Memphis Grizzlies General Manager and Vice President of Basketball Operations Chris Wallace announced today the team has signed free agent guard/forward Casey Jacobsen to a contract. Per team policy, financial terms of the deal are not disclosed.

"We are pleased that Casey is coming to resume his NBA career in Memphis," said Wallace. "Casey brings much needed outside shooting to the team. He also provides size in the backcourt. Casey has NBA experience, is a former first round draft pick and has benefited from spending two seasons in Europe. He is a player who is intent on reestablishing himself in the league. Coach Iavaroni worked with Casey in Phoenix and our assistant coach Andy Greer was with him last year in the preseason with Houston. Having coaches who have first hand experience with a new player is an advantage, and we are fortunate that our coaching staff has that familiarity with Casey."

A three-year NBA veteran, Jacobsen averaged 5.9 points, 1.9 rebounds, 1.2 assists and 20.4 minutes in 234 games played (14 starts) with Phoenix and New Orleans. Selected with the 22nd pick in the 2002 NBA Draft by the Phoenix Suns, he averaged 6.0 points, 2.6 rebounds and 1.3 assists in 78 games and 13 starts during the 2003-04 season, and finished ranked ninth in the NBA in three-point percentage (75-180, .417). Jacobsen was traded to New Orleans on January 21, 2005, and averaged 7.6 points, 2.3 rebounds and 1.7 assists in 44 games with the Hornets.

The 6-6, 198 pound guard spent the 2006-07 season in Germany playing for Brose Baskets where he won the 2007 German Basketball Championship and was named Finals MVP. He spent the 2005-06 season with TAU Victoria of the Spanish ACB League, before joining the Rockets for the 2006-07 preseason where he averaged 1.5 points and 1.8 rebounds in four games.

Jacobsen was a two-time All-America pick and a three-time All-Pac 10 Conference First Team selection at Stanford. He finished his career ranked third on the Cardinal all-time scoring list with 1,723 points, and in three seasons averaged 18.1 points and shot .470 from the field and .427 from three-point range

David Stern has seen college basketball and German soccer overcome point-shaving scandals. He never imagined his own league would be thrown into one.

The NBA commissioner blamed "rogue, isolated criminal" Tim Donaghy for that, creating a betting scandal that has devastated the league and threatened the credibility of every referee.

"My reaction was, I can't believe it's happening to us," the commissioner said Tuesday.

Today those other sports remain popular, and Stern thinks the NBA will also eventually recover from the "most serious situation and worst situation that I have ever experienced either as a fan of the NBA, a lawyer for the NBA or a commissioner of the NBA."

"It is my hope that the NBA will be similarly accorded the benefit of the doubt based upon what we have done, what we stand for and what we pledge to continue to do," said Stern, who has held the top post for 23 years.

A subdued Stern said he felt betrayed by the former referee -- the target of an FBI investigation for allegedly betting on games, including some he officiated, over the last two seasons.

Stern said he believed no other officials or players would be implicated in the betting scandal.

Pausing often and carefully choosing his words during the packed, 1-hour, 10-minute news conference, Stern compared Donaghy to someone who's committed treason.

"I feel betrayed by what happened on behalf of the sport, regardless of how protective I've been," he said. "This is not something that is anything other than an act of betrayal of what we know in sports as a sacred trust."

Besides allegedly placing his own wagers, investigators also are examining whether Donaghy provided inside information to others, including referees' schedules, according to a person familiar with the investigation.

"Not only aren't they permitted to either gamble or provide information to people," Stern said, "they may not even provide other than to their immediate family the details of their travel schedules or the games they are going to work."

The FBI first contacted the NBA on June 20 to talk about a referee alleged to be gambling on games, and the two sides met on June 21, Stern said. Donaghy resigned July 9, though Stern said he would have fired him sooner but was told it might affect the investigation.

Although Donaghy has not yet been charged with a crime, Stern said the referee's lawyer told the league his client is contemplating a plea.

However, as far as Stern is concerned, "If you bet on a game, you lose the benefit of the doubt."

Donaghy's attorney, John Lauro, declined comment when reached by telephone. Donaghy is expected to surrender late this week or early next week.

Stern said there was nothing suspicious about the frequency of Donaghy's foul calls, the size of his bank account or anything else that would have tipped off the league. And though the NBA stresses its system of monitoring referees gives it the best officials in sports, Stern said he wasn't shocked Donaghy slipped through the cracks.

