."

He said he would like to try to return to Los Angeles and begin practicing with the team in late December or early January, but that will be up to the Lakers' physicians and management. He said he talks to them weekly.

While recovering this winter, Turiaf said he'll be watching his potential teammates on television. "It's a great team for me to watch," he said. "I'm going to pull for the Lakers."

The experience has left the popular Gonzaga star in a reflective mood.

"One day I was under contract and I was happy and I was going to play in the NBA and the next day my career is put on hold," he said. "I have no doubt that I'm going to play basketball again but, that can happen, so you better enjoy yourself and your family and friends. I'm pretty happy with the situation I'm in."

Emopunkthrice

08/21/05, 12:50 PM

Miami Heat: Antoine Walker's physical gave the Heat cause for pause, so much so that his contract is now guaranteed for four years instead of the original six year, The Boston Globe reported.

Walker, acquired in a 13-player deal from the Boston Celtics, and his agent Mark Bartelstein feel that Walker will earn the entire six-year deal in the long run.

"I believe Antoine will get every dollar of the six years," Bartelstein told the paper. "I don't think anything will change. From a practical standpoint, nothing has changed. We think he'll get every dollar of the six years and it won't be an issue at all."

Bartelstein also emphasized that Walker did not fail the physical.

"What happened is, there were some concerns about some issues," Bartelstein told The Globe. We addressed the concerns and I believe he's going to get the full $53 million of his contract."

Alex Djaferis

08/22/05, 01:48 AM

antoine is overpaid. i doubt he'll last four years in miami. if that.

Emopunkthrice

08/22/05, 01:38 PM

Los Angeles Lakers: The team has ended its search for a point guard by agreeing to terms with Aaron McKie, according to several media outlets.

"We've come to an agreement," McKie's agent, Leon Rose, told the Los Angeles Times on Sunday. "Everything will get done over the course of the next few days.

"The Lakers approached him with a nice offer. He had a long talk with Coach [Phil] Jackson regarding the situation and the role he can play was something that appealed to him. Coach Jackson has had a lot of success with veteran big guards and hopefully Aaron can have the same kind of success and bring the team a defensive presence," Rose said in the L.A. Times.

"He's also looking forward to playing with Kobe Bryant. He's known him a long time from their days in Philadelphia."

The agreement is for two years and $5 million. The Lakers had no comment.

New Jersey Nets: The Nets, who were pursuing Aaron McKie, will now turn their efforts to signing ex-Knick DerMarr Johnson, Wesley Person, Casey Jacobsen or Jason Kapono, according to the New York Daily News.

The Nets have agreed to terms with center Robert (Tractor) Traylor, and the deal will become official if he passes his physical, the News said.

Emopunkthrice

08/22/05, 02:45 PM

TORONTO (CP) - The Toronto Raptors have re-signed forward Matt Bonner.

The Toronto Sun, citing a New Hampshire report, said the two-year deal is worth about $2 million US a year.

The six-foot-10, 240-pounder from Concord, N.H., earned the NBA minimum salary of $385,000 last season, when he averaged 7.2 points, 3.5 rebounds and 18.9 minutes in 82 games.

The Raptors had extended a qualifying offer to the 25-year-old on June 24, which made him a restricted free agent.

Bonner rapidly became one of the team's most popular players, for his blue-collar work ethic and his penchant for taking the subway to work.

"Matt is more than just a good basketball player. . . . His positive attitude also carries off the court and into the community," Raptors GM Rob Babcock said in a statement.

Bonner, one of only two Raptors to appear in every game, ranked first among NBA rookies in three-point percentage at .424 (39-92) and second in field goal percentage at .533 (247-463).

The University of Florida product scored a career-high 21 points March 11 against Atlanta. The Raptors acquired his rights from Chicago in June 2003 for a second-round draft pick. He played in Europe prior to the NBA.

Heat: Finley to pay a visit

News
Michael Finley's free agent tour is expected to stop in South Beach early this week for a meeting with the Heat. According to the Miami Herald, Finley has already spoken with team president Pat Riley and has been offered the team's full mid-level exception of $5 million.

Views
Finley is also reported to be considering Detroit, Phoenix, and San Antonio, with the Heat and the Pistons believed to be the frontrunners for his services.

Derek Anderson: Headed to Houston?

Update: Anderson's agent, Tony Dutt, says his client plans to sign a two-year contract with the Rockets, Houston television station KLTV is reporting.

Recommendation: The second year of the deal is at Anderson's option.

Emopunkthrice

08/22/05, 06:22 PM

Orlando Magic: The team announced the signing of free agent Ruben Boumtje-Boumtje. Per team policy, terms of the deal are not disclosed.

The 7-foot, 257-pound Boumtje-Boumtje appeared in five games with the Magic during the 2005 Reebok Vegas Summer League. Originally selected by Portland in the second round (50th overall) of the 2001 NBA draft, Boumtje-Boumtje has played in 44 regular season games during his NBA career with the Trail Blazers and Cleveland, averaging 1.0 ppg. and 1.3 rpg. in 6.3 minpg.

Denver Nuggets: First-round Nuggets draft pick Julius Hodge underwent arthroscopic surgery on his left knee Monday.

Hodge, who was selected by the Nuggets with the 20th pick in June's draft, underwent surgery to repair a lateral minscus tear, the team said in a statement. He is expected to be at full strength in about four weeks.

Hodge played in six games in the Nuggets' summer league in Las Vegas last month, averaging 13.3 points, 5.8 rebounds and 3.8 assists.

The team signed him to a multi-year contract last month.

Face-to-face negotiations are under way in the Michael Finley sweepstakes, but no signing commitment is expected from the in-demand former All-Star before next week at the earliest.

Sources close to the process have told ESPN.com that Finley and agent Henry Thomas have invited the leading suitors to Chicago for sitdowns in Finley's hometown as opposed to launching into a series of recruiting trips.

The Miami Heat's Pat Riley and Stan Van Gundy was the first to visit Finley on Monday, with delegations from the Phoenix Suns (Tuesday), San Antonio Spurs (Thursday) and Detroit Pistons (TBD) also scheduled for visits this week.

There is likewise a chance that the Minnesota Timberwolves will be the fifth team to get an up-close chance to woo Finley, with the most prominent casualty of the NBA's new amnesty clause apparently intent on a deliberate evaluation of his options. The 10-year veteran was waived by the Dallas Mavericks late last Monday and became an unrestricted free agent after clearing waivers Thursday.

Riley, Minnesota star Kevin Garnett, Spurs coach Gregg Popovich and ex-Dallas teammate Steve Nash are among the luminaries who have personally reached out to Finley by phone since he was released.

Suns coach Mike D'Antoni, meanwhile, enjoyed an unexpected head start in the lobbying process late last week when he and Finley were guests at the Phoenix wedding of Mavericks athletic trainer Casey Smith, a former Suns employee.

Various league executives have maintained for weeks that Miami is the heavy favorite to land Finley, with the Heat able to offer a full mid-level exception of $5 million next season and the lure of playing alongside Shaquille O'Neal and Dwyane Wade, who's also represented by Thomas. Finley, furthermore, is quite familiar with Van Gundy, having played for him at Wisconsin.

Yet, sources insist that Finley has not yet established a favorite. Intensely private throughout his eight-plus seasons in Dallas, Finley has been typically tight-lipped about his future, telling reporters at Nash's July 29 charity game that he wasn't ready to discuss the prospect of free agency and declining interview requests since being waived by the Mavericks.

Thomas, though, did confirm last week that Finley is "most interested" in joining a team with championship potential.

Of the four teams that best fit that description, Miami and Detroit can both offer a starting salary of $5 million. The Pistons, however, are poised to cut into their mid-level exception to sign power forward Dale Davis this week -- and potentially take themselves out of the running -- if they sense that Finley's interest is waning.

San Antonio and Phoenix are the other two teams, but going to either of the Mavericks' Western Conference rivals will require Finley to make a financial sacrifice. The Spurs are limited to offering a starting salary of just over $2.5 million, and Phoenix can't pitch anything more than the veteran minimum of $1.1 million for the 2005-06 campaign.

Thomas, though, did confirm last week that Finley is "most interested" in joining a team with championship potential. Of the four teams that best fit that description, Miami and Detroit can both offer a starting salary of $5 million. Going to either of the Mavericks' Western Conference rivals in that category will require Finley to make a financial sacrifice, since San Antonio is limited to offering a starting salary of just over $2.5 million, and Phoenix can't offer more than the veteran minimum of $1.1 million for the 2005-06 campaign.

The Mavericks tried for weeks to trade Finley to an Eastern Conference team before waiving him in hopes of keeping the swingman away from the Spurs or Suns. Reports persist that Mavericks owner Mark Cuban was prepared to offer Finley a restructured payment schedule on the nearly $52 million left on Finley's contract to help persuade him to go East, but NBA front-office sources told ESPN.com that no such deal was struck.

The presence of San Antonio and Phoenix on Finley's list of finalists indeed suggests no such arrangement exists. A "spread provision" in Finley's Dallas contract stipulates that, upon being waived, his remaining salary will be paid in annual installments of less than $5 million.

Emopunkthrice

08/23/05, 06:34 PM

Dennis Rodman has been signed to play one game for a basketball team in the Finnish league in November.

The 44-year-old Rodman, who stopped playing in the NBA five years ago, will turn out for Torpan Pojat, or ToPo, on Nov. 6 at Helsinki's 9,000-capacity Ice Hall, most probably against Honka.

ToPo manager Aleksi Valavuori said the contract requires Rodman to play for 15 minutes. Financial details of the deal were not disclosed.

"We expect the venue to be sold out that night," Valavuori said. "This will be good for Finnish basketball."

Milwaukee Bucks: The Bucks signed second-round draft pick Ersan Ilyasova to a two-year contract Tuesday.

Selected 36th overall this year, Ilyasova averaged 4.5 points and 3.2 rebounds in 12.5 minutes per game for Ulker in the Turkish League last season. The 6-foot-9, 235-pound forward also averaged 3.5 points and 3.5 rebounds per contest in Euroleague competition in 2004-05.

"Ersan is a young, skilled player who we felt fortunate to select in the second round of the draft," Bucks general manager Larry Harris said in a statement. "He has all the tools to be a productive NBA player, and he has been working hard this summer to get stronger physically."

Terms of the deal were not announced.

Seattle SuperSonics: The SuperSonics re-signed center Vitaly Potapenko, filling a void left when Jerome James signed with the Knicks.

Last year, Potapenko played in just 33 games for Seattle, after missing the first six weeks of the season with a broken bone in his right hand. He averaged 3.5 points and 2.4 rebounds.

The 6-foot-10, 285-pound native of Ukraine is expected to compete for a starting spot.

"In his three years with the Sonics, Vitaly has given us a tough, physical presence in the middle along with the ability to score," general manager Rick Sund said in a statement.

Potapenko was acquired by the SuperSonics in July 2002 as part of a five-player trade that sent Vin Baker to Boston. Potapenko has averaged 6.8 points and 4.6 rebounds per game in his nine-year career.

DETROIT -- It appears the Detroit Pistons will continue to emphasize defense under new coach Flip Saunders. The Detroit Free Press is reporting that the Pistons have reached an agreement with forward-center Dale Davis on a two-year contract. Davis' agent Chubby Wells told the newspaper that Davis was also pursued by Cleveland and Seattle, but wanted to play for a championship contender. In Detroit, Davis, 36, will replace Elden Campbell as the backup power forward and center to Rasheed Wallace and Ben Wallace. The 6-11, 252-pound Davis was a teammate of Rasheed Wallace for 3½ seasons with Portland. But he spent most of his 14-year career with the Indiana Pacers. Last season, Davis started 25 games for Indiana and averaged 6.9 points and 8.8 rebounds in 29.2 minutes after being released by New Orleans. Davis has career averages of 8.4 points and 8.3 rebounds in 1,020 career games.

HOUSTON -- Free agent Derek Anderson signed with the Houston Rockets on Tuesday -- yet another addition in a busy offseason for the team.

Anderson, a 6-foot-5 guard, was released by the Portland Trail Blazers under the NBA's amnesty provision.

"We think we've added another top-line piece of the puzzle and a great talent," general manager Carroll Dawson said. "To get a guy like this I feel very blessed. There are many ways that this guy can help our team win basketball games."

Dawson likes his shooting and ball-handling skills and thinks that he's underrated as a passer.

An eight-year veteran and former lottery pick, Anderson averaged 9.2 points and three assists last season for Portland. He will still receive $18.8 million from the Trail Blazers for the remainder of his contract, but the team will avoid paying future luxury tax on his salary.

The Rockets said he was signed to a multiyear contract. It has been reported that it is a two-year deal worth $1.67 million.

Both Dawson and Anderson said that he was offered more money to play elsewhere, but that he liked the challenge joining the Rockets. Houston already has several guards, including David Wesley, Jon Barry, Bob Sura and 2005 draft pick Luther Head.

Coach Jeff Van Gundy said a major concern entering the season is the health of his backcourt as both Sura and Wesley recover from surgery.

Anderson, who has averaged 13.1 points in his career, understands that he might not be a starter but said that he would work hard whatever his role is.

"When you get an opportunity to get money and still go somewhere you got to think about what you really want as a person and as a player," he said. "I think this was a better fit for me to come here and challenge myself to play and be able to win a championship."

Dawson said Tracy McGrady was excited about the addition of Anderson. McGrady has known him since high school when the Anderson was McGrady's host on his recruiting trip to Kentucky.

"I told McGrady 'maybe you can host him now,"' Dawson said.

Anderson's signing comes less than a month after Houston picked up power forward Stromile Swift. The Rockets have also recently re-signed Ryan Bowen and Barry. They released Clarence Weatherspoon under the same amnesty provision that made Anderson available.

Even with all the changes, the Rockets might not be finished upgrading the team yet. Some talk had free agent Latrell Sprewell as another possible addition in Houston.

