Grizzlies bring Iranian big man Haddadi back to Memphis

MEMPHIS, Tenn. (AP) -- The Memphis Grizzlies have re-signed Hamed Haddadi, bringing back the Iranian center.
Haddadi is the first Iranian ever to play in the NBA. The 7-foot-2 reserve center averaged 2.4 points with 2.2 rebounds in 31 games last season for the Grizzlies.

 

The 26-year-old native of Ahvaz, Iran, has spent the past three seasons with Memphis, averaging 2.2 points and 2.2 rebounds per game in 86 games.

Haddadi led Iran to an 8-1 record at the 2011 FIBA Asian Championship in China, averaging 15.4 points and 11.4 rebounds.

Memphis announced the deal on Saturday.

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Kevin Garnett buys small stake in Italian soccer club Roma

ROME (AP) -- Boston Celtics star Kevin Garnett is about to become a limited shareholder in the American-owned Roma soccer club.

 

Roma confirmed to The Associated Press that Garnett accepted an offer from James Pallotta, one of the four Boston executives who closed a deal in August to become the first foreign majority owners of a Serie A club.

Pallotta also is a minority owner of the Celtics.

Earlier this year, fellow NBA star LeBron James obtained a small stake in Liverpool from the Fenway Sports Group. The Garnett and James deals are linked because new Roma President Thomas DiBenedetto also is a limited partner in the Fenway group, which owns the Boston Red Sox baseball team.

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Kobe confirms directing A-Rod to German knee therapy

LOS ANGELES (AP) -- Kobe Bryant confirms he recently directed Alex Rodriguez to the German doctor who performed the treatment the Yankees' slugger had on his right knee.

"I gave him the phone number," Bryant said Thursday night before the Los Angeles Lakers hosted the New York Knicks.

Bryant opened up about the steps he has taken to heal his arthritic joints in a rare pregame interview, crediting the therapy with dramatic improvement in his own troublesome right knee and an injured left ankle in recent months.

When Rodriguez inquired about Bryant's treatment, Bryant vouched for the German doctor who developed the course of injections of plasma-rich platelets that supposedly stimulate healing in arthritis-affected areas.

Bryant says his knee is now 95 percent healthy after at least three surgeries in the last eight years. He apparently had the same treatment done in October on his ankle, which also isn't limiting him this season.

"You can't just try something just to try it," Bryant said. "It has to make sense. It has to be something that you can back with research and study and things like that."

And how did Bryant get information about the therapy - called Orthokine - being done in Duesseldorf?

"It's my job to know these things," Bryant said with a grin.

The Yankees might benefit from Bryant's knowledge. General manager Brian Cashman said Wednesday that Rodriguez is "100 percent," with "no red flags" going into spring training.

Rodriguez had surgery on his right knee last July and saw his power drop in the second half and postseason. He played in 99 games and hit 16 homers, struggling to produce at his usual prolific levels.

Bryant is far from fully healthy. He's still playing with a torn ligament in his right wrist, wearing a brace on the joint whenever he isn't on court.

He's no longer wearing a wrap on the oft-injured index finger on his right hand, but that's because the joint is now "bone on bone," according to Bryant.

And Bryant hasn't stopped trying new things to heal more quickly and thoroughly. Several Lakers joined him at a cryotherapy clinic in the Sacramento area on Monday, trying out an extreme cold chamber that's thought to decrease pain and swelling in athletes.

Bryant can't remember when his friendship with A-Rod started, but they've been friendly for years, going out to dinner and talking regularly. He's grateful he could help the 36-year-old slugger get back in top shape.

"As a Yankee fan? Hell yeah," Bryant said.

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Suns signs former All-Star Michael Redd

PHOENIX (AP) -- Michael Redd has come to the Phoenix Suns in a bid to revive a career derailed by injury, something he knows Grant Hill accomplished before him.

The 6-foot-6, 32-year-old sharpshooting guard signed a one-year deal for the veteran's minimum of about $1.3 million.

Redd left the Milwaukee Bucks at the end of last season, the final year of his six-year, $91 million contract he signed with the Bucks in 2005. Injuries to his left knee cost him most of the last three seasons. Redd played in 33 games in 2008-09, 18 games in 2009-10 and 10 games in 2010-11.

"We came out and worked out on Tuesday," Redd said after the Suns practiced Thursday. "It went well. They wanted to see how I moved, if I still had some juice in the tank. I came out and performed and yesterday we made it happen."

He averaged 20 points in 11 seasons, all with the Bucks. A 38 percent 3-point shooter for his career, Redd's best season came in 2006-07, when he averaged 26.7 points per game.

"I want to play at the elite level that I'm accustomed to playing at," he said. "I asked all the doctors after this last surgery, `Can I play at the level that I'm accustomed to playing at?' and they said `Yeah,' so that's the goal for me."

He said "more than anything" he wants to "have fun and play without pain."

The Suns' training staff has a reputation for having success in working with players who have dealt with injury, with the 39-year-old Hill the prime example.