"If you're intent upon engaging in criminal activity, and if you are acting alone in many cases without the knowledge of even your family, it's possible," he said. "Our (country's) history is replete with examples of that. So it doesn't come as a surprise that you could go undetected."

An NBA referee for 13 years, Donaghy was rated in the top tier of officials, Stern said. Still, this isn't the first time he has been in trouble with the league.

In January 2005, Stern said, the NBA investigated a dispute between Donaghy and a West Chester, Pa., neighbor.

The neighbors, Pete and Lisa Mansueto, sued Donaghy for harassment and invasion of privacy, and accused him of vandalizing their property and stalking Lisa Mansueto. In their lawsuit, the Mansuetos also alleged that Donaghy set fire to a tractor they owned and crashed their golf cart from Radley Run Country Club into a ravine.

During the NBA investigation, there were allegations that Donaghy was gambling -- not on sports -- in Atlantic City. Stern said the league contacted every casino in Atlantic City and Las Vegas and found no evidence of gambling by Donaghy.

NBA referees aren't even allowed in casinos. Stern said the only betting they can do is at the racetrack in the summer.

Donaghy wasn't allowed to officiate the second round of the 2005 playoffs because of the incident with the neighbors, but after he moved to Florida, Stern said there were no other complaints or allegations that turned up in NBA background checks.

Tuesday, Stern vowed to review the league's procedures to make sure this wouldn't happen again.

"This is something that is the worst that could happen to a professional sports league," Stern said. "And I want to say on the other hand that we are going to make good on the covenant that we believe we have with our fans, and I pledge that my involvement will be as intense and complete as it can possibly be."

Associated Press writers Pat Milton in New York and Bob Lentz in Philadelphia contributed to this report.

The Dallas Mavericks announced today that they have signed second round draft pick forward Nick Fazekas. As per club policy, terms of the contract were not disclosed.

The Mavericks selected Fazekas as the 34th overall pick in the 2007 NBA Draft. He was a part of the Mavericks Summer League Team that played in Las Vegas and Salt Lake City. In Las Vegas, he averaged 6.6 points and 4.4 rebounds in 17.4 minutes in five games. He was the team's third leading scorer and rebounder in Utah with 12.7 points and 4.7 rebounds in 25.3 minutes a game.

Fazekas (6-11, 235) finished his four-year career at Nevada as the school's all-time leading scorer (2,464 points) and shot blocker (192). He was named the WAC Player of the Year three times (2005, 2006, 2007) and was a consensus Second Team All-American as a senior when he averaged 20.4 points and 11.1 rebounds. Fazekas is one of just six players in NCAA history to score 2,000 points and grab 1,000 rebounds while shooting 50% from the field and 80% from the free throw line.

The Arvada, Colo., native saw action in 30-plus games in each of his four seasons at Nevada and started all 97 games in his final three seasons. Fazekas shot above .500 from the floor every season for the Wolf Pack including his senior season when he finished with a field goal percentage of .568.

The Chicago Bulls have signed first-round draft choice Joakim Noah, along with second-round selection Aaron Gray.

Noah, selected ninth overall, averaged 12.0 points, 8.4 rebounds and 1.8 blocks as a junior last season, when the Florida Gators became the first program to win back-to-back titles in 15 years. A year earlier the 6-foot-11, 232-pound forward was named the Most Outstanding Player of the 2006 Final Four.

The Bulls selected Gray, a 7-foot, 270-pound center out of Pittsburgh, with the 49th pick overall. Gray averaged a team-high 13.9 points and 9.5 rebounds and was first-team all-Big East.

Terms of the contracts were not immediately released.

Noah will wear No. 13 and Gray will wear No. 34, the Bulls said.

New York Knickerbockers President of Basketball Operations and Head Coach Isiah Thomas announced today that forward Wilson Chandler has been signed to a contract. Chandler was selected by New York with the 23rd overall selection in the 2007 NBA Draft.
Chandler, 6-8, 230-pounds, was an early entry candidate in the draft, having declared following his sophomore season at DePaul. The 20-year old, Benton Harbor, MI-native averaged 12.9 points and 7.1 rebounds during his two years for the Blue Demons and left school ranked 10th on the school's all-time list for career blocked shots.

As a member of the Knicks' entry in the 2007 NBA Summer League in Las Vegas earlier this month, Chandler averaged 13.4 points, on 50.9-percent shooting, and 5.2 rebounds in five games (all starts).

