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The New Orleans Hornets announced today that they have signed free agent forward/center Chris Andersen. Per team policy, terms of the contract were not released.
The New Orleans Hornets formally welcomed back Chris "Birdman" Andersen on Wednesday after he spent more than two years sidelined because of a drug suspension. A smiling Chris Andersen returned to the Hornets on Wednesday after serving a suspension of more than two years for violating the NBA drug policy. Andersen was kicked out of the NBA on Jan. 27, 2006, for violating the league's drug policy."A lot of people, when they fail, they stay there ... but the strong person always rises up after making a mistake or failing, and you have done just that," Hornets owner George Shinn told Andersen. "You will shine again and we are very happy to have you here."
The NBA reinstated him on Tuesday, when Andersen was in New Orleans for a physical. Andersen's rights belonged to the Hornets as long as they offered him a contract within 30 days. The free-agent contract was announced on Wednesday, but the terms were not disclosed. Wearing official Hornets practice gear, Andersen smiled and thanked the Hornets for supporting his comeback, which acquired a more official air moments later when he joined a game-day shootaround. He ran the floor with a pair of teammates in a three-man weave. "It has been a long journey and I have learned patience over the last two years," Andersen said. "I'm not here to step on anybody's toes. I'm here to make players better. I know I'm not going to come in and play a lot of minutes. I wasn't expecting that." He then glanced over at Hornets coach Byron Scott and said, "I love B-Scott. It's good to be playing for him again. ... I'm just really glad to be here." Scott had fond words for his returning 6-foot-10 reserve, although he was unsure how long he would wait before playing Andersen. His first chance is Wednesday night, when the Hornets play host to Atlanta. "It's no secret that Bird was one of my favorites because of his athleticism, his joy for the game, his enthusiasm. He was terrific on the court as well as off the court," Scott said. "Being out of the league for a couple of seasons -- sometimes, when that happens, guys don't fight enough to get back and I'm very proud of Bird that he was able to get back to this level."
However, Scott later said Andersen would have to earn the trust of his teammates and prove himself in practice before he plays again. "I'm trying to win basketball games. That's the bottom line," Scott said. "I'm not putting guys out there for sympathy, ticket sales ... When it comes playoff time, the guys that are playing the best and the guys I feel most comfortable with are the guys who'll be on the roster." Neither the NBA nor the players' union is allowed to comment on the specifics of a drug test, but according to the collective bargaining agreement, a player can only be disqualified for a fourth positive test for performance-enhancing drugs, or a first positive test for "drugs of abuse."Andersen has not previously been suspended for testing positive for performance-enhancing drugs. The drugs on the "drugs of abuse" list are amphetamine and its analogs, which include methamphetamine; cocaine; LSD; opiates, including heroin, codeine and morphine; and PCP. Andersen was a fan-favorite in New Orleans during the Hornets' last season here before Hurricane Katrina displaced the club to Oklahoma City for two seasons. He averaged 5.1 points, 4.8 rebounds and 1.3 blocks during a little more than four seasons in the NBA before becoming the first player thrown out for drugs since Stanley Roberts in 1999. He played three seasons in Denver before joining New Orleans for the 2004-05 season. During his suspension, Andersen said he worked out constantly with a trainer in Denver or Las Vegas, often spending six hours or more in the gym. He had a twinkle in his eye as he tried to explain what had changed about him -- and what had not -- during his road back to pro basketball. "I'm still crazy. I'm still going to do the wild things on the court and everything," Andersen said, adding he was smarter and more mature in handling personal matters. "You tend to grow up a lot in a situation like that over the past two years."
Even though Washington Wizards guard Gilbert Arenas participated in his first practice in 3
He wants to be a franchise player. He wants to be paid accordingly. But he walked away from a $57 million contract extension. And his team is 28-33.
And that has observers all around the NBA wondering exactly where that leaves the 76ers' Andre Iguodala as he approaches restricted free agency this summer.
The Sixers also might hold a trump card, because they are likely to have more space (about $10 million) under the salary cap than any other team in the league; should they choose to pay luxury tax they could conceivably use their space elsewhere, then re-sign him. Iguodala also has the option of signing a 1-year tender and becoming unrestricted after next season.
Nenad Krstic, who continues to struggle since returning from reconstructive knee surgery, is more concerned with getting his game back than getting a new contract this summer.
"I like it here," he said. "I like New Jersey. I like the people. But I don't need to think about it right now. I need to play. I don't need more pressure."
Without extensions, Robinson and Lee would become restricted free agents in the summer of 2009 and unrestricted free agents in 2010.
Under N.B.A. rules, the extensions can span up to five years, with a starting salary of up to about $13 million. Lee and Robinson will probably command less. But their starting salaries will surely exceed the league average (about $5.3 million), and their new contracts could be worth tens of millions.