With this recent move, the Rockets cannot afford to simply sign the 13-year veteran. But Sprewell could still come to Houston in a speculated, but unsubstantiated, sign-and-trade deal with Minnesota.

Dawson did not comment on Sprewell directly but did say the team remains open to more changes.

"If we can help our team we'll add someone else," he said. "We're always looking to help our team."

Sprewell's agent said several teams are options for the player, but that he has expressed interest in Houston and playing for his former coach.

"Latrell loves Van Gundy," agent Robert Gist said. "He respects Van Gundy as a coach. He has spoken to Van Gundy."

Gist said he has not been in any talks about a possible sign-and-trade deal with Minnesota, but said that such a deal would be virtually the only way the Rockets could sign Sprewell.

"I think that the Rockets are a Sprewell away from reaching the NBA Finals," Gist said.

Los Angeles Lakers forward Ronny Turiaf, who underwent a heart operation last month, may not miss his rookie season after all.

Turiaf, 22, has resumed training at his alma mater of Gonzaga University, where he is participating in light physical activities such as cycling. On July 26, he had an operation to repair an aortic problem which could have been fatal if left untreated.

The problem was found by American doctors after Turiaf was chosen in the second round by the Lakers and signed a two-year contract.

"My body was asking me to play basketball, but for now I don't run and I don't shoot," Turiaf told French sports publication L'Equipe. "I take my time because my heart is still beating very fast when I make a physical effort.

"But I am confident and determined to show everyone that a player can come back from a heart operation. I will play basketball again."

Before the operation, there were some fears Turiaf might not play again. Other doctors estimated his recovery time between six and 12 months.

"There is nothing surprising for me," he said. "Three days after the operation, I walked 10 steps in my hospital bedroom and the next day I did 12. Then I started walking in the corridors with the help of my mother and the nurses. I am very well supported."

Turiaf will undergo further medical examinations in early November, just after the start of the regular season. If the results are positive, he could join the Lakers later that month and gradually resume training with them throughout December.

When he was drafted, the 6-foot-10 Turiaf was just under 250 pounds and believed to need an additional 10 to 12 pounds to be an effective NBA power forward. The operation has set him back in that regard.

"I feel fine, even if I am still very tired and too thin," he said. "I lost 11 kilos [25 pounds]. The pain I felt after the operation has gone. Before it was like something wanted to come out of my chest. I always had to stay on my back.

"Now it's a bit painful in the morning when I wake up, but I don't take any painkillers anymore. I was so scared not to be able to play basketball again that seeing how well I have recovered makes me feel very happy."

Turiaf sounds as if he fully intends to play this season.

"I have never been so motivated in my life," he said. "I feel I am back already."

Emopunkthrice

08/24/05, 12:23 PM

Chicago Bulls: The Bulls re-signed forward Othella Harrington on Wednesday.

Terms were not disclosed, but Harrington made $3.15 million last season after being acquired from New York last summer.

Harrington averaged 8.0 points and 4.2 rebounds in 70 games with the Bulls. The nine-year veteran has averaged 8.1 points and 4.9 rebounds in his career.

"Othella was a valuable contributor in many different ways last season," Bulls executive vice president of basketball operations John Paxson said. "Having him back will add to the continuity of the team and further facilitate the development of our young big players."

Emopunkthrice

08/24/05, 06:39 PM

Seattle Supersonics: The sonics re-signed free agent Damien Wilkins on Wednesday, matching an offer sheet made by the minnesota timberwolves.

Terms of the deal were not disclosed, but was reportedly for $15 million over five years.

As a rookie last season, Wilkins averaged 6.3 points and 2.3 rebounds. But he averaged 7.8 points, 3.2 rebounds and 25.2 minutes in the Western Conference semifinals against San Antonio, including 15 points and six rebounds in Game 3.

He signed with Seattle in October as an undrafted free agent.

Wilkins' transition to Minnesota would have been relatively easy. In the offseason, the Wolves hired longtime Seattle assistant Dwane Casey as their head coach. Casey plans to use a system much similar to the freewheeling transition game that made the Sonics one of the surprise successes last season.

Instead, Wilkins will remain in Seattle, and most likely be a backup to both guard Ray Allen and forward Rashard Lewis.

Wilkins is the son of former NBA player Gerald Wilkins and the nephew of nine-time All-Star Dominique Wilkins.

Seattle had three other restricted free agents _ forwards Reggie Evans and Vladimir Radmanovic, and guard Ronald Murray.

DENVER -- Denver Nuggets coach George Karl, who underwent successful surgery for prostate cancer four weeks ago, says he's getting stronger and expects to be ready for work when training camp opens Oct. 3.

"I'm about 75 to 80 percent now," Karl said Tuesday. "But I'm getting better. I hope to be about 100 percent by the start of September."

Karl, who led the Nuggets to the NBA playoffs after taking over on Jan. 27 when the team was 13-15, was diagnosed with cancer near the end the season.

"It's scary when you undergo something like that," Karl said. "But I did a lot of research, so I knew what I was getting into. And then it becomes less scary."

Karl, 54, said his post-surgery tests have been encouraging and he has changed his diet to include more vegetables while getting daily exercise on foot or a bicycle.

"Hopefully, the removal of the prostate removed the cancer from the body. Now, it's the consciousness of eating healthier and not allowing any cancer to grow in your body," he said.

Karl said he has received about 2,000 get-well e-mails from fans through the Nuggets' Web site and more than 100 cards.

"The spirit of the fans has been really good," he said. "The NBA family is really supportive. It was really good to have people thinking about you to help your spirit, help your confidence, help your energy."

Karl was discharged from the Huntsman Cancer Institute in Salt Lake City on July 31, three days after the five-hour operation. He then spent time in Boise, Idaho, and in Milwaukee, where he used to coach the Bucks.

He expects to be in Denver briefly next week.

afk999

08/24/05, 06:42 PM

Emopunkthrice

08/24/05, 08:40 PM

wow you really are this thread, but anyway i think wilkins can be a good backup SG for the sonics this year flip murray can do well if he goes to the right team and i think karl will be missing a bunch of time this year
well I do my best to keep you guys updated with info. so yeah, I do hit this thread up quite often.

Pistons sign Maurice Evans to offer sheet

DETROIT (AP) -- The Detroit Pistons signed Sacramento swingman Maurice Evans to a three-year, $4.5 million offer sheet Wednesday.

The Kings have seven days to match the offer to retain Evans, a restricted free agent. They might not because after signing Shareef Abdur-Rahim earlier this month, they were expected to let Evans and forward Darius Songaila leave.

Detroit wants to add the 6-foot-5, 220-pound Evans because he would provide depth behind starting small forward Tayshaun Prince and shooting guard Richard Hamilton. He will compete with Carlos Delfino and Ronald Dupree for playing time, if Sacramento doesn't match the offer.

The Pistons were interested in signing free agent Michael Finley and briefly considered adding free agent Latrell Sprewell. But Finley made it clear he didn't want to play for the Pistons, and they appear to have decided to not sign Sprewell.

Evans, a solid defender, averaged 6.4 points, 3.1 rebounds and 19 minutes in 65 games, including 11 starts, and made similar contributions in the playoffs last season with the Kings. He scored a career-high 17 points on Feb. 13 at Boston, and had a career-high 14 rebounds the next month against Memphis.

Evans, who turns 27 on Nov. 8, began his career with the Minnesota Timberwolves during the 2001-02 season, playing 10 games for current Detroit coach Flip Saunders. After that brief stint in the NBA, he played in Europe before making Sacramento's roster last season.

The Pistons signed Evans, who also was pursued by San Antonio, to an offer sheet one day after signing Dale Davis to a two-year, $7 million contract. They used part of their mid-level exception to sign Davis, keeping money available to offer Evans.

If Sacramento doesn't match the offer, the Pistons will have 16 players under contract, including first-round pick Jason Maxiell and second-round selections Amir Johnson and Alex Acker. The new collective bargaining agreement expanded rosters from 12 to 14 players, but also allows them to assign players to the NBA Development League during their first two seasons.

Emopunkthrice

08/25/05, 08:44 PM

Phoenix Suns-Indiana Pacers: The Suns completed a deal to acquire restricted free agent James Jones from the Pacers on Thursday.

The Pacers will get a second-round draft pick in 2008 for the swingman.

Under the sign-and-trade deal, Jones got a four-year contract with the fourth year at the player's option.

He ranked 25th in the NBA in 3-point field goal percentage (.398) last season. He averaged 4.9 points and 2.3 rebounds last season.

The Pacers wanted to keep Jones, but they are about $10 million over the luxury tax threshold. Teams that exceed the $61.7 million threshold must pay a dollar-for-dollar tax on the excess.

"We hate to let James go, but because of the balance of our team now, it is best for both he and our team to make this move," Pacers CEO and president Donnie Walsh said.

Jones started 24 games and played in 75 in his second season out of Miami. He scored a career-high 27 points last November against Seattle.

Walsh said Jones was particularly strong when he stepped into the starting lineup. He averaged 7.1 points and 3.7 rebounds as a starter after Ron Artest, Stephen Jackson and Jermaine O'Neal were suspended for the brawl with Detroit Pistons fans.

"I think he certainly showed he could play when he got playing time," Walsh said.

San Antonio Spurs: The Spurs will be training island-style before defending their NBA title.

The Spurs said Thursday that they will hold their training camp at the University of the Virgin Islands' beach-side campus on St. Thomas. The nine-day camp begins Oct. 4.

San Antonio star forward Tim Duncan grew up in the U.S. Virgin Islands, though on the island of St. Croix.

"We've always thought about holding training camp in the Virgin Islands," R.C. Buford, Spurs general manager, said in a written statement. "It certainly is something that is very important to Tim Duncan, but we really think it'll be a great experience for the entire team."

The team will leave St. Thomas on Oct. 13 and travel directly to Charleston, S.C., for a preseason game against Philadelphia on Oct. 14.

"This is a very exciting event for everyone in the Virgin Islands," Peter Sauer, the university's athletic director, said in a statement issued by the Spurs. "We are thrilled that an NBA team is coming to our community. The fact that it is the San Antonio Spurs makes it even sweeter."

PHOENIX -- The Phoenix Suns have signed coach Mike D'Antoni to a two-year extension, the team announced Thursday.

The deal puts the reigning NBA coach of the year under contract through the 2008-09 season. D'Antoni directed Phoenix to a 33-game improvement in his 2004-05, his first full season as head coach. The Suns won an NBA-best 62 games but were eliminated by the San Antonio Spurs in the Western Conference finals.

D'Antoni, who spent 20 years in Italy as a player and coach, was the second Phoenix coach to be selected NBA coach of the year. The other was Cotton Fitzsimmons in 1988-89.

The Suns made several other administrative moves.

Former player Mark West was named assistant general manager, player development; David Griffin was promoted to assistant general manager, player personnel; and trainer Aaron Nelson's contract was extended through the 2009-10 season.

Emopunkthrice

08/26/05, 08:41 PM

HOUSTON -- Dikembe Mutombo signed a two-year deal with the Houston Rockets on Friday and plans to retire after the 2006-07 season.

"I don't see myself playing after this contract," the 39-year-old center said.

Mutombo's return gives the team a solid backup to All-Star center Yao Ming. The 7-foot-2 Mutombo is an eight-time All-Star and four-time defensive player of the year.

"In our opinion he was the best backup in the league last year," Rockets vice president of basketball operations Dennis Lindsey said. "He provided an immense number of wins when Yao was in foul trouble or we were struggling on the defensive end. Our locker room is a really special group of guys and Dikembe, being the elder statesman, is a leader in many of those aspects."

Mutombo was selected No. 4 overall by Denver in the 1991 draft. He also played with Atlanta, Philadelphia, New Jersey and New York before he was acquired by the Rockets last season in an offseason trade with the Chicago Bulls.

Mutombo's agent, David Falk, said his client's decision to stay in Houston was not about signing a lucrative contract but about being on a team and in a city that supports him.

"I just told [Falk] to get the deal done," Mutombo said.

Inking a backup center is only the latest move in a busy offseason for the Rockets. Earlier this week, the team signed free agent guard Derek Anderson, and the team has also reached deals with veteran guard Jon Barry and free agent forward Stromile Swift.

"The heavy lifting is over," Lindsey said.

Minnesota Timberwolves: The Timberwolves signed forward Dwayne Jones, a 6-foot-11, 250-pound shot-blocking specialist who left St. Joseph's after three years. Jones, who can also play center, led the Atlantic 10 Conference is blocks each season, earning Defensive Player of the Year honors in 2004-05. Jones was also fifth in the nation in rebounds with 11.6 per game.

After going undrafted, Jones was poised to return for his senior year until the school found out he was considering signing with the Wolves and ended its attempt to restore his eligibility.

Jones said in July during a minicamp to prepare for Minnesota's summer league team that he was going to sign a two-year, guaranteed contract, which would be an unusual deal for an undrafted prospect.

Dallas Mavericks: The Mavs hired Rolando Blackman, the team's all-time leading scorer, and Joe Prunty as assistant coaches on Friday.

Blackman had spent five years with the Mavericks' player development staff before serving as the team's television analyst last year. He played 11 of his 13 seasons with the Mavericks, averaging 19.2 points.

Prunty enters his first season with the Mavericks after spending nine seasons with the San Antonio Spurs, the last three as advance scout/assistant coach.

Emopunkthrice

08/27/05, 12:09 PM

Minnesota Timberwolves: The Minneapolis Star Tribune reported Saturday that Kevin Garnett led a contingent of Timberwolves to Chicago on Friday to meet with free agent Michael Finley.

"We feel good that he included us in the teams that are still under consideration," GM Jim Stack told the newspaper. "It's our impression it is down to Miami, Phoenix, San Antonio and us."

Garnett, owner Glen Taylor and vice president of basketball operations Kevin McHale met with Finley and his agent, Henry Thomas. Stack told the Star Tribune that the team appreciated Garnett's effort and hoped Finley did too.