"That was big," Redd said. "That was one of the things that really drew me to this organization was the fact that they have an incredible medical staff. I wanted to be a part of that to get better, but I feel great "

He said Hill talked to him and said that if he came to Phoenix, he could get back the years that he's lost to injury.

"I've seen his career rebirthed and hopefully the same can happen to me," Redd said.

Redd said he took off 14 months between his latest surgery and his return to the Bucks in April. By the time his legs began to feel in NBA shape, the season was over.

"When you go through something like this, it wears on you mentally more than anything," Redd said, "so I just want to get the mind right and obviously the body right."

He wasn't sure when he would be able to play in a game, but is working to get in shape to keep up with Steve Nash and the rest of the offense.

"He brings a guy that can obviously shoot the ball from deep, he's very good at getting his shot off on screen and rolls," coach Alvin Gentry said. "Hopefully, he'll add something to the team for us."

The normally prolific Suns have struggled mightily offensively in their first two games, shooting barely 40 percent from the field and just 19 percent from 3-point range. Starting two guard Jared Dudley is shooting 23 percent and his backup, Shannon Brown, 27 percent.

Suns President Lon Babby insisted the signing of Redd was "not in any way, shape or form" a reaction to those two games.

"It was something we've been talking about for a long time," Babby said.

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Hours before season opener, Rockets offically sign Dalembert

HOUSTON (AP) -- The Houston Rockets have signed free-agent center Samuel Dalembert.


The 6-foot-11 Dalembert agreed to a multi-year contract last week. The team officially announced his signing Monday.

Houston opens the season at Orlando on Monday night.

Dalembert averaged 8.1 points and 8.2 rebounds for Sacramento last season. He played his first eight seasons in Philadelphia after the 76ers made him a first-round (26th overall) pick in 2001.

The Rockets needed to add a big man after NBA Commissioner David Stern halted a three-team deal that would have brought Pau Gasol to town.

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Dallas Mavericks Raise Their Championship Banner before opener Vs Heat

DALLAS (AP) -- With a tug from Dirk Nowitzki, Jason Kidd, Jason Terry and others, the Dallas Mavericks unveiled their championship banner minutes before opening this season against the team they knocked off in the NBA finals - LeBron James and the Miami Heat.




The ceremony was supposed to have been held Nov. 1, but the lockout pushed it back. So after waiting until their 31st season to become champions for the first time, the Mavericks and their fans waited another 54 days.

"Thirty-one years you waited - 31 years! - to call your team a champion, ladies and gentlemen," Terry said. "A champion!"

The Heat were in their locker room while clips of last year's postseason were shown, followed by brief comments from NBA Commissioner David Stern, Mavs owner Mark Cuban, coach Rick Carlisle, Terry and Nowitzki.

Nowitzki rocked nervously foot to foot at the start of the ceremony, while Cuban smiled and bit his lip, hands jammed in the pockets of his jeans. Once Cuban received the trophy, he held it above his head and turned slowly for everyone to see. He thanked fans and behind-the-scenes members of the organization, then handed the microphone to Carlisle. He started by naming the two coaches and six players no longer with the team.
"All of these guys will forever be part of Mavs history and the Mavs' family," Carlisle said.

Carlisle then introduced the returning players, all wearing their new warmup outfits featuring the words "2011 NBA Champions" and the trophy logo on the back. Cheers built with each introduction, capped by roars of "M! V! P!" for Nowitzki.

"This is a special, special day for all of us," Nowitzki said.

Franchise founders Don and Linda Carter watched from their usual courtside seats. With straps for everyone to yank, a dark curtain was peeled away, showing off the banner. It features a huge trophy, the team's logo and has the last name of each player printed around the border. The signatures of Cuban and Carlisle are in the two bottom corners.

Before the ceremony, Carlisle said he wanted it to end quickly so the game could begin, and Cuban it would mean more to fans. Judging by the looks on their faces, they were either downplaying their emotions or enjoyed it more than they expected. Carlisle's daughter went on the court with him, and Cuban was later joined by two of his kids.

Nowitzki and Kidd certainly seemed awed as they watched the banner rise to the rafters. They couldn't take their eyes off it - or just didn't want to. It hangs directly over the free throw line on the end of the court in front of the Mavs' bench.

The Mavericks will have one more chance to savor their title - they get their rings later this season. The lockout messed up the timing of that, too, because Cuban wanted to let Nowitzki, Kidd, Terry and Marion help with the design and he wasn't allowed to talk to them while the season was on hold.

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Grizzlies deal Vasquez to Hornets for Pondexter

MEMPHIS, Tenn. (AP) -- The Memphis Grizzlies have swapped guard Greivis Vasquez to the New Orleans Hornets for guard/forward Quincy Pondexter in a move designed to boost their depth with Darrell Arthur out for the season.

The Grizzlies announced earlier Saturday that they signed Dante Cunningham after Charlotte failed to match an offer. Then they later announced the trade with New Orleans.

The 6-foot-6 Pondexter averaged 13 points and 8.5 rebounds in 33 minutes in two preseason games against Memphis. The 23-year-old averaged 2.8 points and 1.3 rebounds in 66 games as a rookie with New Orleans last season after being the 26th pick overall by Oklahoma City in 2010 before being traded to New Orleans.