It's another typical summer day in Guangzhou, the capital of Yi Jianlian¡'s home province of Guangdong. The temperature is over 100 degrees Fahrenheit, the extremely high level of humidity makes the air almost drip, and people of all ages have their trusty umbrella in hand, not because of a sudden downpour, but to shield themselves from the summer sun.
Even with summer break upon schools in China, there are still groups of students coming and going from downtown Guangzhou's Guangdong Industrial College on this blistering summer day. Meeting with teachers? Going to the library? No. The basketball courts are the place to be.

During a break in the action, the topic of the Milwaukee Bucks top draft pick Yi Jianlian comes up. Since the Bucks drafted Yi with the 6th pick, the process of trying to sign Yi has left many with rather strong opinions. The students intelligently debate if Milwaukee is too small, whether Yi will get enough playing time, and whether Yi will eventually sign with the Bucks. Being NBA fans who love to play basketball themselves, their overriding conclusion is that Yi will definitely be in a Bucks uniform come the start of the 2007-2008 season. The dream of all basketball players is to make it to the NBA, and Chinese players are just the same. For a Chinese basketball player though, it is a dream that seems even further away than for others. When Yi plays his first NBA game, he will be only the 4th Chinese person to do so.

Yi being drafted by the Bucks has put Milwaukee at the forefront of almost all discussions for Chinese basketball fans. The above students had never heard of Milwaukee before the Bucks drafted Yi. One blogger on the popular basketball website HoopsChina astutely observed that no matter what happens, Milwaukee, the Bucks, and Yi are all tied together. Opinions vary, and everyone has one about the Bucks and Yi. This in itself has become a controversy. Talk of Yi has taken over the Bucks section of the ChinaHoops website in such a way that it has left some people wondering if Yi topics should be banned from the Bucks section until after his status with the Bucks becomes certain.

While speaking with a resident of Guangzhou surnamed Li, it¡'s hard for him to say if Yi¡'s current approach to negotiations with the Bucks is the best way for Yi to go about it. Li conveyed that he doesn't know who is in control, Yi himself or his agents. Lots of different parties are trying to influence Yi, Li believes, and he doesn't think Yi has all the control, even if he wants it. Will Yi end up with the Bucks? It's once again very hard for Li to say. Li says that if it were him personally, he doesn't know if he would go to the Bucks at this point. As he explains, the problem of "saving face", a way of keeping one's reputation and integrity in the eyes of others, would be a large issue for him.

"Saving face", or in Chinese, "Mian Zi", is often a dictating force in the relationships of people and in interacting with others. It influences how people interpret how people act towards each other. For example, if one person feels another person is disrespecting him or making him look bad in front of others, no matter how large or small the issue, this could create a significant problem of "Mian Zi".

Another blogger on the HoopsChina website also takes this approach in expressing his thoughts. The blogger says that he would love to see Yi play for the Bucks, but the appropriate time for making a deal happen has already passed, for reasons relating to the "Mian Zi" problem. 1) Milwaukee Bucks fans are already too mad at Yi and would not welcome him. 2) If Yi were to have signed right away, everyone at the Bucks organization would have done their best to help him, but now, nobody will care about Yi after these prolonged negotiations. 3) The "Mian Zi" issue itself; if Yi were to sign with the Bucks now, why didn't he sign earlier? Why go to the Bucks now and subject oneself to constant booing and heckling when one could keep his dignity and continue holding out or return to the Chinese Basketball Association?

Although "Mian Zi" is an issue that most people in China would consider, it is not something that Li, the bloggers, or Yi himself should be worried about. All professional athletes are heckled. It comes with the territory. But if Yi comes to Bucks, embraces Milwaukee, and works hard, he will be welcomed with open arms and have all the support he could ask for.

A student from China currently studying at the University of Wisconsin ¨C Milwaukee has another reason as to why Yi's road to Milwaukee has taken its current path: Chen Hai Tao, owner of Yi's former team the Guangdong Tigers. Another Chinese blogger on HoopsChina writes how he originally was a huge fan of the Guangdong Tigers, and thought the organization was a great help for Chinese basketball players. The team has helped train many of China's best players and has positioned the country in a place to hopefully compete at the 2008 Olympics in Beijing. But now, for the sake of profit, Chen Hai Tao has ruined the reputation of the team's best player, Yi Jianlian. The blogger continues his harsh criticism by writing that Chen is just looking out for himself, not Yi, not the Chinese National Team, and definitely not the 1.3 billion Chinese people waiting for potential Olympic glory.