By N.B.A. standards, Lee and Robinson have earned modest salaries under the league
Rockets guard Steve Francis, on crutches, returned to the Rockets' practice on Tuesday for the first time since his surgery a week earlier to repair a torn quadriceps tendon in his right knee.
"I'm just relaxing, going to rehab," Francis said. "We're looking at probably three to four months of rehab, probably get to running in July or August."
Francis has an option on his contract to return to the Rockets next season, an option he has said he plans to exercise.
The news wasn't all bad for Wright on Tuesday.
Wright, who will become a restricted free agent after the season, will be tendered a qualifying offer by June 30, Riley said. The qualifying offer of $2.4 million would allow the Heat to match any deal given to Wright by another team.
Riley said it would be a "foolish option" to let the fourth-year player go. The 22-year-old Wright, the Heat's first-round pick in the 2004 NBA Draft, started 33 games this season and averaged 7.9 points and five rebounds.
After wearing out his welcome in Utah and gathering dust in Philadelphia, Giricek officially joined the Suns today, signing a one-year contract for the veteran
Veteran point guard Tyronn Lue cleared waivers Tuesday and signed a one-year deal for a prorated portion of the veteran's minimum.
Traded from Atlanta to Sacramento and then waived by the Kings, Lue will serve as Jason Kidd's backup. The Mavs had been using a combination of Devean George and Jason Terry.
Lue should be in uniform and available to play Thursday against Houston.
Two weeks have passed since Keith Van Horn came out of semi-retirement to sign a $4.3 million guaranteed contract with the Mavericks before being traded to the Nets as part of the Kidd deal. And while Van Horn has yet to be seen with the Nets, team president Rod Thorn said the forward has been working out at the facility on his own.
"We're trying to get him in condition, seeing if he can get in shape," said Thorn.
NBA spokesman Tim Frank denied reports that the league has put a time requirement on Van Horn's stay with the team. "The Nets have confirmed to us that he is working out under the direction of the team to get himself in playing shape," Frank said.
Nuggets coach George Karl said Tuesday he was unaware his lawyer, Bret Adams, had sent an e-mail to the Web site FireGeorge Karl.com threatening possible legal action.
Adams said the e-mail was sent to "defend" his client, but no legal action is now being considered.
In the Feb. 26 e-mail, posted on the site and sent to creator Andrew Feinstein, Adams wrote:"Is your life really this boring and meaningless that you would spend the hours necessary to create such a website? As Coach Karl's counsel I am putting you on notice that I will sue you into bankruptcy should you cross the boundaries of permissible speech."
Chris Webber is going to sit out this trip.
The center/forward will stay in Atlanta to have his left knee examined, skipping the Warriors' games at Charlotte, Miami and Orlando. He did not attend the Warriors' 135-118 victory over the Atlanta Hawks on Tuesday.
Webber had an MRI exam Monday. He hurt the knee Friday against Philadelphia when he "came down on it wrong." He tried to play through the pain Sunday against Portland but left the game after playing just eight minutes.
Robert Swift underwent successful surgery to repair a torn right meniscus and he will be re-examined next week and begin rehabilitation in 10 days. He is expected to miss the season.
Canadian national basketball team head coach Leo Rautins was well aware of the interest the Los Angeles Clippers' big man Chris Kaman is showing to play for Germany this summer. But is he worried? No.
"Sometimes you add too many NBA guys to a national team, it can just mess things up," Rautins, also a Raptors broadcaster, said.
Kaman apparently has great-grandparents who are German. Following recent conversations with Dirk Nowitzki of the Dallas Mavericks, Kaman is looking into getting a German passport. Germany is one of the teams Canada would face if both teams make it to the semi-final round of the Olympic qualifier this summer in Greece.
Oklahoma City voters approved a sales tax extension Tuesday to fund $121.6 million in improvements to a downtown arena and build a practice facility in hopes of luring an NBA team. The proposal received support from 44,849 voters, or 62 percent of those who cast ballots, according to final results from the Oklahoma County Election Board.
The plan calls for a one-penny sales tax to be extended by 15 months to pay for $97 million in upgrades to the Ford Center and another $24.6 million for a brand new NBA practice facility. "I think we're really set up to get an NBA team. I know people want to know which one and when, and I don't have the answer to those questions," Mayor Mick Cornett said. "There's a process to this, and that process is going to play out. You can't circumvent the process. We have to be patient and see what happens."
The Seattle SuperSonics, owned by Oklahoma City businessman Clay Bennett, are seeking to relocate to the city. NBA owners will vote on the relocation request next month, but the SuperSonics owners' effort to break their lease in Seattle is still pending in federal court. "We will not let you down. We know we have some work to do and we'll get to it starting first thing tomorrow morning," Cornett said.