Vasquez played in 70 games and averaged 3.6 points and 2.2 assists as a rookie with Memphis last season.

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Bulls ink reigning MVP Rose to five-year extension

DEERFIELD, Ill. (AP) -- Derrick Rose was going down the list, thanking just about everyone who helped him become one of the NBA's best players, when he looked to his right.

Seated off to the side was his mother, Brenda.

"I think I can finally say this now. Mom, I finally made it," he said.

Rose, the Chicago Bulls' superstar point guard and the league's reigning MVP, agreed Wednesday to a five-year contract extension worth more than $94 million that kicks in next season.

It's fair to say Rose made it long before this latest news conference. The extension is just another stop in a rapid and steady rise from a tough neighborhood on Chicago's South Side to a starring role with his hometown team after being taken with the No. 1 pick in the draft.He's gone from Rookie of the Year to All-Star to MVP in just three seasons, becoming the youngest player to win the award. That's why the extension was more a formality than a surprise.

The only thing missing from his resume is a championship and that's something he hopes to change in Year 4.

"He embodies all the characteristics that you look for," coach Tom Thibodeau said. "It's a lot more than the talent. The talent is the obvious part. Then, when you look at his will to win, basketball IQ, unselfishness, his humility - I think those are the things that you can build a championship-caliber team around."

The Bulls came close to winning it all last year, leading the league with 62 victories during the regular season and advancing to the Eastern Conference finals before losing to Miami.

That capped a spectacular season in which Rose showed up for camp wondering why he couldn't be MVP after LeBron James, Dwyane Wade and Chris Bosh turned down Chicago to unite in Miami. Then, he backed it up with one of the best seasons by a point guard.

He averaged 25 points, 7.7 assists and 4.1 rebounds over 81 games, the only NBA player last year to rank in the top 10 in both scoring and assists. He also became just the fifth player in history (along with Oscar Robertson, John Havlicek, Michael Jordan and James) to post 2,000 points, 600 assists and 300 rebounds in a single season

More important to Rose, he led Chicago to its best season since the Michael Jordan-Scottie Pippen championship era, and he joined Jordan as the only Bulls players to win the MVP award.He keeps adding new wrinkles to his game, too. In the past, he extended his shooting range. This past offseason, he worked on his post moves.

"I don't think you can put a ceiling on what Derrick can become," general manager Gar Forman said. "It's scary to think that I think he'll continue to get better and better throughout his career."

The extension could bring some more pressure.

Rose shrugged it off. He said money is "the last thing I think about."

Even so, he has some ideas about how he might use it.

He mentioned pouring some of it back into his old neighborhood in Englewood, one of the roughest sections of Chicago. He pointed out a lack of indoor courts and after-school programs for youngsters in that area.

He also thought about how far he's come, going from there to here, and he acknowledged he's sometimes amazed. Along the way, he helped Simeon Career Academy win back-to-back state championships, then led Memphis to the NCAA championship game before the Bulls drafted him with the top pick in 2008 after defying long odds to win the lottery.

Rose is now all of 23 years old.

"Coming from where I'm coming from, I can't explain it," he said. "I really can't explain it. I never would have thought in a million years that I would have signed a contract like this, especially coming from an area where I'm from. No one from Englewood has ever been in my position so sometimes I think, `Why me?"'

Forman thought about that day when the franchise's fortunes changed. The Bulls' director of player personnel at the time, he was at home and wasn't really paying close attention to the draft lottery. After all, the Bulls' had just a 1.7-percent shot at winning it.

"What I remember most about it is the ice cream truck was coming down the street right then," Forman said. "I went out with my two boys and we got ice cream to celebrate."

Rose will be approaching his 29th birthday when his deal expires, and he wants to spend his entire career with the Bulls "unless they trade me or something."

That seems unlikely. He was also asked if he thought about taking less money in order to give the team some extra salary-cap space.

"I don't even know how much I make right now, to tell you the truth," Rose said.

Forman pointed out that Rose made it clear he wanted to stay with the Bulls and didn't seek a player option.

"Derrick absolutely didn't want that," he said. "He wanted a full commitment to the Chicago Bulls and to stay in Chicago. To us, that's really special. He stepped up. The maximum length he could sign is what he wanted to sign."

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At least 436 dead after storm pummels Philippines

Manila, Philippines (CNN) -- At least 436 people are dead after Tropical Storm Washi pummeled the Philippines, Red Cross Secretary General Gwen Pang said Saturday.

The vast majority of the bodies were found in the cities of Iligan and Cagayan de Oro, according to military officials and the National Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council. Five people were killed in a landslide, but all others died in flash flooding.

The provinces of Compostela Valley and Zamboanga del Norte were also hit, added Benito Ramos, chairman of the National Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council.

About 400 people remain missing after the storm, which is called Sendong locally. More than 2,000 have been rescued, the country's military reported.

Defense Secretary Voltaire Gazmin said officials are investigating reports that an entire village was swept away.

Authorities have also begun distributing food rations for some 10,000 families affected by the storm, while also handing out thousands of blankets and mosquito nets, the Red Cross reported Saturday.