Everybody has an opinion for why Yi has not yet signed with the Bucks. As for if NBA fans in China would be happy seeing Yi play for the Bucks? An overwhelming YES is the answer. A recent poll on the highly influential Chinese website Sina.com found that of 20,000+ respondents, 82% want to see Yi remain in Milwaukee and play for the Bucks. In a related poll, 71% of people feel the Bucks are a suitable team for Yi to start his career with. A Chinese manager for a Spanish restaurant in Guangzhou also echoed these thoughts. "I just want the (negotiations) over with and want to see Yi in a Bucks uniform."

Yao Ming¡'s impact on basketball in China cannot be stated in words. One fan playing basketball on a court near Guangzhou¡'s popular shopping destination, Beijing Road, said that he wanted Yi to play with Yao Ming for the Houston Rockets. Why? He watches every Yao Ming game and plans to watch every Yi Jianlian game. If they played for the same team, he¡'d save himself a lot of time!

The full impact Yi will have on basketball in China is yet to be felt, but its continued and growing presence is certain. Chinese basketball fans know Yao, Yi, Lebron, Kobe, and D-Wade, but the average Chinese person only knows Yao and Yi. As the 2008 Olympics in Beijing continue to approach, Yi¡'s stature in China will only increase. Before it¡'s time for the Olympics though, there is still an NBA season to be played. The Milwaukee Bucks and NBA fans in Milwaukee and China alike all hope that Yi spends it in a Bucks uniform.

Dan Makowski is a 2006 graduate of the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee where he majored in Asian Studies. He has been living in China since the early part of 2007 and currently lives in the Guangdong region where he works as a freelance translator. As an avid Bucks fan, he has agreed to share some of his experiences with Bucks.com, as well as provide insight on what the Chinese community is saying about the Bucks and Yi Jianlian.

The agent for Troy Hudson said Tuesday that the Minnesota Timberwolves have agreed to buy out Hudson's contract, making him a free agent.

Bill Neff said he has reached a verbal agreement with Wolves owner Glen Taylor to sever ties. The Wolves will pay Hudson just under $6 million this year and just over $6.3 million next season, which is about 80 percent of what Hudson was owed.

"It works out fine,'' Neff said. "Now we have to go find a team to take a chance on.''

One team that could be in Hudson's sights is Boston. The Celtics completed a blockbuster deal with the Timberwolves on Tuesday that brought All-Star Kevin Garnett to Boston in exchange for Al Jefferson and six other players.

Garnett and Hudson are good friends who played together in Minnesota for the last five seasons. The point guard averaged 14.2 points and 5.7 assists in his first season here, parlaying that into a six-year, $37 million contract.

In fact, Garnett lobbied hard for the Timberwolves to re-sign Hudson to that deal, but Hudson has struggled with injuries and inconsistent play ever since. He's started just 39 games in the last four seasons and averaged 5.9 points and 2.1 assists in 34 games last year.

When the Wolves began shopping Garnett earlier this summer, Neff said Hudson had had enough.

"That's kind of when Troy decided to pull the plug,'' Neff said.

He first requested a trade from the team, and when that didn't work out, Neff began negotiating a buyout.

Now, Hudson could be headed to Boston with his good buddy. As the roster stands right now, the Celtics will start next season with second-year pro Rajon Rondo running the point, creating a need for a more experienced player either to start at the position or come off the bench for big minutes.

Ronnie Price never expected his basketball career to go through Utah once, let alone twice.

Price was introduced as the newest member of the Jazz on Wednesday, speaking to reporters about 40 miles north of where he was playing three years ago at Utah Valley State.

"I never thought my life would take me to Utah ever, honestly,'' Price said.

Price played three years at Utah Valley State, the former junior college just west of Provo. He transferred there after a coaching change at Nicholls State.

Price arrived just in time for Utah Valley State's transition to an NCAA Division I program, so his three seasons with the Wolverines went largely unnoticed.

Even in his senior year, when Price averaged 24.3 points, he garnered hardly any national attention while playing for a school that didn't have a conference and was not eligible for the postseason.

So it was little surprise when he went undrafted in 2005. The Sacramento Kings signed him as a free agent and Price made the team in training camp. He played sparingly in two seasons but well enough to revive Utah's interest.

Kevin O'Connor, Jazz vice president of basketball operations, said he made a call to Price's agent when free agency opened July 1.

Returning to Utah and joining a young team that had just reached the Western Conference finals sounded pretty good to Price, who was plenty familiar with the team after watching video while playing for Utah Valley coach d*** Hunsaker.