"Kevin made the effort to come to the meeting, to help show Michael how important this is to us," Stack said. "Hopefully we were able to make it clear to Michael how much he is wanted here."

Stack told the newspaper that Finley and Thomas want to "mull things over" for a few days and make a decision early next week.

Chicago Bulls: The Chicago Tribune reported that Bulls GM John Paxson will likely make an offer to Kings power forward Darius Songalia soon.

The Tribune reported that the 6-foot-8 power forward visited Paxson on Wednesday. Several teams remain interested in Songalia, but the Kings aren't likely to match an offer.

Emopunkthrice

08/29/05, 05:37 PM

Milwaukee Bucks: Center Ervin Johnson returned to the Bucks on Monday, signing a one-year contract with the team he played for from 1997 to 2003.

"Ervin is a hardworking, high-character, veteran player who has always taken a team-first approach to the game," general manager Larry Harris said. "He adds size and depth to our frontcourt and an experienced voice for our younger players."

The 37-year-old Johnson was traded to Minnesota along with Sam Cassell for Joe Smith and Anthony Peeler in 2003. Johnson has averaged 4.2 points, 6.2 rebounds and 1.3 blocked shots in 12 seasons with Seattle, Denver, Milwaukee and Minnesota.

"I've had the pleasure of coaching Ervin for seven seasons [in Seattle and Milwaukee] and always respected his attitude and professionalism," coach Terry Stotts said. "His strengths have always been rebounding and blocking shots, so that will help bolster our interior defense."

Spurs sign Van Exel without cutting into Finley offer

Tony Parker won't have to carry as much of the Spurs' load next season. San Antonio announced Monday that is has signed veteran guard Nick Van Exel.

"We are very happy to have Nick as a part of our team," coach Gregg Popovich said in a statement. "His leadership and skills will be assets at both ends of the floor."

The team did not disclose terms of the contract, but ESPN.com's Marc Stein reported that the Spurs were able to sign Van Exel without cutting into the estimated $2.5 million they have offered free-agent swingman Michael Finley for next season.

Selected by the Lakers with the 37th overall pick in the 1993 draft, Van Exel has averaged 15.1 points, 3.0 rebounds and 6.9 assists in 815 career regular-season games with the Lakers, Nuggets, Mavericks, Warriors and Trail Blazers.

Finley is expected to decide early this week whether to sign with the Spurs, Suns, Heat or Timberwolves

Emopunkthrice

08/30/05, 02:21 PM

Atlanta Hawks: After acquiring guard Joe Johnson earlier in the offseason, the Hawks have put the finishing touches on their backcourt.

On Tuesday, the Hawks re-signed point guard Tyronn Lue, who averaged 13.5 points and 5.4 assists in 2004-05 after being acquired in a trade with the Houston Rockets in December.

Terms were not disclosed.

The re-signing of Lue will offer the flexibility to move Johnson, who was acquired in a trade with the Phoenix Suns this offseason, to shooting guard.

Lue averaged a career-high 11.2 points and 4.6 assists in 70 games, including 46 starts, with the Rockets and Hawks last season. He scored a career-high 32 points in an April 17 victory over the New York Knicks.

In other moves Tuesday, the Hawks signed center John Edwards, who appeared in 25 games for the Indiana Pacers last season, and guard Salim Stoudamire, who was selected 31st overall in this year's draft.

Los Angeles Clippers: The Clippers signed second-round draft pick Daniel Ewing and free agent James Singleton.

Ewing, a guard who was selected 32nd overall, averaged 11.6 points and 2.1 assists during his four-year career at Duke.

He averaged 8.0 points, 2.6 rebounds and 1.6 assists in five games for the Clippers' entry in the Las Vegas Summer League.

Singleton, a 6-foot-8 forward, averaged 11.5 points, 8.6 rebounds and 2.0 steals in 46 games for Milan of the Italian League last season. He was the MVP of the league's All-Star Game and helped lead Milan to the league finals.

Singleton played two years at Murray State.

New Jersey Nets: Free agent forward Robert Traylor failed a physical and will not join the Nets this season.

Team president Rod Thorn declined to announce further details Tuesday.

The 28-year-old Traylor became a free agent in June when the Cleveland Cavaliers declined to pick up the option on his $1.76 million contract for the upcoming season.

He averaged 5.5 points and a career-high 4.5 rebounds in 74 games last season as a backup center for the Cavaliers.

The seven-year NBA veteran has averaged 4.8 points and 3.7 rebounds in 438 career games.

Denver Nuggets: When guard Luis Flores returns from his stint with the Dominican Republic in the FIBA Tournament of the Americas, he will have to find a new NBA team to play for.

Flores, who has played well for his native country, was released Tuesday by the Denver Nuggets.

Acquired from Golden State in February with forward Eduardo Najera and a future first-round pick for forwards Nikoloz Tskitshvili and Rodney White, Flores averaged 2.2 points in 16 games in his rookie campaign. He appeared in just one game for the Nuggets.

Flores originally was selected in the second round of the 2004 NBA draft by the Houston Rockets after a stellar collegiate career at Manhattan.

At the FIBA Tournament of the Americas, Flores helped the Dominican Republic to a 3-1 record in the first round by averaging 18.0 points while making 7-of-13 3-pointers.

Alex Djaferis

08/31/05, 11:39 AM

sprewell to denver. they will be even more awesome next year

Emopunkthrice

08/31/05, 05:50 PM

Finley chooses Spurs over Heat, Suns

The team that won the Michael Finley Sweepstakes is the same team that just won an NBA championship.

Finley told ESPN.com on Wednesday that he has chosen to sign with the San Antonio Spurs, spurning a richer offer from the Miami Heat and the lure of an emotional return to the Phoenix Suns to reunite with close friend Steve Nash.

The Dallas Mavericks tried for weeks to move Finley to an Eastern Conference team to prevent him from joining the Spurs or the Suns. When it couldn't swing a trade before the Aug. 15 deadline to exercise the NBA's new amnesty clause, Dallas reluctantly waived the two-time All-Star, making Finley an unrestricted free agent and the target of an intense two-week courtship that also involved the Detroit Pistons and Minnesota Timberwolves.

Miami's Pat Riley, Phoenix's Amare Stoudemire and Minnesota's Kevin Garnett were among the big names to fly to Chicago last week to make face-to-face pitches to Finley. In the end, he went with the team that sent a one-man delegation -- Spurs coach Gregg Popovich -- to Finley's hometown.

The complete structure of the deal with San Antonio hasn't been finalized, including the length of the contract, but Finley will receive a starting salary of roughly $2.5 million this season.

"To be a part of a championship team, I'm excited," Finley said. "This is the closest I've ever been to a championship. I'm looking forward to the challenge of helping this team repeat."

Asked why he picked the Spurs, Finley said: "In a nutshell, they're already a championship team but they have room for improvement. And I feel my game can help them in the areas where they need improvement."

Landing Finley, 32, completes an impressive summer haul for the Spurs, who felt a need to be as aggressive as they've ever been in free agency after struggling to holds leads of 2-0 and 3-2 over Detroit in a taut-as-possible NBA Finals. They expect Finley to supply off-the-bench punch and a reliable 3-point stroke as the third wing of a swing trio that features All-Star guard Manu Ginobili and defensive specialist Bruce Bowen.

Since free agency began July 1, San Antonio has also re-signed playoff hero Robert Horry, added wily Argentinean post man Fabricio Oberto to the frontcourt rotation and Monday signed fiery veteran point guard Nick Van Exel, Finley's former Dallas teammate.

Popovich's foremost challenge next season will be massaging playing time and egos with a roster far deeper than the Spurs typically carry. It remains to be seen, for starters, what role remains for Brent Barry, who was San Antonio's marquee newcomer last summer.

Yet it's a challenge Popovich welcomes, after lengthy struggles to find a bench spark in the wake of Ginobili's emergence and knowing that the Spurs' perimeter shooting could use an upgrade to capitalize on the ability of Tim Duncan and Ginobili to collapse defenses. It's believed that Van Exel, like Horry, isn't interested in heavy minutes during the regular season and wants badly to fit in with the Spurs for a shot at a championship. It was also clear during the playoffs that San Antonio could use a playoff-tested alternative at point guard to the up-and-down Tony Parker, whose only backup last season was untested rookie Beno Udrih.

Missing out on Finley, meanwhile, comes as a blow to the Suns more than any other spurned suitor. With Nash as lead recruiter, and banking on Finley's fond feelings for the desert after starting his career there in 1995, Phoenix was hoping to land the 10-year veteran to start him in the guard slot vacated by Joe Johnson. Finley would have joined Raja Bell, Boris Diaw and the returning Jim Jackson in a group approach to replacing Johnson.

The Suns, though, could only offer Finley a veteran minimum salary of $1.1 million for next season. Failing to land Finley doesn't necessarily knock Phoenix from its top-two perch in the West, after the Suns made their own series of roster tweaks, but figures to make it tougher for them to close the gap on the team that knocked Phoenix out in last spring's Western Conference finals.

"Of course we are disappointed, but to Michael's credit, he didn't just take the money," Suns president Bryan Colangelo said. "He talked about a chance to win and ultimately he decided to play for the defending NBA champions."

The Heat, widely regarded as the favorites in the Finley chase, were offering a starting salary at the full mid-level exception ($5 million) and the chance to team with Shaquille O'Neal and Dwyane Wade. Yet with the Heat already having added Antoine Walker, Jason Williams and James Posey in a five-team trade last month, Finley ultimately decided to pass on seeing how he'd fit into that mix. Instead he joins a club known for meshing quickly, with Duncan serving as the only constant on three very different championship teams.

Finley's decision will also come as a blow to the Mavericks and particularly star forward Dirk Nowitzki, who with Finley and Nash formed what was known in Dallas as a close-like-brothers Big Three. The Mavericks didn't want to see Finley follow Nash to Phoenix, but they were rooting against San Antonio, too, hoping their former face of the franchise would choose Miami or Detroit after the fruitless trade attempts.

The Mavericks decided they had to waive Finley because the amnesty clause will spare Dallas future luxury-tax payments on the nearly $52 million it still owes him. Mavericks owner Mark Cuban estimates the total savings over the next three seasons to be closer to $90 million, because Finley will receive his remaining Dallas salary in annual installments of less than $5 million.

Yao Ming gets max deal from Rockets

The Houston Rockets will announce Thursday that they've signed three-time All-Star center Yao Ming to a five-year extension, thereby securing his services through the 2010-11 season, a source close to the negotiations confirmed early Wednesday morning.

The story was first reported by KRIV-TV in Houston. The Associated Press reported that Rocket owner Leslie Alexander and Yao would participate in a conference call planned for Thursday.

That this comes without drama or shock value -- not even for the Lakers -- is further proof that Yao simply isn't cutting it as your standard-issue NBA superstar. Under the next collective bargaining agreement, the value of the contract, which doesn't kick in until next season, will be 25 percent of whatever the salary cap is. Estimates have the deal starting at $12.5 million. What the Rockets have to wonder is whether he'll ever start acting like someone pulling down that kind of coin.

Didn't he read the manual? Doesn't he know this was his chance to hold the franchise hostage and make sure everyone in Dubya's stomping grounds danced to Yao's xiao*? To induce GMs around the league to prostrate themselves before his size 18s and shower him with gifts and expound on how magnificent he would look in their uniforms? (Heck, even Tim Duncan went the sampler route.)

To inspire media and fans to speculate and chatter and raise a general ruckus about where he should go and why? (Several sources say Lakers rising exec Jim Buss -- son of owner Dr. Jerry Buss -- thought he could lure Yao to L.A. but is now targeting LeBron James.)

Yao could've been the center of attention for at least a month, if not an entire year, had he played out his option -- and, instead, he does this. Quietly negotiates a max extension. Quietly arranges to call from China to make the announcement. Quietly hitches his wagon to a franchise and a market that, quite frankly, are not big enough to fully exploit his worldwide drawing power.

I understand now why his rookie-year teammates celebrated when he finally unleashed his first post-dunk, T-drawing primal scream. The dude simply refuses to see that being focused on winning and making his teammates better and honoring his country and respecting his elders and trying, despite his wealth and fame and privilege, to embody that whole Rudyard Kipling poem thing is just -- well, damn it, it's just not the NBA way.

Here's how it's done: Keep a checklist of grievances and see this as the perfect time for full-bore payback. Poke fun at those who tagged him a bust before his first NBA game. Steal the spotlight from those who insinuated his All-Star starts are bogus because he comes from a country of 1.3 billion people. (As if that's something he should be sorry for, especially considering a billion are not believed to have Internet access.) Drop hints about how honored he'd be to follow in the purple-and-gold pivots of Kareem, Wilt and Shaq. That might've even induced Phil Jackson to say how much better suited Yao is than the Diesel for the triangle offense. Or how much New York reminds him of his native Shanghai. Or how he might just have to leave the league entirely if the referees don't start cutting him a little more slack.

Re-signing without milking the moment for all its worth -- to him, at everyone else's expense -- wasn't his only offseason violation. Rather than delaying his ankle surgery, thereby allowing him to miss part or all of training camp and provide himself a built-in excuse for playing his way into shape, he had it done early in the summer. Then he hired a personal trainer to keep working on his upper body while his ankle healed. Then he bought a $3,000 portable ice-electric stimulation contraption so he could still meet his Basketball Without Borders obligations in Beijing in mid-July while treating his ankle in his downtime.

How Yao reached his decision to stay in Houston is almost as bad. First he weighed if any place could give him a better chance of winning a championship. Then he considered how much he enjoyed playing last season with newly acquired Tracy McGrady. Then he remembered how Houston, its franchise and its people, embraced him as much for who he is as who they hope he will be. How GM Carroll Dawson announced Yao was going to be the No. 1 pick and never wavered in the face of withering skepticism. How the team, from the 12th man to the coaching staff, has been remodeled to exploit his strengths and compensate for his weaknesses.

Yao even concluded that for all his wisecracks about the traffic and sprawl and cowpie-kickin' attitude, Houston really isn't all that bad as an adopted home.