Flash flooding overnight -- following 10 hours of rain -- fueled the devastation, compounded by overflowing rivers and tributaries. As much as 20 centimeters (8 inches) of rain fell within 24 hours in some areas.

Ramos said despite government warning, some did not evacuate.

An estimated 100,000 people are displaced, according to the Department of Social Welfare and Development.

At least 20,000 people were staying in 10 evacuation centers in Cagayan de Oro, Social Welfare Secretary Dinky Soliman said Saturday.

Some 20,000 soldiers embarked on search-and-rescue operations, the military said.

Officials asked for volunteers to pack food to send to those displaced.

Though Washi was headed away from the Philippines on Saturday, trouble could loom for Vietnam, as the storm's westerly path could cross Ho Chi Minh City on Tuesday.

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Hornets sign center Jason Smith to three-year deal

NEW ORLEANS (AP) -- The New Orleans Hornets and 7-foot free agent forward Jason Smith have agreed to a three-year contract.


Smith's agent, Mark Bartelstein, says the deal is worth $7.5 million.

Smith played for the Hornets last season, averaging 4.3 points and 3.1 rebounds in 14.3 minutes per game. His best game came when he scored a career-high 20 points against Washington in the one of the six games he started.

He was a backup for most of last season at both the power forward and center spots.

The 25-year-old Smith is entering his fourth NBA season out of Colorado State.

Bartelstein says Smith had a number of options, but likes coach Monty Williams' staff and appreciates the individual work Hornets coaches put into developing his game last season.

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Kobe Bryant's wife files for divorce

SANTA ANA, Calif. (AP) -- Kobe Bryant's wife, who stood by her husband when he was charged with sexual assault in 2003, filed for divorce on Friday from the Los Angeles Lakers star, citing irreconcilable differences after a decade of marriage.

Vanessa Bryant signed the papers on Dec. 1. Kobe Bryant signed his response on Dec. 7 and it was filed Friday, according to the documents.

"The Bryants have resolved all issues incident to their divorce privately with the assistance of counsel and a judgment dissolving their marital status will be entered in 2012," according to a statement from a representative for the couple.

In the filing, Vanessa Bryant asked for joint legal and physical custody of the couple's two daughters, Natalia, 8, and Gianna, 5. Kobe Bryant asked for the same in his response. Vanessa Bryant also requested spousal support.

The Bryants "ask that in the interest of our young children and in light of the upcoming holiday season the public respect our privacy during this difficult time," according to the statement.

Bryant met his future wife in 1999 on a music video shoot when Vanessa Laine was 18 years old. Six months later, she and the then-21-year-old Bryant became engaged. They married on April 18, 2001.

The Bryants have been through trying times together.

Vanessa Bryant appeared at a news conference with her husband when he was charged with sexually assaulting a 19-year-old woman who worked at the exclusive Lodge & Spa at Cordillera near Vail, Colo., in 2003. She held his hand and stroked it tenderly as the NBA star admitted he was guilty of adultery - but nothing else. Earlier she had issued her own statement to the media, vowing to stand by her husband.

"I know that my husband has made a mistake - the mistake of adultery," she said in the statement at the time. "He and I will have to deal with that within our marriage, and we will do so. He is not a criminal."

A year later, prosecutors dropped the criminal charge against Kobe Bryant because the woman did not want to go ahead with a trial.

Last year, Kobe and Vanessa Bryant settled litigation with a former maid who accused the NBA star's wife of harassment. The Bryants countersued Maria Jimenez for violating a confidentiality agreement by talking to reporters about the family.

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Rubio to make long-awaited NBA debut vs. Jennings, Bucks

MINNEAPOLIS (AP) -- For two years, Ricky Rubio has been little more than a myth for the Minnesota Timberwolves and their success-starved fans.

They salivated over grainy YouTube clips of Rubio's fancy passing in European games, nervously read reports that the young Spanish point guard did not want to play in Minnesota and fretted over his paltry statistics for Regal Barcelona last season.

And even when Rubio finally announced that he was coming to the Timberwolves two years after being chosen No. 5 overall, everyone in the Twin Cities had to wait even longer. The lockout delayed the start of the season by nearly two months.

Now it's time to finally start seeing what all the fuss is about.

The wait has only seemed to ramp up the anticipation. By Friday, the Wolves had sold 15,000 tickets for Rubio's preseason debut on Saturday night against the Milwaukee Bucks, despite the fan-alienating labor dispute. It was the highest number of tickets for a Wolves preseason game since 2004-05, the year after they reached the Western Conference finals.

The Wolves sold less than 20,000 tickets for two home preseason games last year combined.

The transition has been smooth so far, with Timberwolves coaches and players raving about Rubio's vision, passing and ability to pick up coach Rick Adelman's new offense.

"It's been amazing," Rubio said of his first few practices in training camp. "Playing basketball, I feel so good. Outside the court, I have a lot of people who help me and people in Minnesota have been so nice with me. I feel very good."

Rubio has been playing professionally in Europe since he was 15, and that experience appears to have served him well as he makes the move to the best basketball league in the world.

