NBA News

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The Atlanta Hawks signed first-round draft picks Al Horford and Acie Law to multi-year contracts Monday, clearing the way for the two to play in the summer league this month in Salt Lake City.

The signings came only hours before the first workout at the team's camp for rookies and free agents.

Horford, the No. 3 pick in the first round, will earn $3.121 million as a rookie and $3.35 million in his second year. The first two years are guaranteed, and the Hawks have options for the third and fourth seasons.

Horford, a three-year starter at Florida, is expected to play forward and center for the Hawks.

Law, the No. 11 pick, is guaranteed salaries of $1.605 million as a rookie and $1.726 million is his second year.

Law is expected to compete for a starting job at point guard. Law averaged 18.1 points for Texas A&M as a senior.

The players will join other rookies and second-year players in the Rocky Mountain Revue, the annual summer league that begins on Friday and continues through July 20.

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A federal jury awarded $260,000 on Monday to one of two men who sued NBA star Allen Iverson after they said they were beaten by his entourage at a Washington nightclub in 2005.

The jury's decision against Iverson and his bodyguard, Jason Kane, covers bar patron Marlin Godfrey's medical bills and pain and suffering. But the jury chose not to award punitive damages, which could have significantly raised the damage award.

Godfrey and another patron, David Anthony Kittrell, sued the Denver Nuggets guard for $20 million, saying they were beaten by his entourage in July 2005. The attacks, they said, followed their refusal to vacate the Eyebar club's VIP section for Iverson.

Iverson testified last week that he didn't see the fight, and was whisked out of the club before the brawl became serious. He said the two men suing him were merely trying to cash in on his fame and fortune. Iverson's 90-minute testimony was the only court appearance he made during the case.

The nine-member jury in U.S. District Court deliberated for about 13 hours over three days before reaching its verdict.

The jury found that Kane was liable for assault and battery of Godfrey, who was awarded $250,000 for pain and suffering and $10,000 for his medical bills. Iverson was found negligent for failing to supervise Kane. The jury did not find either of the men liable for assaulting Kittrell.

Attorneys for Iverson and Kane said they were disappointed and planned an appeal. Iverson lawyer Alan Milstein also said the NBA player's absence from the trial was not a reflection of his opinion of the court case, an argument frequently made by the plaintiffs.

"Mr. Iverson was here every day through me," Milstein said. "He has defended himself vigorously and he continues to defend himself vigorously."

NBA spokesman Tim Frank and Nuggets spokesman Eric Sebastian both declined to comment.

Godfrey's lawyer, Gregory Lattimer, urged jurors Monday to award punitive damages, saying the only way to send a message to Iverson was through his wallet. Jurors were told before their deliberations that Iverson makes $23 million each year.

But Godfrey said after the verdict that he was not disappointed he was only given the award for medical costs and pain and suffering.

"For me it was never about the money," he said. "It's always been about holding them accountable."

Lattimer told jurors during the trial that when his clients declined to leave the VIP section of Washington's Eyebar on July 20, 2005, Kane and another man, Terrance Williams, delivered a "viscous, doglike beating," kicking and stomping on Godfrey.

He said Kane and Williams beat Godfrey so badly that he blacked out and suffered head injuries, damaged ear drums, and long-term psychological problems.

The lawsuit claimed Iverson was responsible for the brawl because he failed to properly supervise Kane and Williams -- but it did not claim he took part in the fight. The suit also accused Kane of assault and battery for allegedly beating Godfrey with items that included a bottle.

Jury foreman Dave Peterson said "there was no question" that Iverson was negligent in failing to control Kane that night. And he said Iverson's presence in the courtroom and involvement in the case did not sway jurors.

"The fact he was a superstar was really not something we could consider as a factor," he said.

Williams was not working for Iverson that night and was not included in the lawsuit, but Godfrey and Kittrell tried to prove that he has been a de facto security guard for Iverson in the past.

They showed jurors an excerpt of the MTV practical joke show "Punk'd" in which Williams is seen handling security duties during a setup of Iverson. Williams said he was merely hamming up for the camera. The jury agreed, ruling that Williams was not working for Iverson the night of the brawl.

Kane denied taking part in the fight, saying he left with Iverson as trouble brewed. Kane was not present for Monday's verdict.

Iverson faces another lawsuit for another nightclub fight involving his security in Hampton, Va. That happened less than two weeks before the Washington fight.