"He would sit down and show me the Jazz - their offense, the way they did things, and just show me how hard the team played,'' Price said. "The Jazz are the hardest-working team in the NBA.''

The addition of Price gives the Jazz a roster full of guards. O'Connor said Utah went after Price and free agent Jason Hart because they are versatile enough to play both guard spots and, more importantly, can improve Utah's shoddy perimeter defense.

"There's enough teams that play two smaller guards. We feel that combo guards can help us,'' O'Connor said. "We've gotten torched by a lot of guards this year.''

The Jazz have added Price and Hart, a six-year veteran, this summer and lost Derek Fisher, who asked to be let out of his contract for family reasons and signed with the Los Angeles Lakers.

That still leaves Utah with a surplus of guards, including starter Deron Williams and restricted free agents Dee Brown and C.J. Miles. Brown was widely expected to be on the way out when the Jazz announced they were signing Price, but O'Connor said Utah still hasn't rescinded the qualifying offer made to either player.

The Jazz drafted a shooting guard, Morris Almond, in June and Ronnie Brewer, another shooting guard, a year ago. Veteran guard Gordan Giricek is also under contract. That adds up to eight guards with about two months before the Jazz have to finalize their roster.

O'Connor wouldn't speculate on possible trades. The Jazz have until Oct. 1 before making a final decision on Brown and Miles.

"We're still looking to massage our roster a little bit,'' O'Connor said.

The Chicago Bulls announced today the signing of 2007 second-round draft pick JamesOn Curry. Per team policy, terms of the contracts were not disclosed.

Curry (6-3,190) was Chicago's third selection and the 51st pick overall. He started 83 of 101 contests at Oklahoma State and posted career averages of 13.5 ppg, 3.5 apg and 2.9 rpg and shot .437 from the field, including .404 from three-point range, and .758 from the free throw line.

In just three seasons as a Cowboy, he finished 13th in school history in scoring (1,363), third in three-pointers made (197), ninth in three-point field goal percentage (.404) and ninth in assists (356).

In July, at the Pepsi Pro Summer League in Orlando, Curry played in all five of Chicago's games and averaged 9.4 ppg, 3.0 apg and 2.2 rpg and shot .500 from the floor, including .500 from downtown.

He also played in all four of the Bulls' games in the Rocky Mountain Revue in Salt Lake City and averaged 8.3 ppg, 3.3 apg, 2.3 rpg and 1.00 spg.

Curry will wear No. 20.

Chicago's roster for the 2007.08 season now stands at 14

The D-League Ambassadors (3-2) fell to China (3-2) 82-67 in their fifth and final game of the Stankovic Cup in Macau on Thursday.

After three consecutive victories, the Ambassadors were in position to capture the title. As a result of their loss to China and Slovenia (4-1) defeating Angola (3-2), the Ambassadors finished third in the overall standings.

Milwaukee Bucks 2007 NBA draft pick Yi Jianlian of China finished with 28 points while former NBA player Wang Zhizhi accounted for 19 points, proving too much for the Ambassadors.

"I thought my guys did a heck of a job. We had four days to prepare for this tournament. The kids played hard and I'm extremely proud of them," Ambassadors head coach Larry Smith said following the game.

Renaldo Major (Dakota) put in a solid effort with 16 points and eight rebounds, including two crowd-thrilling dunks. Cheyne Gadson (Austin) also stepped up for the D-Leaguers with 14 points and four assists.

"China came out and played well, the crowd was charged and the jump shots were falling for their big guys," Major said. "We couldn't get a rhythm and just couldn't sink our shots."

The Ambassadors came back from a 0-5 deficit at the outset of the game with a two-minute, 9-0 run near the end of the first quarter, sparked by Gadson coming off the bench to make two key baskets that sent the Ambassadors toward the second quarter only down three, 20-17.

The D-Leaguers took the lead for the first time early in the second, 25-24, thanks to a turnaround jumper from Quemont Greer (Dakota), who was coming off a 16-point performance in Wednesday's win against Angola. Greer then hit two free throws after forcing a turnover extending the margin to 27-24.

In the closing moments of the first half, China's Sun Yue scored 12 points in the last three minutes including a three-pointer as the buzzer to give China a 44-36 lead at the break.

The third quarter performance by China extended their lead to 15 points, 66-51, behind Yi Jianlian's 11 points and Wang Zhizhi's five points.

China was aided by Zhizhi's nine-point performance in the final quarter enroute to victory.