"I heard all the talk," Adelman said. "Until you see him on the floor you really don't get a feel. He's a smart young guy on the court, very coachable, wants to be a player. I think he's going to be fine."

When the Timberwolves chose Rubio in 2009, he was billed as a point guard prodigy with the kind of innate unselfishness that make others want to play with him and the flash and flair that makes fans want to pay to see him. There have been signs of both in a condensed training camp that Adelman has filled with scrimmaging in an effort to get his team into playing shape and better evaluate who plays the best together.

"He sees everything," swingman Wes Johnson said of Rubio. "Stuff that we probably don't see when we're cutting, you've got to make sure to keep your eye on the ball or you're going to get hit upside the head with it."

He's done it all with a youthful exuberance and wide-eyed naivete that has endeared him to the team, even while he has quickly asserted himself as a vocal leader on the court who hasn't hesitated to direct traffic and tell his teammates where they should be.

"I've been pro since I'm 15 so I catch the things like I did before," Rubio said. "In Europe we have a lot of systems too. It's a little different from here, but to be able to run the system, the point guard has to know which play to run."

Of course, doing it in scrimmages and practices against what was one of the worst defensive teams in the league last year is a lot different from doing it in actual games.

His first chance comes on Saturday night against the Bucks and Brandon Jennings, the point guard who skipped college in favor of playing in Europe before going pro in the NBA. Jennings played against Rubio overseas and created a stir before the 2009 draft when he said that Rubio was "all hype."

Jennings was drafted 10th overall that year, five spots behind Rubio, and went on to win rookie of the year. Rubio declined to discuss Jennings' comments this week, preferring to focus on the excitement of his first game in front of his new fans.

"He's a natural point guard," Adelman said. "He picks things up so easily, whatever he should be doing on every play. He's got that IQ."

Still, every rookie struggles in the NBA, especially those who come from overseas. The Timberwolves know there will be some tough days for him, and they're ready for that.

"He's going to make a few mistakes early on and you have to expect that but we think that he's going to take this period to really grow and make leaps and bounds," All-Star forward Kevin Love said. "He's going to have a lot of forward progression and forward momentum and we're happy to have him here."

It all starts on Saturday night. The first glimpse for eager fans who want to see who Ricky Rubio is, and get an idea of the kind of player he could one day become.

"He's going to have games where he's probably going to turn it over just like anyone else just because he's creative and he's aggressive," Adelman said. "As long as he learns from it, it's all right."

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Shaq ready to launch new career as NBA analyst

ATLANTA (AP) -- Shaquille O'Neal doesn't like the Chris Paul trade; Charles Barkley says Commissioner David Stern made a mistake.

O'Neal also says the trade talk swirling around Dwight Howard has damaged his relationship with the Magic though Barkley says the center is the first player he would choose to start a franchise.

Let the debates begin.

O'Neal, the Hall of Fame-bound center, is joining Barkley, Kenny Smith and Ernie Johnson on the set of TNT's "Inside the NBA."

Barkley and O'Neal seemed to disagree on all the NBA's hot stories on Thursday. The two outspoken and entertaining former stars had differing views of the deal which sent Paul from the New Orleans Hornets to the Los Angeles Clippers.

"I think that they totally took a step back," O'Neal said of the Hornets.

Barkley said the Hornets, who acquired guard Eric Gordon, forward Al-Farouq Aminu, center Chris Kaman and a first-round draft choice, protected their future without making a huge sacrifice in their current outlook.

"I think it's a great trade for the Hornets because they weren't going to win with Chris Paul," Barkley said.

Barkley said the Clippers can win with Paul.

"I can't believe I am saying this, there is a legitimate question now: Who is the best team in L.A.?

"The Clippers have got all of their young talent and now they've got a leader. Chris Paul is a leader. He's going to force them to mature quicker."

O'Neal wasn't ready to crown the Clippers the new top team in town.

"I think the Lakers are always the Lakers," O'Neal said before adding the Clippers will be more competitive. "Their team is going to be very, very exciting to watch."

Barkley had sharp criticism of Stern for nixing the Hornets' proposed trade of Paul to the Lakers.

"David Stern is the best commissioner in sports in the last 25 years, in my opinion," Barkley said. "That's the first time I saw him make a mistake. I don't know what happened but it wasn't good for the NBA.

"That was not good for the NBA the way that went down, plain and simple."

There there's Howard, who like O'Neal once did, could be leaving Orlando.

Howard said Thursday that his trade request hasn't been withdrawn. He wants to be dealt to New Jersey, Dallas or the Los Angeles Lakers.

O'Neal said Howard has good reason to be unhappy with Orlando's management, including general manager Otis Smith.

"I think they should show him a little more respect and they should get him more help," O'Neal said.

Said Barkley: "I'm going to disagree with that. They have tried to make trades and make the team better. Has it worked out perfectly? No, but they have tried.

"I hope Dwight stays in Orlando ... but you can't lose him for nothing."

Barkley has a new honor for Howard for the start of the 2011-12 season. Sorry, LeBron James, you're no longer No. 1 on Barkley's list of stars.