All of which he may or may not mention Thursday. If he feels in any way he might be overstating his place in the Rockets' universe -- as he sees it -- he'll stick to thanking the franchise for believing in him and promising to do his best to live up to its commitment and expectations and then throw in a self-deprecating crack. Something about looking like coach Jeff Van Gundy in six years. Or having enough time now to see Shaq retire. Or having the money to build a private freeway to and from the Toyota Center.

The guy just doesn't get it. It's quite a burden for the rest of us to carry, but let's hope he never does.

*Vertical Chinese flute.

Alex Djaferis

09/01/05, 12:38 AM

man, i cant believe he went to the spurs. I hate it when players do that...."just to get the ring". Such cheap moves. I hope it bombs for him, just like when Malone and Payton joined Kobe and Shaq a few years back

Emopunkthrice

09/01/05, 01:06 AM

but seriously if Michael Finley went to the Heat, who'd play what?
Williams-PG
Wade-SG
Walker/Finley-SF
Haslem/Walker-PF
Shaq-C

Finley would be in a crowded spot, and would not be the last play in Miami...

I'm Still a Spurs fan so I'm kind of happy but I'm bigger Suns Fan, but yes I hope the Spurs tank in the conference finals.

San Antonio

Parker-PG
Ginobili-SG
Bowen/Finley-SF
Duncan/Horry-PF
Nesterovic/Duncan-C
or even Ginobili could be the 6th man.
At least we know Finley would or Big Shot Bob would take that final 3.

I personally think that Finley would fit in great with Phoenix, I'm not just saying that because I'm a Suns Fan, I just think Finley could have a great year especially with Nash passing.

Nash-PG
Finley-SG
Marion-SF
Stoudemire-PF
Thomas-C

Come on Finley is guranteed to be a starter here...oh well good luck to him.

Alex Djaferis

09/01/05, 01:15 AM

Yeah, Phoenix woulda been great for him.

Yeah with SAS, he will backup bowen and ginobili. With the heat he woulda been backin Wade and walker...(less minutes probably)

Spicoli hey bud

09/01/05, 11:30 AM

The knicks need to bring in...

ERIC SNOW

Emopunkthrice

09/01/05, 03:09 PM

New Jersey Nets: Free agent Linton Johnson, a forward who missed all but two games last season with the San Antonio Spurs because of a stress fracture in his ankle, signed with the Nets Thursday.

Johnson, 6-foot-8, was a rookie with the Chicago Bulls in 2003-04. He played in 41 games and averaged 4.2 points and 4.5 rebounds in 18 minutes. He was released by the Bulls midway through the season and played 21 games for Rockford in the CBA, averaging 15.6 points and 8.5 rebounds.

The Bulls re-signed Johnson in February and he spent the rest of the season with the team.

Denver Nuggets: The team has re-signed guards DerMarr Johnson and Greg Buckner and have signed guard Earl Watson.

b e L I E v e

09/01/05, 03:11 PM

Linton Johnson,...great...

*sarcasm

its good that the nets are actaully DOING something this offseason...but make wise decisions so that they last through next year

Emopunkthrice

09/01/05, 06:03 PM

Utah Jazz:The team signed free-agent point guard Milt Palacio on Thursday. Palacio played 80 games for the Toronto Raptors last season and averaged 5.8 points and 3.5 assists in 19 minutes.

He joins rookie point guard Deron Williams, taken third overall in the draft, in a rebuilding effort after Utah's 24-46 season.

Palacio played for Vancouver, Boston, Phoenix, Cleveland and the Raptors in his six-year NBA career.

Emopunkthrice

09/02/05, 01:40 PM

Toronto Raptors: The Raptors waived small forward Lamond Murray on Friday.

Murray barely played during his three seasons in Toronto, averaging 6.0 points, 2.7 rebounds in 95 games. The 11-year veteran had one-year and $5.25 million left on his contract.

Toronto general manager Rob Babcock wanted to clear a roster spot and allow Murray to sign with another team.

``He was the logical choice. We're loaded at his position,'' Babcock said. ``He wasn't going to play that much so this makes sense for both parties.''

Murray had demanded out of Toronto at least once. The Raptors acquired him from Cleveland in August 2002, after he demanded a trade. He spent five seasons with the Clippers before being dealt to Cleveland.

Chicago Bulls: Free-agent forward Malik Allen signed with the Bulls after playing last season with Miami and Charlotte.

Allen, 6-foot-10, played 14 games with the Heat and 22 with the Bobcats, averaging five points and nearly three rebounds.

His signing comes one day after the Bulls reached a six-year agreement with restricted free agent Tyson Chandler.

CHICAGO -- Tyson Chandler and the Bulls agreed Thursday to a multiyear contract, keeping the restricted free agent and former No. 2 overall draft pick in Chicago.

The team declined to release the length of the contract or the terms, but Chandler said it's a six-year deal.

"I'm ecstatic that this contract is done," said Chandler, who was drafted out of high school in 2001. "To know that I will be in Chicago for the next six years is definitely a dream."

The 7-foot-1 Chandler played in a career-high 80 games in his fourth season with the Bulls and averaged 8.0 points, 9.7 rebounds and nearly two blocks a game.

He shot 49 percent from the field and 67 percent from the free throw line.

"In this business, things don't always happen at the pace you would like, but I knew from the onset that we would make this happen," Bulls general manager John Paxson said in a team release.

"Tyson's play last season was an important factor to our success and we hope to take the next step forward with Tyson being a major contributor to our team."

The Bulls made the playoffs for the first time since 1998 last season before being eliminated in the first round by the Washington Wizards.

Still unsigned is fellow prep-to-pro Eddy Curry, also a restricted agent, whose future has been clouded by heart problems.

Chandler was originally drafted by the Los Angeles Clippers in 2001 draft before his draft rights were traded, along with Brian Skinner, to the Bulls for Elton Brand.

Emopunkthrice

09/02/05, 07:19 PM

Blast from past: Kareem joins Lakers' staff

EL SEGUNDO, Calif. -- Former Los Angeles Lakers star Kareem Abdul-Jabbar, a six-time NBA MVP and the leading career scorer in league history, has been hired by the team as a special assistant coach.

The 58-year-old Abdul-Jabbar played in the NBA for 20 seasons -- six with the Milwaukee Bucks and 14 with the Lakers. He scored 38,387 points before retiring in 1989.

"We are pleased to welcome Kareem back to the organization." general manager Mitch Kupchak said in a statement issued Friday. "Kareem was one of the best centers to ever play the game. His skills and talent on the court were truly remarkable and we look forward to having Kareem help our big men develop these skills and tutor them on what it takes to be a successful player in this league."

The Lakers picked 17-year-old high school center Andrew Bynum with the 10th overall pick in the NBA draft two months ago.

Abdul-Jabbar, who led the John Wooden-coached UCLA Bruins to three NCAA championships, was the first overall selection in the 1969 draft by the Bucks and was a 19-time NBA All-Star.

The Lakers said Abdul-Jabbar will begin work immediately. He will accompany the team to Hawaii for training camp and work with the players at all home practices.

Abdul-Jabbar led the Bucks to the NBA championship in 1971, and was a member of five championship teams with the Lakers during the 1980s.

He worked briefly as an assistant coach with the Los Angeles Clippers at the end of the 1999-2000 season and most recently was a scout for the New York Knicks.

Emopunkthrice

09/04/05, 03:53 PM

Pistons sign Evans to three-year contract

Maurice Evans signed with the Detroit Pistons and is expected to provide depth behind starting small forward Tayshaun Prince and shooting guard Richard Hamilton.

"Maurice is the kind of player we think is going to fit in with our team and our culture," president of basketball operations Joe Dumars said Saturday. "Maurice brings a really strong competitive streak with him and can play two positions for us."

Detroit signed Evans on Friday, nine days after they extended an offer sheet to the 6-foot-5 Sacramento swingman. The Kings needed to match the three-year contract worth about $4.5 million to retain the restricted free agent, but they weren't expected to after signing Shareef Abdur-Rahim earlier this month.

Evans, a solid defender, averaged 6.4 points, 3.1 rebounds and 19 minutes in 65 games, including 11 starts. He made similar contributions in the playoffs last season with the Kings.

This offseason, the Pistons were interested in signing free agent Michael Finley and briefly considered adding free agent Latrell Sprewell. But Finley made it clear he didn't want to play for the Pistons before signing with San Antonio, and they decided to not sign Sprewell.

Evans began his career with the Minnesota Timberwolves during the 2001-02 season, playing 10 games for Detroit coach Flip Saunders. After that brief stint in the NBA, he played in Europe before making Sacramento's roster last season.

The Pistons signed the 26-year-old Evans to an offer sheet one day after signing Dale Davis to a two-year, $7 million contract. They used part of their mid-level exception to sign Davis, keeping money available for Evans.

"We like the fact that he is young, athletic and ready to step on the floor and help us immediately," Dumars said.

Alex Djaferis

09/05/05, 07:07 AM

So, who do we think has improved/gotten worse over the summer?
I personally think the Spurs just did the ridiculous to get Van Exel AND Finley. A hard team now, even harder to beat.

Indiana should be a shocker next year...if artest keeps his cool...

Miami, depends on team chemistry. They can still get 60 wins, but wont get into the final.

Cavs, have improved, but not as much as everyone thinks in my opinion. They really needed someone who could hit the lights out from the 3. Hughes is a worse 3pt shooter then James. (29-30%)> Marshall will help, but hes only gonna be in the game about 20- minutes.

Suns? I dont know. Q rich wasnt that great. J Johnsons numbers were inflated through Nash. K Thomas, R Bell? Good players...tough players. I cant call this one. Theyl still do amazing, but maybe not as fun to watch as last year?

etc. i'll add more later.

Im an orlando fan so i cant wait to see how much a beast D Howard is going to be.

Emopunkthrice

09/05/05, 12:38 PM

the Spurs definately are monsters now.
The Heat are monsters too except now they have a a shitload of ballhogs. the Pacers shall be Eastern Conference contenders this year, they're team is great. The Cavaliers improved I guess? but do they really need all those people? and the Suns, not very interesting for their offseason...but they should be a bit stronger in the front court.

AshesAshes

09/05/05, 02:14 PM

Emopunkthrice

09/05/05, 04:28 PM

Scott Padgett: Signs with Nets

Update: The Nets have reached an agreement with Padgett on a one-year, $1.6 million contract, the New York Post reports.

Recommendation: In an homage to "Spinal Tap," both Shareef Abdur-Rahim and Robert Traylor failed physicals before the Nets settled on Padgett as their free-agent power-forward acquisition. Padgett, who played for the Rockets last season, will give the Nets another player that can knock down the mid-range jumper. He will not play the traditional power forward role, and will not need to, because the team already has Marc Jackson, Cliff Robinson, Nenad Krstic and Jason Collins all looking for minutes.

Robert Traylor: Heart Problem Causes Traylor to Fail Physical

Update: According to a report in the New York Post, Traylor failed his physical with the Nets due to a heart problem.

Alex Djaferis

09/06/05, 01:02 AM

Hopefully this kid plays well in sloans system.We also signed devon brown to an offer sheet :wow: thinks are lookin good for the jazz.

I hope AK47 stays healthy for you guys. Apparently Boozer has been working out all summer and is a total beast now...should be decent for you guys next year. you'll be fighting for the last playoff spot i think.

Emopunkthrice

09/07/05, 06:25 PM

Report: Cavs sign Jones to 4-year, $15M deal

CLEVELAND -- Point guard Damon Jones apparently has found yet another home.

The Cleveland Plain Dealer on Wednesday reported that the Cleveland Cavaliers signed Jones to a four-year contract worth at least $15 million.

ESPN's Ric Bucher confirmed the signing with Jones on Wednesday evening.

Considered the last high-profile free agent point guard on the market, Jones averaged a career-high 11.6 points in 82 games -- 66 starts -- in his first campaign with the Miami Heat last season. He has not spent more than one season with the same team since entering the NBA with New Jersey in 1998-99.

Jones ranked fifth in the NBA in 3-point shooting last season with a mark of 43.2 percent (225-of-521) -- 10 percent better than the Cavaliers shot from that range in 2004-05.

The 29-year-old Jones would be the second free-agent guard added by the Cavaliers this offseason to complement superstar forward LeBron James. They also inked Larry Hughes, who scored a career-high 22.0 points on 43 percent shooting and led the NBA with 2.9 steals in 61 games with Washington last season.

Both Jones and Hughes helped their respective teams into the Eastern Conference playoffs in 2004-05 while the Cavaliers (42-40) were on the outside looking in despite James ranking third in the league in scoring (27.2 ppg). The Heat were the top seed entering the playoffs and advanced to the conference finals, losing in seven games to Detroit.

Emopunkthrice

09/07/05, 10:26 PM

Wizards sign free agent center Booth

Washington Wizards: Free agent center Calvin Booth signed with the Wizards on Wednesday, returning to the team that drafted him in 1999.

Booth has played for Washington, Dallas, Seattle and Milwaukee over six seasons. He was a second-round selection by the Wizards, who sent him to the Mavericks in the Juwan Howard trade late in the 2000-01 season.

"Calvin is a veteran player that adds depth to our frontcourt," president of basketball operations Ernie Grunfeld said. "He's experienced, he's been a part of winning programs in Seattle and in Dallas, and he's familiar with Washington."

Booth has career averages of 4.1 points, 3.3 rebounds and 1.2 blocks. He played in 51 games for Dallas and Milwaukee last season, averaging 2.4 points and 2.1 rebounds.

AshesAshes

09/07/05, 10:55 PM

Emopunkthrice

09/07/05, 11:00 PM

A league source informs InsideHoops.com editor Jeff Lenchiner late Wednesday evening that the Boston Celtics are going to trade all-star guard/forward Paul Pierce to the Denver Nuggets for guard Andre Miller and forward/center Nene.