"They (China) handled us relatively easy tonight, said Smith. "They're a talented team and they are going to make a lot of noise in the future."

The Golden State Warriors signed center Kosta Perovic and forward Austin Croshere to contracts Friday.

Perovic, the 38th pick in the 2006 draft, played last season in his native Serbia and Montenegro. The 7-foot-2 center helped lead Partizan Belgrade to a championship, averaging 12.0 points and 5.3 rebounds per game in the Adriatic league.

"We are excited that Kosta will be joining our team this season," said Chris Mullin, the team's executive vice president of basketball operations. "He is a very skilled player, and we think that he has tremendous potential."

Croshere, 32, has averaged 7.1 points and 4.2 rebounds per game in a 10-year career with Indiana and Dallas. Croshere played 61 regular-season games for Dallas last season, averaging 3.7 points and 3.0 rebounds per game.

He spent his first three seasons in Indiana as a teammate with Mullin. He also played with current Warriors Al Harrington, Stephen Jackson and Sarunas Jasikevicius during his time with the Pacers. Croshere also was a high school teammate of Golden State point guard Baron Davis at Crossroads High School in Santa Monica.

Forward Matt Barnes re-signed with the Golden State Warriors on Monday, agreeing to a one-year deal after enjoying his best NBA season with the club last year.

Barnes, a four-year veteran who has played for five teams, had career-best averages of 9.8 points, 4.6 rebounds and 2.1 assists last season in coach Don Nelson's uptempo offense.

He also made headlines with his energetic play, a mohawk haircut and a tattoo reading "Believe" -- especially while the Warriors upset top-seeded Dallas and advanced to the second round of the playoffs.

"I am really excited to be back with the Warriors," Barnes said. "As I've said all along, this was my first choice and the place that I wanted to continue my career. I really enjoy playing for this team, and feel very comfortable with the entire organization."

Barnes shopped his services to several teams as a free agent, but couldn't find a lucrative deal despite changing agents twice. His contract with Golden State is expected to be worth slightly more than $3 million -- the remainder of the Warriors' mid-level salary cap exemption.

"He was a key contributor to our success last season, and we anticipate that he will play a vital role with our club again during the upcoming season," said Chris Mullin, the Warriors' executive vice president of basketball operations. "The intangibles that he provides our team -- energy, hustle and effort -- are a tribute to his work ethic and have certainly aided his development as a player. Plus, he is a very good fit for our team."

The Milwaukee Bucks have signed forward Awvee Storey to a multi-year contract, General Manager Larry Harris announced today. Terms of the deal were not disclosed. Storey was a member of the Bucks 2007 Las Vegas Summer League Team, where he maintained averages of 11.0 points and 4.2 rebounds over five games.
"Awvee is a hard-nosed, aggressive player who brings depth to our roster at the guard and small forward positions," said Harris. "He's an excellent athlete and a solid defender who will be a good addition to our team."

Undrafted out of Arizona State University, Storey, 30, has spent the last five seasons playing overseas as well as having stints in the NBA, NBA Development League, CBA and the United States Basketball League. During the 2006-07 season, Storey saw action in 16 games for Braunschweig of the German League and averaged 10.8 points, 4.6 rebounds and 1.1 assists per game. Before signing with Braunschweig in early 2007, Storey played in three games for the Dakota Wizards of the D-League. As a Wizard, he averaged 9.3 points and 6.0 rebounds per game.

In 2005-06, Storey appeared in 25 games for the Washington Wizards, averaging 1.7 points in 4.6 minutes per game. Storey also played in nine games with the New Jersey Nets during the 2004-05 season. After being released by the Nets in 2004, Storey had a brief stint with the Idaho Stampede of the CBA before finishing up the 04-05 season with the Wonju TG Sambo Xers of the Korean League. He appeared in 23 games with the Sambo Xers, posting averages of 14.2 points, 5.6 rebounds and 1.7 assists per game, helping lead the Sambo Xers to the 2005 KBL championship. From 2002-2004, Storey spent time playing professionally in Venezuela, Korea and the USBL.

A native of Chicago, Storey enjoyed a successful collegiate career at Arizona State University. He earned All-Pac 10 Honorable Mention honors in 2001 after posting career-highs in points (13.1) and rebounds (9.1).

The Sacramento Kings announced that center Justin Williams has agreed to the team's qualifying offer, retroactive to July 3, 2007.