"I've said the last three years I think LeBron was the best player in the NBA," Barkley said. "I have to take that back now. If I was starting a franchise in the NBA, I would start it with Dwight Howard."

Asked how much damage has been done to Howard's standing with the Magic, O'Neal said "I think a lot. I've seen him on TV. He doesn't look happy. Otis doesn't look happy."

But O'Neal looked very happy in his new surroundings.

His 19-year NBA career ended last season with the Celtics. He won three straight NBA titles with the Lakers and a fourth title with Miami in 2006.

The 7-foot-1 O'Neal has released four rap albums, had roles on reality TV and even appeared in films. With those and other options, he quickly settled on a new role in the Atlanta-based TNT's NBA studio.

"I think he's going to be a great entertainer," Barkley said. "He's a born entertainer. He's a real fun guy to be around, and we've got the crew to make sure he has fun.

"The key is for him to just be yourself."

O'Neal, sometimes soft-spoken, may have to find his voice to be heard above Barkley's bold, booming delivery.

Smith said O'Neal is under no pressure to play a lead role, unlike his playing career.

"This will be the first time Shaq has come to a team where he's not the most dominant," Smith said. "I think it's going to be easy for him because we already have a rhythm and we already have people's expectation of us.

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Heat head coach Spoelstra gets contract extension

MIAMI (AP) -- Erik Spoelstra and the Miami Heat have agreed on a contract extension, ending any speculation that Pat Riley's protege would be a lame-duck coach this season.

Riley, the team president, made the announcement Friday. The Heat typically does not release terms of deals for coaches and executives, and Riley did not divulge any details of Spoelstra's extension. Spoelstra is beginning his fourth season as coach and his 17th season with the team overall.

"We have one of the great young coaches in the league, an absolute member of this family and has been for a long time, so we want him to become a Hall of Famer," Riley said Friday. "So it's been taken care of."

The 41-year-old Spoelstra was not available for immediate comment. The Heat had the day off Friday, and Riley spoke at his annual preseason availability.

Earlier this week, Spoelstra said he did not expect his contract to be a distraction, noting that Riley and the Arison family have never given him any reason to be worried about his status with the organization.

"It's a family here," Spoelstra said, "and I'm part of that."

Riley also addressed his own status with the team, reaffirming that he loves his role in Miami and does not see himself leaving any time soon.

In his first three seasons, Spoelstra has gone 148-98 in regular-season games, 18-15 in playoff games. A year ago, he led the Heat to a 58-24 mark and a 14-7 record in the postseason, where Miami lost the NBA finals to Dallas in six games.

"Me and Erik, our relationship will continue to grow," Heat forward LeBron James said this week. "It's much better today than it was the first day of practice last year. We didn't know each other at all. We were still learning each other. We'd seen each other from a distance. I'd seen him coach from the sideline ... he'd seen me play while he was coaching from the sideline. Our relationship is really good right now. I'm happy with where we are right now."

Riley said the team has been working on Spoelstra's deal "for a while."

Spoelstra came to the Heat in 1995, working his way up from the video room. Spoelstra was particularly close to Stan Van Gundy during his stint in Miami. When Van Gundy stepped down in 2005, Riley took over, and Spoelstra became the heir apparent.

When Riley decided in 2008 that his coaching days were over again, he and Heat owner Micky Arison quickly agreed Spoelstra was the right one for the job. Clearly, that hasn't changed.

"I think he's so much more comfortable his own skin," Riley said. "Contrary to what people might think, I am not a helicopter flying over the top of him all the time. I give him tremendous freedom and space, because I trust the fact that he's in there working every day. He is somebody who is very innovative, and he's not afraid to take some risks."

Riley is a regular onlooker at practice, and he and Spoelstra talk just about every day. But Riley insists the coaching is done by Spoelstra and his staff.

"He does a great job on the bench coming out of timeouts and being prepared for things," Riley said. "And I think the experience last year of also being in the finals and going down to the game that meant the difference in your season and going through that and that pain will help him. I think he's grown leaps and bounds, and he's the perfect coach for this team."

The core of Heat players - James, Chris Bosh, Dwyane Wade, Udonis Haslem, Mario Chalmers, Mike Miller and so on - are all under contract for several years to come.

Riley thought it was vital to have their coach be in the same position.

"He never would have been a lame-duck coach even though (media) would have made him one," Riley said. "Guy in the last year in his contract, that wasn't the reason why we did it. The reason why we did it is because we wanted to extend him and keep him in the family and not have somebody come in and steal him away from us. I mean that sincerely ... and I think the players feel the same way."

NOTES: Riley said F Mike Miller was never a candidate to be designated as the team's amnesty player this season. "We want Mike to play for us and make jumpers and help us and just like he did in the playoffs," Riley said. ... His thoughts on the end of last season and what he learned: "What I learned about last year is what I learned about every year that you don't win a championship: You feel misery. That's all."