It's not known whether other players are involved, but if any are they'd be lesser players for cap purposes.
Pierce on Denver, I hate 19 more million reasons to hate them, carmelo already gave me 8 million reasons. and I guess Boston does need nene, but do they need another ballhog like Andre Miller?

BuriedAlive

09/08/05, 11:22 AM

Pierce on Denver, I hate 19 more million reasons to hate them, carmelo already gave me 8 million reasons. and I guess Boston does need nene, but do they need another ballhog like Andre Miller?
ballhog? he is a point guard. maybe our definitions of a ballhog are different. he averages 7.4 assists in his career; he averages 14.2 points per game and .449 field goal percentage. Allen Iverson and Paul Pierce and 'Melo... now those are ballhogs. Miller is a mediocre player, that's all.

sundaysetsashes

09/08/05, 11:37 AM

Emopunkthrice

09/09/05, 06:08 PM

ESPN's Ric Bucher reported that guard Eddie House has agreed to a two-year, $1.8 million deal with the Suns. House averaged 5.8 points per game with the Kings last season.

Spurs decline to match Utah offer

SALT LAKE CITY (AP) -- Devin Brown officially became a member of the Utah Jazz on Friday when the San Antonio Spurs declined to match an offer sheet.

Brown was in his hometown of San Antonio helping the Salvation Army assist victims of Hurricane Katrina when the move was announced Friday by Jazz president Dennis Haslam.

Terms of the multi-year deal were not released.

The Jazz had been looking for a shooting guard since free agent Raja Bell signed with Phoenix.

Brown, 26, joins Gordan Giricek and C.J. Miles at the second guard spot. Miles is just 18, and adding Brown will allow the Jazz to bring the rookie along slowly.

``Between Gordan and Devin Brown we think that we'll have two very good players at shooting guard,'' Haslam said. ``We think Devin has probably been a little under utilized and underplayed.''

In 135 career games with San Antonio and Denver, Brown has averaged 5.6 points, 2.5 rebounds and 1.0 assists.

AshesAshes

09/09/05, 06:35 PM

Im excited about brown

Emopunkthrice

09/12/05, 08:38 PM

Phoenix Suns: The nomadic Eddie House has found another new home.

House signed a two-year contract with the Suns, joining his sixth team in less than three years.

The 27-year-old House averaged 5.8 points and 1.4 assists in 68 games with Charlotte, Milwaukee and Sacramento last season. He opened the season with Charlotte, averaging 11.1 points and nearly two steals in 13 games and five starts for the expansion Bobcats.

A product of Arizona State, where he finished as the school's all-time leading scorer, House was selected 37th overall by Miami in the 2000. He spent three seasons with the Heat and one with the Los Angeles Clippers, where he posted career highs of 2.3 rebounds and 2.5 assists in 60 games in 2003-04.

In 297 career games, House has averaged 6.7 points and 1.7 assists.

The Suns also signed rookie free agent forward Lucas Tischer, who was a member of the team's summer league entry in Las Vegas in July. A 6-9, 230-pounder from Brazil, Tischer shot a team-high 68.8 percent (15-of-22) from the field in six summer league games.

Atlanta Hawks: Forward-center Esteban Batista signed Monday with the Hawks, and could become the first native of Uruguay to play in the NBA.

The 6-foot-10 Batista played for Uruguay in the 2005 FIBA Americas Championship in August and earlier this month, and he led the tournament with 15.6 rebounds per game while averaging 18 points.

"Esteban is an interesting player," general manager Billy Knight said. "He's a good rebounder and is physical around the basket, and those are elements our team needs."

Terms of the deal for the 22-year-old player were not disclosed.

Batista said signing with the Hawks "is the happiest day of my life."

"It's a proud and historic moment for me, and for my country," he said.

Emopunkthrice

09/13/05, 06:00 PM

Toronto Raptors: General manager Rob Babcock said yesterday he is pursuing former Duke point guard Jay Williams, who did not play the past two seasons after suffering severe nerve damage to his foot following a motorcycle accident on June 19, 2003, the Toronto Sun reported.

Babcock watched the point guard work out last week in Chicago and also had lunch with the 2002-2003 Second Team NBA All-Rookie.

"We hit it off pretty good," Babcock said.

The GM described Williams' recovery at about 85 percent, adding that the former Chicago Bulls star would be a valuable addition to any team if he's anywhere close to 100 percent healthy.

"He has made huge progress," Babcock said. "A year ago he was learning to walk again and to run, now he's back on the court."

Babcock doesn't think Williams, 22, is ready to step in and play in the NBA immediately, but he is hoping to sign him and have him at training camp, which begins Oct. 4 at Brock University in St. Catharines.

Dallas Mavericks: The Mavericks are thinking sixth man, but Jerry Stackhouse would like to them to think starter, the Fort Worth Star-Telegram said.

"I'm not conceding anything," Stackhouse said.

Last season, Stackhouse's first with the Mavs, he was used primarily off the bench. Injuries limited him to 56 games -- he started seven -- and an average of 14.9 points in 28.9 minutes per game.

But Stackhouse says when Michael Finley was waived Aug. 15, it opened up an opportunity for him to become a starter. Of course, the team has since acquired Doug Christie, whom they hope to move into Finley's old slot.

Stackhouse said he believes the job should be won or lost in training camp.

"We're going to obviously miss Michael Finley because he did a lot for this franchise," Stackhouse said. "And, by adding Doug Christie, he should be able to help us improve our defense.

"But we first have to see if Christie's healthy and then go from there.

Cleveland Cavaliers: First-year coach Mike Brown added assistants Michael Malone and Melvin Hunt to his staff Tuesday.

Malone is the son of Brendan Malone, a former Cavaliers assistant who served as Cleveland's interim coach last season after Paul Silas was fired.

Malone spent the past two seasons as an assistant with the New York Knicks.

Hunt was an assistant coach with the Los Angeles Lakers last season after spending five seasons with the Houston Rockets. He was a three-year starter at Baylor and played pro ball in the Caribbean and Mexico.

Brown, an assistant coach with Indiana before getting the Cleveland job, previously hired Hank Egan and Kenny Natt as assistants. Natt was with the Cavs last season.

Emopunkthrice

09/14/05, 07:06 PM

Boston Celtics: Guard Tony Allen, one of the Celtics' three first-round picks in 2004, underwent successful arthroscopic right knee surgery Wednesday to repair torn knee cartilage.

The surgery was performed by Dr. Brian McKeon at New England Baptist Hospital, and Allen is expected to begin rehabilitation immediately under the medical staff's supervision.

The 6-4 Allen, who was Boston's third first-round pick (25th overall) in 2004 behind Al Jefferson and Delonte West, averaged 6.4 points and 2.9 rebounds in 77 games last season. The Celtics went 21-13 in his 34 starts.

Allen, who scored a team-high 17 points in the Rookie Challenge at All-Star Weekend last season, averaged 16.8 points on 55.9 percent shooting during the 2005 Reebok Vegas Summer League.

Emopunkthrice

09/15/05, 10:08 PM

Minnesota Timberwolves: The Timberwolves hired Bob Thornton, Rex Kalamian, Vince Taylor and Aleksandar Dzikic on Thursday as assistants to coach Dwane Casey.

The four join former Orlando head coach Johnny Davis on Casey's staff. The team also announced that Brent Haskins has been promoted to assistant coach-advance scout.

Thornton was an assistant and scout for the Chicago Bulls from 2002-04 and played for New York, Philadelphia, Minnesota, Utah and Washington in his nine-year career.

Kalamian was Denver's assistant coach for player development last season. He coached the Timberwolves' summer league team and also spent time with the 76ers and Clippers.

Taylor, a former Duke standout, spent the previous seven seasons at Louisville and played sparingly for the Knicks in 1982-83. Dzikic (pronounced jee-KEECH) spent 14 years as an assistant for Partizan Belgrade in Yugoslavia.

Los Angeles Clippers: Free agent guard Yuta Tabuse, the first Japanese-born player to appear in an NBA game, has signed with the Clippers.

Tabuse, who played at BYU-Hawaii, averaged 1.8 points and 1.0 rebounds in 4.3 minutes over four games with Phoenix last season. The 5-foot-9, 165-pound Tabuse scored a career-high seven points in 10 minutes in the Suns' season opener against Atlanta.

Tabuse, who turns 25 next month, was released by the Suns on Dec. 18, and later played with Long Beach of the ABA, where he averaged 9.0 points and 6.3 assists in 12 games.

Emopunkthrice

09/19/05, 06:33 PM

Swingman Anderson re-signs with Heat

Miami Heat: Swingman Shandon Anderson, whose numbers continue to tumble, re-signed Monday with the team.

Terms were not disclosed.

Anderson, 31, split last season between New York and Miami, averaging just 3.9 points, the low mark of his nine-year career. He appeared in just eight games for the Heat in the playoffs and averaged 1.0 points.

In 671 career games with Utah, Houston, New York and Miami, Anderson has averaged 7.8 points, 3.2 rebounds and 1.5 assists. He was a member of Utah's teams that reached the NBA Finals in 1997 and 1998.

Emopunkthrice

09/20/05, 10:55 PM

Los Angeles Lakers: Will Conroy, an undrafted guard from Washington, has signed a contract with the Lakers.

The 6-foot-2 Conroy played four years for the Huskies, averaging 9.2 points and 4.3 assists in 121 games. He finished his career as Washington's all-time leader in assists with 515 and is 21st on the school's scoring list with 1,113 points.

Conroy played for the Lakers' Summer League team, averaging 4.4 points and 2.4 assissts in seven games.

Portland Trail Blazers: The Trail Blazers announced they signed restricted free agent guard Steve Blake to an offer sheet.

Blake, 25, has spent the last two seasons with the Washington Wizards, and they have until Sept. 28 to match the Trail Blazers' offer.

The 6-foot-3 Blake, part of the Maryland team that won the NCAA championship in 2002, averaged 4.3 points in 44 games last season.

The Wizards selected Blake in the second round of the 2003 NBA Draft.

Terms of the offer sheet were not immediately disclosed.

AshesAshes

09/21/05, 01:15 AM

Signing anderson was a good move for the heat.

Emopunkthrice

09/21/05, 06:13 PM

Sonics re-sign Radmanovic to one-year qualifying offer

SEATTLE -- Vladimir Radmanovic has signed a one-year qualifying offer to stay with the SuperSonics, the team said Wednesday.

General manager Rick Sund called the reserve forward "a multi-positional player who can shoot the three, and he's a good fit with our team."

Radmanovic, 24, has played four seasons in the NBA, averaging 11.8 points and 4.6 rebounds per game in 63 games for the Sonics last year.

Seattle selected him as the 12th pick in the first round of the 2001 NBA Draft.

Emopunkthrice

09/22/05, 08:29 PM

Glove work: Heat sign Payton to one-year deal

MIAMI -- Gary Payton signed a $1.1 million, one-year deal with Miami on Thursday, the latest move in an offseason filled with significant roster changes by the Heat.

Payton, a nine-time All-Star, again joins Shaquille O'Neal -- who lured the veteran point guard to Los Angeles two seasons ago in what ultimately was a failed title quest with the Lakers, who lost to Detroit in the 2004 Finals.

Payton and Jason Williams -- another new Heat addition -- will be the team's primary point guards entering training camp, which opens in less than two weeks.

"We are very fortunate to have been able to acquire a player of Gary Payton's stature," Heat president Pat Riley said. "He is a proven veteran and will be a big addition to this team."

Miami lost starting point guard Damon Jones to Cleveland earlier this summer; Jones signed a four-year, $16.1 million free-agent deal. That move came after the Heat acquired Williams, James Posey and Antoine Walker in a 13-player, five-team deal -- one where Miami gave up swingman Eddie Jones, another starter from the team that won 59 games last season and posted the Eastern Conference's best regular-season record.

O'Neal lobbied for the Heat to sign Payton, a free agent who averaged 11.3 points and 6.1 assists for Boston last season, saying he was "the only guy in the world" that could help Payton win his elusive first championship. Payton played with Seattle in the 1996 Finals against Chicago, then returned to the title series with the Lakers two seasons ago -- losing both times.

Miami is the fifth team Payton's played for in 16 NBA seasons, and he comes with career averages of 17.6 points, 7.2 assists and 2.0 steals per game. He's third on the NBA's all-time steals list (2,331), sixth in assists (8,508), 12th in minutes played (43,309) and 25th in points (20,829).

BuriedAlive

09/23/05, 11:03 AM

Hopefully the Heat will not have a Dallas-like team this year.

Emopunkthrice

09/23/05, 06:31 PM

Philadelphia 76ers: Free-agent forward Lee Nailon agreed to terms with the Philadelphia 76ers on Thursday.

Nailon, a 6-foot-9, 238-pounder, averaged a career-high 14.2 points and 4.4 rebounds in 68 games last season for the New Orleans Hornets.

"Lee will give us some added offense and experience," 76ers president Billy King said.

The former TCU player has averaged 8.9 points and 3.1 rebounds in five seasons Charlotte-New Orleans, New York, Atlanta, Orlando and Cleveland.

DEERFIELD, Ill. -- The Chicago Bulls signed free agent Darius Songaila to a two-year contract Friday that will reportedly pay him $2.2 million next season.

Songaila spent two seasons with the Sacramento Kings, averaging 7.5 points and 4.2 rebounds last season.

The 6-foot-8 Songaila has an option for 2006-07, according to the Chicago Sun-Times.

"He is the type of player and person we desire," Bulls general manager John Paxson said. "His level of skill will strengthen our already solid front line."

That front line includes the recently re-signed Tyson Chandler, free-agent acquisition Malik Allen and perhaps Eddy Curry, who is an unsigned restricted free agent.

Curry missed the final 13 games of the regular season and the playoffs because of an irregular heartbeat. The Bulls have the right to match any offer, but other teams have shown little interest in Curry, who averaged 16.1 points and 5.4 rebounds.

Paxson said Curry must take more tests to rule out health issues before he puts on a Bulls uniform.