Williams averaged 5.0 ppg (.614FG%, .365 FT%), 4.4 rpg, and 0.6 bpg in 26 contests (started one) with the Kings in 2006-07. At 6-10 and 230 pounds, Williams also played for the Dakota Wizards of the NBA Development League prior to his call up with Sacramento, where he averaged 12.1 points (.556 FG%, .581 FT%), 12.3 rebounds and 3.1 blocks through 12 games.

The former University of Wyoming product played five games for Kings in the recently completed NBA Summer League as well, averaging 11.8 ppg (.511 FG%, .500 FT%), 10.6 rpg, and 1.8 bpg.

The Boston Celtics have spoken with future Hall of Famer Reggie Miller about coming out of retirement to help the once-proud franchise in its push for an unprecedented 17th NBA title.

"I'm always flattered when my name is mentioned as someone who can still help an NBA team win a championship," Miller said Wednesday in a statement relayed to The Associated Press by the TNT network. "I've had limited discussions with Celtics management about their roster and a potential role for me. At this time, I'm enjoying my role as an analyst with TNT."

ESPN.com was the first to report the talks.

Celtics officials did not respond to requests for comment. Miller's agent, Arn Tellem, declined comment.

Miller, who will turn 42 this month, played 18 seasons, all with the Indiana Pacers, before retiring in 2005. He is 13th on the league's career scoring list with 25,279 points and the leader in 3-pointers made and attempted.

His uniform No. 31 was retired by the Pacers last year.

In addition to working on television broadcasts of NBA and WNBA games, he has run a movie production company called Boom Baby Productions and co-hosted "Live with Regis and Kelly." But he admitted when the Pacers opened training camp without him in 2005 that it wasn't the same thrill.

"It's strange not to be a part of an (NBA) organization or part of a team," he said then. "I'm not joking with anybody on the bus like I usually do. But waking up with my back, knees and ankles hurting -- that's not stuff I'm going to miss much."

The Celtics were 24-58 last season and have won three playoff series in the nine years since drafting Paul Pierce. But they have undergone a near-complete roster overhaul this summer that has taken them from a rebuilding program to Eastern Conference contenders.

They traded for seven-time All-Star Ray Allen on draft weekend and then pulled off an unprecedented 7-for-1 trade with the Minnesota Timberwolves for former MVP Kevin Garnett. Those two will team with Pierce to form one of the most formidable top three in the NBA.

But the rest of the roster needs work.

The starting lineup includes second-year pro Rajon Rondo at point guard and Kendrick Perkins at center. Only four other players are under contract.

"Clearly, we need a little bit more help just to shore up the bench," coach Doc Rivers said after the Garnett deal. "But it's sure better talking about shoring up our bench than shoring up our starting lineup."

That's where Miller would fit in, as a backup for Allen and the kind of veteran who would provide guidance -- and perhaps a key 3-pointer -- in the playoffs. (The last time the NBA's most decorated franchise, made the postseason, in 2005, they were bounced out in seven games by the Pacers in Miller's final season).

Penny Hardaway and Shaquille O'Neal are together again.

The 36-year-old Hardaway, who last played an NBA game in November 2005, signed with the Miami Heat on Thursday and is reuniting with O'Neal -- his former Orlando Magic teammate back in the mid-1990s.

"Penny is a player who has been an All-Star and has enjoyed an illustrious career," Heat president Pat Riley said. "We have been impressed at his hard work and dedication this summer to get back in shape and return to the NBA. He is a skilled player who can help us in multiple positions."

The team said Hardaway wasn't available for comment. O'Neal, who has occasionally offered less-than-glowing comments about his time with Hardaway in Orlando, told the Heat he supports the move to sign his former teammate.

Hardaway, a four-time All-Star game starter, has averaged 15.4 points in his career, but hasn't finished a season averaging double digits in scoring since the 2002-03 season with Phoenix. He played in four games with the New York Knicks early in the 2005-06 campaign before succumbing to knee injuries.

He's the second notable acquisition Miami has made during the free agent period; the team signed former Los Angeles Lakers starting point guard Smush Parker last month.

Hardaway figures to be a candidate to inherit the role similar to the one Eddie Jones held with the Heat at the end of last season, someone who can play either shooting guard or small forward. Jones agreed to two-year deal with the Dallas Mavericks last week.

Miami has spent much of the offseason looking for free agent help; the Heat tried unsuccessfully last month to sign guard Mo Williams, who remained in Milwaukee after the Bucks offered him a deal worth more than $20 million over what Miami could afford. Miami also has been in discussions about acquiring restricted free agent Mickael Pietrus from Golden State, and still could bring back James Posey -- another free agent who has spent the past two seasons with the Heat.