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Jazz reach deal with Howard; Kirilenko's return unlikely

Posted Dec 15 2011 7:52PM - Updated Dec 16 2011 6:30AM

SALT LAKE CITY (AP) -- Utah Jazz general manager Kevin O'Connor watched Josh Howard work out in North Carolina this week. It was enough to convince him the small forward could help in the condensed season.

Howard agreed to a deal with the Jazz on Thursday, pending a physical. O'Connor said he expects Howard to be in uniform Saturday night when the Jazz have an intrasquad scrimmage.

"The first thing he brings is an ability to play in the NBA,'' O'Connor said Thursday night. "He's a guy that at the 3 spot has rebounded the ball exceptionally well. And he's played on a winning team and in an NBA championship series.''

O'Connor said it will be "all hands on deck'' with a 66-game schedule that includes six games in eight days to start the season.

The Jazz made adding an athletic shooter their top priority in free agency after re-signing backup point guard Earl Watson last week.

"That was our first goal,'' O'Connor said of bringing back fan-favorite Watson.

"The second was to improve the wing position. We did that in the draft with Alec (Burks) and with signing Josh. Now we'll see how it goes.''

Agent Marc Fleisher, who represents free agent Andrei Kirilenko, said the Howard deal "most likely'' means the Jazz will not re-sign Kirilenko.

O'Connor declined comment Thursday night when asked about Kirilenko, who has been playing in Russia during the lockout, but is coming off an injury-plagued season.

O'Connor previously said there had been ongoing discussions with Kirilenko. But it was clear the 10-year veteran was going to have to take a major pay cut to return after making more than $17 million last season.

Howard was a key player for Dallas from 2003-10 and helped the Mavs in their run to the NBA finals in 2006. He averaged a career-high 19.9 points in 2007-08 and has played in 453 games (381 starts).

He will be reunited with former Mavs teammate Devin Harris, now Utah's starting point guard following the February trade of Deron Williams to New Jersey.

O'Connor said he relied on Harris' input on Howard and said he came "highly recommended.''

O'Connor also took a trip back to North Carolina on Wednesday to work out Howard and discuss his role with the Jazz.

"It went well enough to sign him,'' O'Connor said.

He acknowledged Howard will have to shake off some rust after tearing the anterior cruciate ligament in his left knee a month after he was traded to Washington in February 2010.

He developed tendinitis last season, and only appeared in 18 games for Washington in 2010-11, averaging 8.4 points.

Howard also was considering returning to the Wizards, or signing with San Antonio, Portland and New Jersey.

While visiting a local charter school in Washington last week, Howard told reporters he wanted to be on a good team, where the players were hungry.

The Jazz are coming off a 39-43 season, but have four players 21 or younger and several veterans looking to make amends for the disappointing finish.

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Free agent Crawford decides to sign with Blazers

PORTLAND, Ore. (AP) -- Free-agent guard Jamal Crawford has joined the Portland Trail Blazers.

Crawford, who was reportedly considering Sacramento and the Blazers, announced his choice on Twitter, posting "Rip city!!!"

The Blazers made it official a few hours later on Thursday when they announced they had signed Crawford. The terms of the two-year deal were not released.

In order to make a deal with Crawford, the team used the NBA's new amnesty clause to waive All-Star guard Brandon Roy, who announced his retirement last week because of ongoing knee problems.

An 11-year veteran, Crawford played for the Atlanta Hawks the last two seasons. For his career, the 31-year-old has averaged 15.2 points, 2.6 rebounds and 3.9 assists. He won the NBA's Sixth Man award in 2010.

"We've thought highly of Jamal for a long time and think he's a great fit for our team," said Chad Buchanan, Portland's acting general manager. "He brings a scorer's touch and veteran leadership that will help us immediately."

Blazers guard Wesley Matthews said he spoke to Crawford on Wednesday night.

"I'm excited about it," Matthews said. "He wants to come and win and that's what we're about."

Crawford, a 6-foot-5 shooting guard, will help the Blazers deal with the absence of Roy and former Blazer Rudy Fernandez, who was traded away on draft night in June.

Matthews said he was unconcerned about potential competition for playing time.

"We can coexist at the same time, similar to what they did in Atlanta with Joe Johnson and him," Matthews said.

By using amnesty to waive Roy, the Blazers freed up salary cap space that allowed the team to use a mid-level exception on Crawford. Roy, who was under a max contract, was set to make $15 million this year.

"Brandon's announcement that he is leaving the game ultimately shifted our decision to amnesty," Buchanan said in a statement. "We're given the immediate option to obtain additional salary cap flexibility as we will no longer be in the Luxury Tax - something that is critical to improving our team and helping us recover from the loss of a player of Brandon's caliber."

A three-time All-Star who has played all five of his NBA seasons in Portland, Roy had been dogged by pain for the past two years because he lacks cartilage between the bones in his knees.

He sat for stretches of last season because of soreness and had arthroscopic surgery on both knees last January. He returned to end the season with a career-low average of 12.2 points in 47 games.

Roy, a fan favorite whom many credit with turning around the team's once-tarnished "Jail Blazers" reputation, finished his career with averages of 19 points, 4.7 assists and 4.3 rebounds.

Coach Nate McMillan praised Roy and his proclivity for late-game heroics after practice on Thursday.