"We've done everything in our power to be protective of Eddy, show our concern and passion for him," Paxson said. "All we want to do is get as many answers as we can get. It's coming to a point where next week, there's going to be a decision made."

Curry's agent, Leon Rose, did not immediately return a message seeking comment.

sundaysetsashes

09/23/05, 08:06 PM

lee nailon was such a garbage move by the sixers. once again cementing my theory that the NBA is the only profesional sports league where teams consistently recycle garbage players year after year

Alex Djaferis

09/24/05, 05:30 AM

lee nailon was such a garbage move by the sixers. once again cementing my theory that the NBA is the only profesional sports league where teams consistently recycle garbage players year after year

they needed a decent offensive backup, which nailon will be.

Emopunkthrice

09/26/05, 06:33 PM

MINNEAPOLIS -- The Minnesota Timberwolves continue to work on remodeling the backcourt, signing Richie Frahm on Monday.

Terms of the deal were not disclosed.

Frahm is the latest addition to Minnesota's revamped backcourt. The Timberwolves traded Sam Cassell, have no intention of re-signing free agent Latrell Sprewell and waived guard Fred Hoiberg, who has a career-threatening heart condition.

Minnesota selected talented shooting guard Rashad McCants in the first round of June's draft and acquired young guards Marko Jaric and Lionel Chalmers from the Los Angeles Clippers for Cassell.

Timberwolves vice president of basketball operations Kevin McHale tendered an offer sheet to guard Damien Wilkins last month, but the Seattle SuperSonics matched it. Now McHale has turned to Frahm, who averaged 3.8 points and shot 39 percent from 3-point range in 43 games with the Portland Trail Blazers last season.

"Richie is a proven perimeter shooter and we think he will be able to come in here and knock down some shots for us," McHale said. "He gives us added depth in the backcourt."

Frahm, 28, suffered a torn ligament in his right foot in the third game of the 2004-05 season and was on the injured list for more than a month. He scored double figures in five games, including a season-high 16 against Washington on March 28.

The 6-5 Frahm starred at Gonzaga, but went undrafted in 2000. He has averaged 3.6 points in 97 games over two seasons with Seattle (2003-04) and Portland. He posted a career-high 31 points on 10-of-11 shooting in a Dec. 20, 2003 game at Denver.

Emopunkthrice

09/27/05, 06:04 PM

Charlotte Bobcats: The Bobcats re-signed forward Gerald Wallace on Tuesday to a three-year contract.

Wallace averaged 11.1 points and 5.5 rebounds last season while starting 68 of the 70 games he played. His average of 1.6 steals a game ranked ninth in the NBA.

Wallace was drafted by Sacramento with the 25th overall pick in 2001 and spent three seasons with the Kings. The Bobcats

Emopunkthrice

09/29/05, 09:05 PM

Los Angeles Clippers: The team agreed to terms with veteran free-agent forward Walter McCarty.

He is scheduled to sign a contract Friday, pending the results of a physical, the team said. Terms of the contract were not announced.

McCarty has averaged 5.3 points and 2.7 rebounds in 557 games over nine seasons with New York, Boston and Phoenix.

The 6-foot-10 McCarty was traded in February from Boston to Phoenix, where he averaged 3.5 points in 28 games while helping the Suns to the best record in the Western Conference.

McCarty helped lead Kentucky to the 1996 NCAA title, then was drafted 19th overall by New York.

Milwaukee Bucks: The Bucks signed forward Brandon Hunter to a free-agent contract.

Hunter averaged 3.1 points and 2.2 rebounds in 31 games with the Orlando Magic last season.

The Boston Celtics drafted him out of Ohio University in the second round in 2003. He averaged 3.5 points and 3.3 rebounds in 36 games in his first season.

The Charlotte Bobcats selected him the next year in the expansion draft and then traded him to Orlando before the 2004-05 season.

Orlando Magic: The Magic signed five free agents, including forwards Matt Freije, Bo Outlaw and guard Felipe Lopez.

Freije, a second-round pick by Miami in 2004, appeared in 23 games last season with New Orleans, averaging 4.0 points and 2.7 rebounds. The 6-foot-10 Freije was waived by the Hornets in January.

Outlaw, a 12-year NBA veteran, played for the Magic from 1997-2001. He averaged 1.4 rebounds and 0.7 points in 39 games with Phoenix last season.

Lopez, a former New York City prep star, spent parts of five seasons with Vancouver, Washington and Minnesota, averaging 5.8 points and 2.4 rebounds.

The Magic also signed center Ken Johnson and forward Terence Morris.

Johnson, a second-round pick by Miami in 2001, played in 34 games last season with Bourg en Bresse in France, averaging 11.2 points, 5.2 rebounds and 2.1 blocks. The former Ohio State standout holds the Big Ten record for career blocked shots with 444.

Morris, also a second-round choice in 2001, averaged 3.7 points and 2.9 rebounds in 117 career NBA games with Houston.

The Magic open training camp Tuesday in Jacksonville.

• The Magic expect forward Stacey Augmon to miss training camp next week and perhaps some early regular-season games, The Orlando Sentinel reported. Augmon will undergo surgery to repair a hernia in his groin area. He's expected to miss six to eight weeks.

"I talked to Stacey, and he told me he can't run," head coach Brian Hill told the Sentinel.

The Magic will also be without Kelvin Cato, who is still coming back from rotator-cuff surgery on his left shoulder in early June.

"As far as Kelvin, there'll be no contact [in camp] and probably not for a while," Hill told the Sentinel.

Chicago Bulls: Free-agent center Eddy Curry isn't going anywhere.

Curry is staying in Chicago after general manager Jim Paxson rejected repeatedly an offer by the New York Knicks. GM Isiah Thomas offered Chicago a sign-and-trade package of Tim Thomas and Mike Sweetney, according to The New York Post.

Curry, suffering from heart irregularities, is expected to sign the Bulls' one-year, $5 million qualifying offer, the paper reported.

"They're not trading him," one team executive told the Post.

Los Angeles Lakers: Will he or won't he?

According to The Los Angeles Times, center Vlade Divac is still undecided about his future. Despite telling a Serbian newspaper that he would retire, Divac hasn't officially decided if he'll hang up his sneakers, his agent told the paper.

"My guess at this time is he's going to see how his health is and then make his decision," Marc Fleisher told the Times. "I know the Lakers would like to have another big man and have him in camp if he's physically capable of doing it."

Houston Rockets: Point guard Bob Sura will undergo surgery Thursday to fix a bothersome right knee. The Rockets guard isn't optimistic, however. Sura says that the surgery may determine if he will be forced to retire.

"I'm going to undergo another knee surgery ... and don't know how it's going to respond," Sura told The Houston Chronicle. "I have some serious problems in there -- arthritis and bone on bone and some cartilage damage -- so I really don't know. I don't have a good answer.

"I think that [the potential end of his career] is something I'm looking in the eye right now. Some problems you have in a knee just can't be fixed. Hopefully, I'll be able to get through another season or two, but I really don't know."

But Rockets officials are positive that Sura will come back.

"They don't think it will be more than a week as far as slowing him down," Rockets general manager Carroll Dawson told the Chronicle.

"I know what a competitor he is. He gets down, but if there's anybody that can come back fast and play again, it's Bob Sura. We're optimistic. I know he's down about it, but just talking to the doctors, they sound better about it than he does."

sundaysetsashes

09/30/05, 07:12 AM

your like absolutepunk's david aldridge around here

Emopunkthrice

09/30/05, 10:07 PM

Charlotte Bobcats: Restricted free-agent guard Keith Bogans re-signed with the team Friday. Financial terms weren't disclosed.

Bogans averaged 9.6 points, 3.1 rebounds and 1.8 assists in 74 games for the Bobcats last season. The 6-5, 215-pound guard was acquired by Charlotte from Orlando on Nov. 1 in exchange for forward Brandon Hunter.

Seattle SuperSonics: The team re-signed reserve guard Mateen Cleaves and invited six free agents to training camp, which begins on Tuesday.

Cleaves appeared in 14 games for Seattle last season, averaging 0.9 points with a high of eight points against Houston. He also played for Seattle's summer league team.

Seattle extended invitations to Noel Felix (Fresno State), Roger Powell (Illinois), Alex Scales (Oregon), Tre Simmons (Washington), Omar Thomas (Texas El-Paso) and Ezra Williams (Georgia).

Miami Heat: The team signed restricted free-agent forward Jason Kapono to an offer sheet.

Charlotte will now have up to seven days to match the Heat's offer. The Bobcats extended a qualifying offer to Kapono in June.

Kapono averaged 8.5 points and 2.0 rebounds in 81 games with the Bobcats last season. The former UCLA standout had 35 double-digit scoring games and ranked 13th in the league in 3-point shooting.

Kapono was originally drafted by Cleveland with the 31st pick in the 2003 draft, before Charlotte selected him in the 2004 expansion draft.

New Orleans Hornets: Brandon Bass signed with team after being drafted in the second round out of LSU.

Bass was the 33rd overall pick by the Hornets, who will play 35 home games in Oklahoma City this season because of hurricane damage in New Orleans.

He was the Southeastern Conference player of the year last season as a sophomore. Bass was second in the SEC in rebounding (9.1) and third in scoring (17.3).

Denver Nuggets: The team got one of its reserves back in the fold after re-signing guard Greg Buckner. Terms were not disclosed.

Buckner played in 70 games -- 41 starts -- in his first year with the Nuggets, averaging 6.2 points, 3.0 rebounds and 1.07 steals in nearly 22 minutes. Along with his defensive presence, Buckner shot career highs from the floor (.528, 160 of 303) and from the arc (.405, 49 of 121).

His presence became more invaluable to the team after starter Voshon Lenard tore his Achilles tendon in the season opener.

Phoenix Suns: The team signed rookie free agent Anthony Lever-Pedroza to a contract Friday, completing its 15-man roster for training camp.

Lever-Pedroza, the son of former Arizona State and NBA star Lafayette "Fat" Lever, has played two professional seasons in Mexico and averaged 9.5 points, 4.5 rebounds and 2.5 assists in four games for the Mexican National Team at the FIBA Americas Championship from Aug. 24-Sept. 4.

A native of Tucson, Ariz., Lever-Pedroza played three years of college ball at Oregon, setting the school season record for 3-point accuracy with 50 percent (53-of-106) in 2001-02.

The Boston Celtics acquired point guard Dan Dickau from the New Orleans Hornets on Friday in exchange for a second-round choice in 2006.

Dickau, who averaged 12.5 points playing for both Dallas and New Orleans last season, was acquired for the draft choice that Miami gave to Boston in a previous deal.

Dickau agreed to a three-year, $8 million contract, ESPN The Magazine's Ric Bucher has learned.

Dickau started 46 of his 71 games last year and averaged 4.9 assists. After the Hornets acquired the 6-foot guard from Dallas, Dickau averaged 13.2 points, 5.2 assists and 1.1 steals in 67 appearances. The Hornets will play 35 home games in Oklahoma City this season because of hurricane damage in New Orleans.

Dickau, the 28th selection in the 2002 draft by Sacramento, averaged 3.7 points and 1.7 assists in his first season with Atlanta. In his second season, Dickau averaged 2.2 points in 43 appearances with Atlanta and Portland.

Emopunkthrice

10/01/05, 09:32 PM

Los Angeles Clippers: The Clippers signed six free agents, including four with NBA experience: Jan Jagla, Amal McCaskill, Boniface NDong, Jared Reiner, Fred Vinson and Frank Williams.

Jagla averaged 6.7 points and 3.3 rebounds in Germany last season after three years at Penn State.

McCaskill has averaged 1.8 points and 1.9 rebounds in four seasons with Orlando, San Antonio, Atlanta and Philadelphia. He played in Lebanon last season.

NDong averaged 14.6 points, 8.4 rebounds, 1.4 assists and 1.1 blocks in France last season. The 7-footer played for the Nuggets' summer league team.

Reiner averaged 1.1 points and 2.0 rebounds in 19 games with the Bulls last season after signing as a free agent out of Iowa.

Vinson averaged 19.8 points, 1.0 rebounds and 2.4 steals in Venezuela last season. He has played in 13 NBA games over two seasons with Atlanta and Seattle.

Williams has averaged 2.9 points and 1.9 assists in his first three NBA seasons after being selected by Denver with the 25th selection in the 2002 draft. He also had stints with New York and Chicago, where he played last season.

Emopunkthrice

10/02/05, 06:58 PM

Milwaukee Bucks: The team signed forward Josh Davis to a free-agent contract, general manager Larry Harris said Sunday.

The 6-foot-8 Davis played 42 games with the Philadelphia 76ers last season, averaging 2.8 points and 1.9 rebounds per game.

The 25-year-old Davis was with the Idaho Stampede during the 2003-04 regular season after 10 days with the Atlanta Hawks. He finished the season as the CBA's most valuable player, averaging 18.7 points and 9.6 rebounds in 40 games.

Emopunkthrice

10/03/05, 10:26 PM

Miami Heat: The Charlotte Bobcats will not match the Heat's offer sheet for restricted free agent forward Jason Kapono.

Kapono joins his third team in three years. The former UCLA standout averaged 8.5 points and 2.0 rebounds in 81 games last season with the Bobcats, the team's inaugural year. He also had 35 double-digit scoring games and ranked 13th in the league in 3-point shooting.

"This is a great opportunity for him to play for a team that is vying for a championship," Bobcats coach Bernie Bickerstaff said Monday. "We didn't want to stand in his way and we appreciate the professionalism and commitment he gave to our franchise last season."

In two seasons, Kapono has averaged 6.8 points and 1.8 rebounds with Cleveland and Charlotte. He was drafted by Cleveland with the 31st pick in the 2003 draft before Charlotte selected him in the 2004 expansion draft.

Also Monday, the Heat signed former University of Miami star forward Darius Rice and free-agent guard Kevin Braswell. Rice and Braswell spent last season with the Florida Flame of the NBA's developmental league and averaged 10.5 points and 11.3 points, respectively.