"I can't worry about what we don't have or what we missed out on," Heat guard Dwyane Wade said earlier this week. "We have to worry about what we can continue to get."

Somewhat surprisingly, that list includes Hardaway.

Back in his Orlando days, including the Magic's run to the NBA finals in 1995, Hardaway was the first in the triumvirate of young, high-scoring guards that O'Neal has been paired with throughout his NBA career. O'Neal teamed with Kobe Bryant with the Los Angeles Lakers, and helped Wade deliver a championship to Miami in 2006.

Hardaway and O'Neal teamed to average nearly 48 points per game in their three seasons together with Orlando -- but that duo was split more than a decade ago, when O'Neal headed to the Lakers. A year later, Hardaway was widely perceived to be the reason then-Magic coach Brian Hill was fired.

Hardaway was sent to Phoenix before the 1999-2000 season in a sign-and-trade deal for forwards Pat Garrity and Danny Manning, along with two draft picks. The Suns shipped him to the Knicks midway through the 2003-04 season, and another trade brought him back to Orlando in February 2006 -- for five whole days before the Magic waived Hardaway and his expiring $15.8 million contract.

At the time, Hardaway said he planned to continue playing. A year and a half later, he's getting that opportunity.

Able to run and jump without pain for the first time in five years, Penny Hardaway insists there's still much he can do in the NBA.

The Miami Heat apparently agree.

Hardaway spoke Friday about his new contract with the Heat, one that comes with no financial guarantees for the 36-year-old who has battled knee problems for much of a career that once seemed destined for superstardom.

"I definitely have competitive juices flowing," Hardaway said. "The number one point for me coming back is to win a championship. I still love this game. It's not about the money. It's not about anything other than loving the game and wanting to win a ring and I'm just thankful that I'm able to play in an organization like the Miami Heat."

Hardaway purchased a home in the Pinecrest section of Miami two years ago and has been working out in South Florida for several months, but hasn't yet crossed paths with Heat center Shaquille O'Neal -- his former teammate with the Orlando Magic in the mid-1990s.

He simply cannot wait to officially begin the reunion, insisting the relationship is not frosty -- as has been perceived in recent years.

"I did speak to him last year when I was really trying to get into the league and I wanted to work out for the Heat," Hardaway said. "He and I had a long talk and had a great talk. Neither one of us has any hard feelings. We still care about each other."

O'Neal told the Heat that he approved of their plan to sign Hardaway before the agreement was finalized. Heat guard Dwyane Wade can also be counted among those also supporting the plan.

"What's there to lose? It's simple," Wade said. "I think both sides win."

The Heat truly have nothing to lose because the deal for the career 15.4-point scorer doesn't include any guaranteed money. It just gives Hardaway, who hasn't played in the NBA since November 2005 because of his knee problems, an opportunity to compete for minutes.

And since Miami is at the luxury-cap threshold already for next season, getting Hardaway on the Heat without any financial commitment before the season may eventually make the move a steal.

"I heard last year he was working out and wanted to come back," Wade said. "You hear it a lot. But I hear he's in shape, he's looking good and they're giving him an opportunity."

Hardaway had knee surgery to remove a bone spur from behind his knee in March 2006 -- which allowed him to finally begin working out without pain. Even walking had hurt, said Hardaway, who acknowledged that he often feared his career was over.

But he's dropped 23 pounds in recent months, getting down to 212 with low body fat, and has reportedly been impressive in workouts with other NBA players.

"It's been such a hard road to get to this point," said Hardaway, who also eyed the Los Angeles Lakers and Boston Celtics as possible destinations for his comeback try. "I had the same knee injury for so long. ... I just kept pushing. When it comes to the situation I'm in now, I'm so thankful and blessed to be allowed to come to the Heat organization."

Devin Green -- who said Hardaway was his favorite player growing up -- is getting a chance from the Heat as well.

The 6-foot-7 guard who played at Hampton signed Friday with Miami. Green was in training camp last year with the Los Angeles Lakers, started the regular season in the NBA Development League and finished the season in Germany. He made 27 NBA regular-season appearances with the Lakers two seasons ago, averaging about 1 point and 1 rebound in 5 minutes per game.

Green's signing means the Heat currently have 17 players under contract, not including backup center Earl Barron, a restricted free agent to whom the team has made a qualifying offer for the coming season.