"The closer. That's how I look at him," McMillan said. "The closer has closed."

Crawford is close to Roy, a fellow Seattle native.

Buchanan told reporters Thursday afternoon that Roy will always have a place in the organization.

"If there's any role that he wanted to take on moving forward, we would love to have him in any capacity ... there's always going to be a place for Brandon in this organization," Buchanan said. "And at some point he'll probably consider and look into all of his options and what he wants to do now that he's done playing. We just want to make sure that he knows he always has a home with us."

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Veteran guard Hamilton signs with Bulls

Posted Dec 14 2011 10:29PM - Updated Dec 15 2011 6:48AM

DEERFIELD, Ill. (AP) -- As Richard Hamilton and the Chicago Bulls put the finishing touches on a contract, Derrick Rose couldn't stop beaming Wednesday night.

"With him, I'm going to have a lot more assists this year," the star point guard said.

The Bulls made it official Wednesday night and announced they signed Hamilton to boost a backcourt that already included Rose, the league's MVP.

Terms were not released, but a person familiar with the situation said earlier in the day it's a three-year, $15 million deal. The person spoke on the condition of anonymity because the contract had not been finalized.

The Chicago Tribune, citing sources, reported the team holds an option for the third year. If the Bulls don't exercise it, he receives some partial guarantees.

Either way, Hamilton is officially a member of the Bulls.

"We are excited to welcome a player, and person, with the credentials of Richard Hamilton to our organization," general manager Gar Forman said in a statement. "Rip has been a winner at every level. His resume speaks for itself, and we are confident that he will be an excellent fit with our team, both on and off the floor."

The three-time All-Star cleared waivers as expected after being bought out by Detroit this week, ending a nine-year run in which the Pistons won a championship and regularly made the Eastern Conference finals.

The 6-foot-7 Hamilton gives Chicago another scoring option along with the height it was seeking in the backcourt.

Hamilton was due to make $19 million guaranteed over the final two years of his contract in Detroit but was bought out for $11 million, saving the rebuilding team $4 million in cap space this year and $4 million more next season.

Entering his 13th year in the league, he joins a team that led the NBA with 62 wins last season and advanced to the Eastern Conference finals before losing to Miami.

The Bulls are looking for more.

With Rose and one of the league's deepest rosters, they believed they were in position to make another big run whether they added a shooting guard or not. Hamilton should help take some of the scoring load off Rose, but he is also coming off a difficult season at age 33. He and some of his teammates clashed with former coach John Kuester, and he averaged just 14.1 points per game, his lowest since his rookie season.

The Pistons had planned to reload with Hamilton when they traded Chauncey Billups to Denver in 2008, but they've been struggling ever since.

During the good times, though, Hamilton was one of the best players on a team that reached at least the conference finals six straight years and captured the championship in 2004. He has averaged 17.7 points in a career that started in 1999 with Washington and flourished in Detroit after being acquired in the Jerry Stackhouse trade.

"It's going to open up everybody's game," Rose said. "With me working on my 3-point shooting, me kicking to him, him kicking it back to me, me making it to the corner, to Lu (Luol Deng), him making shots - I think it's going to open up everyone's game. Everybody's going to have open shots."

Relentlessly running around screens to set up his mid-range jump shots, Hamilton averaged more than 20 points over 120 playoff games with the Pistons and led them in scoring in eight of his nine regular seasons there.

He is one of four active players - Dirk Nowitzki, Kobe Bryant and Tim Duncan are the others - and 20 in NBA history who have averaged at least 20 points over 120 postseason games, according to STATS LLC.

Bulls players have praised Hamilton in recent days. Joakim Noah also went out of his way to compliment Ronnie Brewer on Wednesday.

"I think (Hamilton) would be a great addition to our team," Noah said. "He's obviously a hell of a player, but Ronnie's been having a great camp right now."

Hamilton will have to be a quick study, as will anyone else the Bulls add.

They open the season against the Lakers in Los Angeles on Dec. 25, and they only have two preseason games - at Indiana on Friday and at home against the Pacers next Tuesday.

If Hamilton practices Thursday, would the Bulls use him right away?

"If we sign a player and he's ready to go, yeah," coach Tom Thibodeau said, before the announcement was made. "Just like everyone else, we'll evaluate him once he's here. We'll see what he can do, and then we'll move forward."

Could a newcomer play Friday?

"You can't answer that until you see him," Thibodeau said. "It's similar, if you sign somebody now, to making a trade. The thing that's different is you're coming out of the offseason, and you don't know where guys are, conditioning-wise. But we'll see."

Thibodeau did concede that veterans "pick up things a lot quicker," and Deng thinks he'll have no trouble getting acclimated quickly. He said the Bulls' sets are similar to Detroit's, and Rose's ability to set up teammates should make things easier for Hamilton.

Deng said "you can sense everyone is excited for him to be here."

But he also cautioned: "You name any big-name player and you fit him to any team, it always sounds great. It's up to us to spend a lot of time together and make it work. Having a lot of guys coming back from last year, I think it's going to help out a lot."

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