Philadelphia 76ers: Forward Lee Nailon signed with the 76ers after averaging a career-high 14.2 points last season with the New Orleans Hornets.

The 6-foot-9, 238-pound free agent will be joining his sixth NBA team.

The former TCU player has averaged 8.9 points and 3.1 rebounds in five seasons with Charlotte-New Orleans, New York, Atlanta, Orlando and Cleveland. He averaged 4.4 rebounds in 68 games last season for the Hornets.

The 76ers also signed free agents Steve Castleberry, Olu Famutimi, Herve Lamizana, James Thomas and Ime Udoka.

Dallas Mavericks: Guard Erick Strickland is back with the Mavericks.

Strickland, who played with the Mavericks from 1996-2000, signed with the team on Monday.

Dallas also signed forward Kaniel Dickens and guard Samo Udrih to round out its training camp roster.

Strickland, 31, has played in 501 NBA games, 196 of them with Dallas where he averaged 9.8 points and 3.4 assists. Last season, the 6-3 Strickland averaged 4.9 points and 1.9 assists in 62 games with the Milwaukee Bucks.

The nine-year veteran also played with New York, Vancouver, Boston and Indiana.

Los Angeles Lakers: Forward Corie Blount, who played for the team from 1995-99, has signed a partially guaranteed contract with the team, spokesman John Black said Monday.

Blount, an 11-year veteran, most recently played for the Toronto Raptors and Chicago Bulls during the 2003-04 season, averaging 4.4 points and 4.0 rebounds in 62 games.

"It's a good opportunity for me to come back here where I basically know what to expect from Phil," Blount said, referring to Lakers coach Phil Jackson. "I played my first two years for Phil in Chicago."

The Lakers begin training camp Tuesday at the University of Hawaii.

Houston Rockets: The Rockets rounded out their training camp roster, signing guard Dion Glover.

A 1999 first-round pick of Atlanta, Glover played in seven games for the NBA champion San Antonio Spurs last season, averaging 3.6 points.

The 6-5 Glover spent his first five seasons with Atlanta before playing one campaign with Toronto. He has career averages of 8.2 points and 3.1 rebounds in 294 games.

The Rockets on Monday also signed a pair of undrafted rookies -- guard Keith Langford and forward Chuck Hayes.

Houston begins training camp on Tuesday.

Minnesota Timberwolves: The team signed forward Ryan Humphrey, guard John Lucas and guard Marlon Parmer to fill out their roster for training camp.

The team also reached an agreement with Rex Chapman to serve as a scout this season. Chapman was a consultant to the Wolves for the draft this summer after working as director of basketball operations for Phoenix last year.

Humphrey, drafted by Utah out of Notre Dame in 2002, has played in 85 NBA games for Orlando and Memphis. Lucas played for Minnesota's summer league team after a college career split between Baylor and Oklahoma State. Parmer, who also played on the Wolves' summer league squad, spent the 2004-05 season in the CBA and with a team in Israel. His college career was spent at New Mexico and Kentucky Wesleyan.

New York Knicks: Guard Steven Barber and forward Otis George signed with the Knicks, joining the team as free agents after being passed over in the draft.

Barber, a 5-10 rookie who played for three years at Texas-Arlington, was fifth on the school's career scoring list. The 6-8 George played four years at Louisville.

Washington Wizards: The team completed its training camp roster by signing a pair of former New Jersey Nets: forward Awvee Storey and guard Billy Thomas.

Storey played in nine games and scored eight points as a rookie last season with the Nets. Thomas played in 25 games as a rookie in New Jersey, averaging 3.7 points.

Thomas also spent last year's training camp with the Wizards and was released at the end of preseason.

The moves give the Wizards 17 players on the roster as they prepare for their first practice Tuesday at Virginia Commonwealth University in Richmond, Va.

DEERFIELD, Ill. -- The Bulls dealt center Eddy Curry to the New York Knicks on Monday, ending a contentious negotiation in which Chicago insisted the restricted free agent take a DNA test over a heart problem.

Chicago also sent veteran center Antonio Davis to the Knicks, who traded away forwards Tim Thomas, Michael Sweetney and Jermaine Jackson. Several draft choices also changed hands in the deal, according to an executive in the Eastern Conference who spoke on condition of anonymity.

The trade was expected to be finalized Tuesday.

In making the announcement, an obviously frustrated Bulls general manager John Paxson did not specify what Chicago got in return and he did not field questions.

"We will have an announcement tomorrow morning," Bulls public relations director Sebrina Brewster said Monday night. "All we can say right now is we traded Eddy to the Knicks."

Knicks spokesman Jonathan Supranowitz said the team declined comment on Paxson's announcement.

The Bulls had insisted that Curry take a DNA test to determine whether he's susceptible to a potentially fatal heart problem. Curry, who missed the final 13 games of the regular season and the playoffs after experiencing an irregular heartbeat, balked, saying it violated his privacy.

"I would never put a player on the floor in a Chicago Bulls uniform if I didn't do everything in my power to find out all the information that was available," Paxson said. "You can debate genetic testing 'til you're blue in the face. But from what I know, from what I've learned over the last six months, that test could have helped us determine the best course of action."

Curry, drafted right out of high school, averaged a career-high 16.1 points in his fourth NBA season.

The standoff stemmed from a benign arrhythmia that caused Curry to miss the final 13 games of the regular season and the playoffs.

Several prominent cardiologists cleared Curry to play, but Barry Maron, a world-renowned specialist in hypertrophic cardiomyopathy, suggested the DNA test.

Paxson has said he understands the privacy issues involved but insisted the Bulls do not have an ulterior motive; they simply do not want a situation similar to those of former Boston Celtics guard Reggie Lewis or Loyola Marymount star Hank Gathers -- players with hypertrophic cardiomyopathy who collapsed and died.

Paxson, speaking during the team's media day, told reporters the Bulls had offered Curry $400,000 annually for the next 50 years if he failed the genetic test.

"So he would have an above-average lifestyle that would put him in a position that most other people aren't in," Paxson said. "Our intention through that whole process was to show him that we did care about him and that we were concerned about his well-being."

Curry's agent Leon Rose did not return calls seeking comment Monday.

Paxson said he resented insinuations that the Bulls were on a sort of witch hunt, trying to find information on Curry.

The general manager started by asking reporters to "let me ramble a minute." After a long pause, he said, "This has been about as uncomfortable and unusual a situation I could ever imagine. We've attempted from Day 1 to do the right thing, and I'm absolutely confident that we have in every way we went about it. And in a lot of ways we've met resistance in trying to gather all the information we feel we need."

About three minutes later, Paxson said, "From a basketball standpoint, I understand what I'm doing. But I have an obligation to this organization and the people I work for to do the right thing. And I did the right thing. That's all I've got to say."

Then, he walked away from the table.

That Curry and the Bulls parted was not shocking, given the tone of the negotiations.

Curry played a major role as the Bulls won 47 games and reached the playoffs for the first time since 1998 -- when Michael Jordan and Scottie Pippen led them to their sixth NBA title.

"It's tough," said power forward Tyson Chandler, who re-signed with the Bulls for six years during the offseason. "I'm sad to see him go."

Emopunkthrice

10/04/05, 07:04 PM

Portland Trail Blazers: The Trail Blazers signed forward Sam Clancy, the CBA Player of the Year in 2004-05, to a one-year contract.

Financial terms were not disclosed.

Clancy averaged 19.1 points and 10.8 rebounds with the Idaho Stampede of the CBA last season and recently played for Forum Filatelico Valladolid in Spain.

"Sam has demonstrated a toughness and tenacity at the college level in the CBA, as well as in Europe," Trail Blazers general manager John Nash said. "He will add to the intensity of our training camp and practice sessions."

Clancy was a second-round pick of the Philadelphia 76ers in 2002, but missed the entire 2002-03 season rehabbing a left knee injury.

Clancy finished as Southern California's all-time leader in blocked shots (195), while placing third in points (1,657) and second in rebounds (839).

Boston Celtics: The Celtics waived forward Qyntel Woods, whom they acquired in the five-team trade in August that sent Antoine Walker to the Heat.

Woods had spent most of his career with the Trail Blazers, who picked him in the first round of the 2002 draft. Portland placed him on waivers, and the Heat signed him as a free agent in January.

In 118 career games, he has averaged 3.1 points in 8.9 minutes per game.

ST. CATHARINES, Ont. -- The Toronto Raptors traded temperamental point guard Rafer Alston to the Houston Rockets for guard Mike James on Tuesday.

Alston, 29, was involved in several scrapes last season. He threatened to quit the team and the NBA after a Dec. 3 game in Boston and was suspended by the Raptors for two games for conduct detrimental to the club after he walked out during a practice.

Alston averaged 14.2 points in 2004-05 with 3.5 rebounds and 6.4 assists.

James, 30, has played in Miami, Boston, Detroit, Milwaukee and Toronto general manager Rob Babcock insisted the deal had nothing to do with Alston's attitude.

"Rafer's attitude has been terrific, and he's worked very hard, learned a lot from last year," Babcock said. "He had a great attitude coming in here, so that has nothing to do with it at all."

The move could save the team as much as $16 million over the next five years.

"Rafer still would have been a good fit for our team, but we felt this was a better fit and certainly gives us more flexibility down the road in regards to the cap," he said.

James was expected to arrive Tuesday night and practice Wednesday. He averaged 9.2 points, 2.4 rebounds and 3.5 assists in 248 career games with Miami, Boston, Detroit, Milwaukee and Houston.

"Mike James is a positive player," Toronto coach Sam Mitchell. "He's got playoff experience, he's played for some good coaches and we're looking forward to bringing him in."

The Raptors opened training camp in St. Catharines on Tuesday.

Emopunkthrice

10/05/05, 05:55 PM

SEATTLE -- The Seattle SuperSonics re-signed forward Reggie Evans, who led the team in rebounding last season, on Tuesday.

Evans was the team's third restricted free agent who received a one-year qualifying offer, joining forward Vladimir Radmanovic and guard Ron Murray. They all can become unrestricted free agents after this season. Terms were not disclosed.

Evans averaged a career-high 9.3 rebounds and 4.9 points last season, his third in the NBA. In 221 games with Seattle, the 6-8 Evans has averaged 3.7 points and 7.2 rebounds, providing strong interior play for a perimeter-based team.

"We're thrilled to have one of the top rebounders in the NBA back in a Sonics uniform this season," Sonics general manager Rick Sund said. "Reggie is a tenacious rebounder and he has always found a way to have an impact on the court. He's like a bulldog around the boards."

The Sonics also waived rookie swingman Omar Thomas.

CallMeChief

10/05/05, 05:58 PM

I think the nets shouldve got sam clancy...he did great for them during summer league, even if that doesnt mean anything. he was pretty beastly with the rebounding, they couldve given it a shot.

Emopunkthrice

10/06/05, 05:31 PM

OKLAHOMA CITY -- The New Orleans Hornets have kicked veteran George Lynch out of their preseason camp at Southern Nazarene University.

Lynch has made it clear he wants to be traded and the feeling is mutual, said Hornets coach Byron Scott.

"I don't want those type of distractions in our locker room," Scott said.

"George has made it clear that he wants to be traded. We've made it clear that we want to trade him.

"We want to try to get rid of him, try to make him happy."

Team officials said Lynch is in Dallas while recovering from offseason foot surgery and was unavailable for comment.

Lynch's agent, Steve Kaussman, couldn't be reached for comment.

Lynch is in the final year of a contract that will pay him $3.2 million this season. He has said he wants to play for a contending team.

The Hornets will play 35 home games in Oklahoma City this season because of hurricane damage in New Orleans.

HONOLULU -- The Los Angeles Lakers have waived Vlade Divac, a disappointment in his second go-round with the team.

The Lakers had the option of picking up a one-year, $5.4 million contract option or buying him out for $2 million. Divac will be owed the $2 million if he clears waivers.

The 37-year-old center underwent back surgery in January and played in only 15 games for Los Angeles last season, averaging 2.3 points and 2.1 rebounds. He had averaged 11.9 points and 8.3 rebounds in 15 previous NBA seasons, seven with the Lakers, two with Charlotte and six with Sacramento.

Taken by the Lakers with the 26th pick in the 1989 NBA draft, they traded him to Charlotte in 1996 for the rights to Kobe Bryant.

Divac has been quoted as saying he planned to retire, but would like to remain with the Lakers as an assistant coach and scout.

The Lakers also announced Thursday that they have signed center Adam Parada, a 7-foot center who last played in the NBA Developmental League. Parada, out of UC Irvine, averaged 5.2 points, 3.4 rebounds and 13.8 minutes in 23 games for the Huntsville Flight.

He was a member of the Sacramento Kings' training camp roster in 2004 but was waived.

Emopunkthrice

10/06/05, 09:56 PM

Seattle SuperSonics: The SuperSonics on Thursday picked up options on guard Luke Ridnour and forward Nick Collison for the 2006-07 season.

Financial terms of the options were not released.

Both played in all 82 games last season, but it was the first full season for Collison, who missed 2003-04 after undergoing surgery on both shoulders. Collison averaged 5.4 points and 4.6 rebounds last season as a reserve.

Ridnour started every game at point guard for the SuperSonics in his second season and averaged 10.0 points and 5.9 assists. In the playoffs, Ridnour averaged 9.7 points and Collison 8.4.

They were lottery picks in the 2003 draft -- Collison was taken 12th out of Kansas, while Ridnour was selected 14th from Oregon.

Emopunkthrice

10/10/05, 07:51 PM

Golden State Warriors: Ike Diogu, the Warriors' first-round pick in 2005, will miss at least two preseason games with a fractured left hand, the team announced on Monday. The ninth overall pick out of Arizona State, Diogu suffered the injury when he was hit across the hand during a practice in Kuhuku, Hawaii, where the Warriors are conducting training camp.

The 6-8 forward will be re-evaluated when the team returns from Hawaii after two preseason games against the Los Angeles Lakers during the week.

Chicago Bulls: Guard Jannero Pargo made enough of an impression on coach Scott Skiles in last season's playoffs.

The Bulls re-signed Pargo to a one-year contract on Monday. Financial terms were not disclosed.

A native of Chicago, Pargo averaged 6.4 points and 2.4 assists in 32 regular season games and 10.4 points and 2.0 assists in five of the Bulls' six playoff games last season.

Pargo, 26, played with the Los Angeles Lakers and Toronto Raptors before signing with the Bulls in March 2004. He has career averages of 5.1 points and 1.9 assists in 97 NBA games.

EAST RUTHERFORD, N.J. -- New Jersey Nets guard Jeff McInnis will miss an undetermined amount of time with a back injury.

"It's a muscle strain in his back, so we've just got to let time go by," coach Lawrence Frank said Monday.

McInnis was injured when he dived for a loose ball during practice Saturday evening. He continued to practice, but woke up in pain Sunday and was taken to Hackensack University Medical Center.

"I couldn't even walk yesterday," McInnis said after missing practice Monday. "There's some improvement, but I'm still in a lot of pain."

McInnis said he wouldn't be able to play in the Nets' preseason opener Tuesday night against Indiana.

The 30-year-old McInnis, the Nets' major offseason acquisition, is expected to spell Jason Kidd at point guard and also get some minutes at shooting guard.

McInnis averaged 12.8 points and 5.1 assists with Cleveland last season, and has career averages of 10.6 points and 4.6 assists in eight years with Denver, Washington, the Los Angeles Clippers, Portland and Cleveland.

"It's a muscle strain in his back, so we've just got to let time go by," coach Lawrence Frank said Monday.

McInnis was injured when he dived for a loose ball during practice Saturday evening. He continued to practice, but woke up in pain Sunday and was taken to Hackensack University Medical Center.

"I couldn't even walk yesterday," McInnis said after missing practice Monday. "There's some improvement, but I'm still in a lot of pain."

McInnis said he wouldn't be able to play in the Nets' preseason opener Tuesday night against Indiana.

The 30-year-old McInnis, the Nets' major offseason acquisition, is expected to spell Jason Kidd at point guard and also get some minutes at shooting guard.

McInnis averaged 12.8 points and 5.1 assists with Cleveland last season, and has career averages of 10.6 points and 4.6 assists in eight years with Denver, Washington, the Los Angeles Clippers, Portland and Cleveland.

PHOENIX -- Amare Stoudemire will undergo diagnostic surgery on his left knee on Tuesday to determine what is causing the soreness that has bothered the Phoenix Suns All-Star in recent months.

The arthroscopic operation will be conducted by team physician Tom Carter, the Suns announced on Monday.

Stoudemire, who signed a five-year, $73 million contract extension a week ago, sat out the final two days of training camp in Tucson because of the injury to the knee's articulate cartilage. He received opinions from three specialists before deciding to have the surgery.

If no serious damage is detected, Stoudemire probably will be out three to four weeks, coach Mike D'Antoni told The Associated Press. Then, it will be only a matter of getting back in shape.

"Hey, the guy's an unbelievable talent," D'Antoni said. "In about an hour and a half he'll be in shape and ready to go."

Stoudemire will miss the entire preseason, which begins at Seattle on Friday night. The Suns open their regular season Nov. 1 at home against Dallas.

D'Antoni acknowledged that hearing the words surgery and Stoudemire in the same sentence "sends shivers up everybody's spine."

"But he's young and he's healthy and hopefully everything will be fine," the coach said.

Suns president Bryan Colangelo declined to comment on Stoudemire's status. The Suns wrapped up training camp on Sunday and had Monday off. They will resume workouts on Tuesday.

The 22-year-old power forward was a dominant force playing out of position at center for a Suns team that won an NBA-best 62 games last season, his third in the NBA. He averaged 37 points against Tim Duncan when the Suns were eliminated by the San Antonio Spurs in the Western Conference finals.

The soreness had bothered Stoudemire during the summer, and he worked out sparingly in Tucson. His last practice was Friday morning.

The No. 9 pick in the 2002 draft, Stoudemire won the Rookie of the Year award over Yao Ming in 2002-03 and has improved each season. He was fifth in the NBA in scoring last season at 26 points per game. He averaged just under 30 in the playoffs.

D'Antoni said Stoudemire's absence could have a silver lining because other players will have more opportunities to show their abilities.

"Actually, we can make better judgment on our guys in the rotation," he said, "because we know what Amare's going to do."

tragedyco

10/10/05, 07:59 PM

go kings.

Emopunkthrice

10/11/05, 06:55 PM

PHOENIX -- The Phoenix Suns will be without All-Star forward Amare Stoudemire for about four months after he underwent microfracture surgery to repair damage to his injured left knee on Tuesday.

The extent of the injury was determined during "diagnostic" surgery by team doctor Thomas Carter, who then proceeded with the repair, Suns president Bryan Colangelo said.

Stoudemire, who turns 23 next month, signed a five-year, $73 million contract extension last week, the maximum allowed under the NBA's collective bargaining agreement with the players union.

Colangelo said the team knew of Stoudemire's knee problem during contract negotiations, but was not aware of the extent until Tuesday's surgery. The team projects Stoudemire to return around the All-Star break Feb. 17-21.

Carter detected the defect in an MRI exam several weeks ago and initially dealt with it through treatment and rest.

Stoudemire first talked about the soreness several weeks ago. After it worsened during last week's training camp in Tucson, he sought the opinions of three doctors before giving Carter the go-ahead for arthroscopic surgery.

"Dr. Carter, in consultation with Amare, chose the best course of action in terms of treating it aggressively and taking care of it now rather than letting it become a lingering problem," Colangelo said.

In a news release, the Suns said Carter repaired a joint surface defect roughly one centimeter in diameter on the inside of his left knee.

"The surgery went well and other than the defect that we treated today, Amare's knee is remarkably and structurally healthy," Carter said in the statement released by the team. "Given Amare's age and the nominal size of the location of the defect, I am confident the microfracture procedure performed will allow a healthy and normal return to action."

Considered the cornerstone of the franchise, Stoudemire has improved each year and was a main component of a team that won a league-best 62 games last season.

The 6-foot-10, 245-pound forward was fifth in the NBA in scoring at 26 points per game last season, his third in the league. He averaged 30 points in the playoffs, 37 in the Western Conference finals against Tim Duncan and the San Antonio Spurs.

Stoudemire's loss will leave the Suns with a vastly different team through most of the regular season. The only starters from last season's team will be the NBA's most valuable player, Steve Nash, and All-Star Shawn Marion.

"It's out of our control, so we've got to go out and make the most of what we have and not worry about the piece we're missing," Nash said after Tuesday's practice. "We'll try to build our team and hopefully be a better team when he returns."

Coach Mike D'Antoni said the team probably would go small more often to better utilize the personnel. Everyone will have to shoot more, he said, including Nash and Marion.

"We don't have any inside post presence," Marion said. "However you want to look at it, he's a beast in there, so we are going to miss that inside threat. But with Kurt [Thomas] and Brian [Grant], we do have some inside bangers.''

Stoudemire had been bothered by soreness in the knee for several months. He had worked out last week in training camp, but sat out the team's scrimmage and final practice to have the knee examined by three doctors.

"Amare will be fine," D'Antoni said. "I fully expect him to be great when he comes back and wow the fans for 10 more years."

Seattle SuperSonics: The SuperSonics hired former Cleveland coach Brendan Malone as a consultant on Tuesday.

A longtime NBA assistant, this will be Malone's second stint as a consultant with Seattle. He held the same position in 1996 when Seattle reached the NBA Finals.

Malone was an assistant with Cleveland last year, but was promoted to interim coach after Paul Silas was fired with 18 games left. Malone went 8-10.

Malone was the first coach of the Raptors in 1995 and previously was an assistant with the Knicks, Pacers and Pistons.

Emopunkthrice

10/12/05, 08:35 PM

Miami Heat: The Heat waived Kevin Braswell, just two days after the veteran guard beat NBA champ San Antonio with a buzzer-beating layup. Braswell signed as a free agent in October. Braswell had four points, one assist and one rebound in six minutes against the Spurs, his only game with the Heat.

Braswell spent last season with the Florida Flame of the NBA's developmental league, where he averaged 11.3 points.

Houston Rockets: With a lot of depth in the backcourt, the Rockets waived guard Charlie Ward.

An 11-year veteran, Ward signed with the Rockets in August 2004 and averaged 5.4 points and 3.1 assists in 14 games, including 13 starts, before having season-ending knee surgery in late December.

Ward became expendable when Houston acquired guard Rafer Alston in a trade with Toronto on October 4. Alston is expected to be the backup for oft-injured starter Bob Sura on the Rockets' roster, which also includes guards Tracy McGrady, David Wesley, Jon Barry and Moochie Norris.

The 6-2 Ward, who turned 35 on Wednesday, has recorded 6.3 points, 4.0 assists and 1.2 steals in 630 games with New York, San Antonio and Houston.

Ward won the Heisman Trophy in 1993 before being drafted in the first round of the 1994 NBA draft by the Knicks.

Emopunkthrice

10/14/05, 05:57 PM

New York Knicks: The team signed free agent Jamison Brewer on Friday, reacquiring the guard eight months after trading him to San Antonio.

The four-year veteran has averaged 1.6 points in 54 career games with Indiana and New York.

The 6-foot-4 point guard signed with the Knicks in August 2004, and was sent to San Antonio in February in a three-player deal.

Philadelphia 76ers: Forward Michael Bradley will miss four to six weeks after having knee surgery to repair a torn meniscus.

Bradley was hurt during training camp. The 6-foot-10, 245-pound former Villanova standout was acquired last year from Sacramento in the Chris Webber trade.

Emopunkthrice

10/15/05, 09:46 PM

ATLANTA -- Atlanta Hawks center Jason Collier died early Saturday after he had trouble breathing and was stricken in his home, his father said. He was 28.

General manager Billy Knight said the cause of death was not immediately clear for the 7-foot, 260-pound player. He said Collier had "no issues" in a preseason physical given to all players.

Jeff Collier told The Associated Press his son died in an ambulance on the way to the hospital and did not have any diagnosed health problems apart from his knees.

Team spokesman Arthur Triche initially said Collier possibly died of cardiac arrest, but would not provide details. He later said the team was not sure how Collier died. Collier's agent, Richard Howell, said an autopsy was being performed.

Later, Forsyth County Coroner Lauren McDonald said the family asked him not to release any preliminary results Saturday. He said he would make a statement Sunday.

"We'll wait until the experts can tell us, but there's no comments about any speculating at all that I'm going to do," Knight said. "Right now we just think about Jason and his family, his wife and a daughter. He was a good guy, a great teammate and a member of our organization. We're going to miss him."

The Hawks canceled an open scrimmage Saturday, but will play a preseason game on Monday night at Charlotte.

"We are saddened by the news of Jason Collier's sudden passing," NBA commissioner David Stern said. "He epitomized hard work, dedication and perseverance, and more importantly compassion, kindness and selflessness."

Jeff Collier said he received a phone call at 3:30 a.m. Saturday from Jason's wife, Katie, who said her husband was having trouble breathing and quickly turned blue.

"You get a call and it's your daughter-in-law crying saying she's giving him CPR and trying to keep him going," Jeff Collier said. "I guess it took awhile for the paramedics to get there. He had a slight pulse when they took him and he passed away in the ambulance while they took him to the hospital."

Jeff Collier told the AP by phone from his home in Springfield, Ohio, that his son had knee surgery when he played in Houston.

"We don't know exactly what happened," he said. "I'm anxious to find out. But I guess it doesn't make a whole lot of difference at this point."

Howell said Collier and his wife ate dinner at a restaurant Friday night and then returned home, where Collier spent time playing with his daughter.

"He started feeling real bad in the middle of the night," said Howell, who spoke with Collier's wife. "It's just very sad. I'm totally stunned and devastated."

"He was a down-low comedian," Hawks captain Al Harrington said with tears in his eyes. "He always had a joke for something that you couldn't hear unless you were sitting right next to him. He was a hilarious dude. And it's crazy to me to think we'll never see him again."

Harrington and Collier sat near each other in the Hawks' locker room. He and guard Tony Delk took the news of Collier's death especially hard.

According to the Atlanta Journal-Constituion, Delk said his and Collier's wives talked frequently and that their daughters played together often.

"Jason was just a different dude," Delk told the newspaper. "He lived out by Lake Lanier and nobody else on the team lives out that way. He used to talk about how his commute took forever. But he loved being by the lake."

Collier was a part-time starting center the last two seasons after playing mostly as a backup in three years at Houston. He began his college career at Indiana before transferring to Georgia Tech.

Former Tech coach Bobby Cremins said Collier "was a happy-go-lucky kid."

"He married an Atlanta girl and adopted Atlanta as his hometown," Cremins said. "He came back and got his degree, which I was very proud of."

Collier started 44 games last season for Atlanta, averaging 5.7 points and 2.6 rebounds in 13.5 minutes. With the addition of Zaza Pachulia, Collier was not projected as a starter this season but was viewed as a top backup. In two preseason games, Collier averaged 3.5 points and 3.0 rebounds.

Collier was drafted by Milwaukee in 2000 in the first round, the 15th pick overall, and was traded to Houston.

Jeff Collier said Jason had been married to Katie for four years and had a 1-year-old daughter, Elezan.

The elder Collier played at Georgia Tech from 1972-76 and said his son initially decided to wear the same No. 52 he did at Tech.

"He was a beautiful kid," Collier said. "Everybody he touched liked him. He played basketball from the time he was in the fourth grade until now. I don't think the kid was ever in a fight or an altercation."

Funeral arrangements are incomplete but the family plans a private viewing.

"Jason didn't really care to be a spectacle," his father said. "He would have wanted this to be a quiet thing. Instead of people being grim, he wants them laughing."