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Kevin Durant showed again he isn't afraid to shoot as he starts his professional career with the Seattle Supersonics. The shots, however, continue to be off target.

The second pick in last month's draft was 4-for-19 from the field and scored 18 points Monday night in the Sonics' 87-74 loss to the New York Knicks in the NBA's Las Vegas summer league.

"I just wasn't in the game tonight," Durant said. "As the game went on, we got a little better, and that is the important thing."

On Friday night, the 6-foot-9 Durant was 5-for-17 from the field in a 77-66 loss to the Dallas Mavericks.

The 215-pound forward struggled with New York's physical play Monday, finishing with one rebound and no assists in 34 minutes.

"It is what it is," he said. "I've made some good passes, but we've just missed shots. I can't do anything about that."

Durant was 2-for-11 from the field in the first half and he missed his first four shots in the second half before hitting a short jumper with 9:25 to play. He finished with 11 points in the fourth quarter, including a 3-pointer in the final minute and six straight free throws.

"The game is quicker and everyone is good," said Durant, who swept the national player of the year awards in his one season at Texas. "You have to play hard every night.

"I'm still getting the ball where I want it in the post. I just need to execute."

[abadani69]

A federal jury awarded $260,000 on Monday to one of two men who sued NBA star Allen Iverson after they said they were beaten by his entourage at a Washington nightclub in 2005.

The jury's decision against Iverson and his bodyguard, Jason Kane, covers bar patron Marlin Godfrey's medical bills and pain and suffering. But the jury chose not to award punitive damages, which could have significantly raised the damage award.

Godfrey and another patron, David Anthony Kittrell, sued the Denver Nuggets guard for $20 million, saying they were beaten by his entourage in July 2005. The attacks, they said, followed their refusal to vacate the Eyebar club's VIP section for Iverson.

Iverson testified last week that he didn't see the fight, and was whisked out of the club before the brawl became serious. He said the two men suing him were merely trying to cash in on his fame and fortune. Iverson's 90-minute testimony was the only court appearance he made during the case.

The nine-member jury in U.S. District Court deliberated for about 13 hours over three days before reaching its verdict.

The jury found that Kane was liable for assault and battery of Godfrey, who was awarded $250,000 for pain and suffering and $10,000 for his medical bills. Iverson was found negligent for failing to supervise Kane. The jury did not find either of the men liable for assaulting Kittrell.

Attorneys for Iverson and Kane said they were disappointed and planned an appeal. Iverson lawyer Alan Milstein also said the NBA player's absence from the trial was not a reflection of his opinion of the court case, an argument frequently made by the plaintiffs.

"Mr. Iverson was here every day through me," Milstein said. "He has defended himself vigorously and he continues to defend himself vigorously."

NBA spokesman Tim Frank and Nuggets spokesman Eric Sebastian both declined to comment.

Godfrey's lawyer, Gregory Lattimer, urged jurors Monday to award punitive damages, saying the only way to send a message to Iverson was through his wallet. Jurors were told before their deliberations that Iverson makes $23 million each year.

But Godfrey said after the verdict that he was not disappointed he was only given the award for medical costs and pain and suffering.

"For me it was never about the money," he said. "It's always been about holding them accountable."

Lattimer told jurors during the trial that when his clients declined to leave the VIP section of Washington's Eyebar on July 20, 2005, Kane and another man, Terrance Williams, delivered a "viscous, doglike beating," kicking and stomping on Godfrey.

He said Kane and Williams beat Godfrey so badly that he blacked out and suffered head injuries, damaged ear drums, and long-term psychological problems.

The lawsuit claimed Iverson was responsible for the brawl because he failed to properly supervise Kane and Williams -- but it did not claim he took part in the fight. The suit also accused Kane of assault and battery for allegedly beating Godfrey with items that included a bottle.

Jury foreman Dave Peterson said "there was no question" that Iverson was negligent in failing to control Kane that night. And he said Iverson's presence in the courtroom and involvement in the case did not sway jurors.

"The fact he was a superstar was really not something we could consider as a factor," he said.

Williams was not working for Iverson that night and was not included in the lawsuit, but Godfrey and Kittrell tried to prove that he has been a de facto security guard for Iverson in the past.

They showed jurors an excerpt of the MTV practical joke show "Punk'd" in which Williams is seen handling security duties during a setup of Iverson. Williams said he was merely hamming up for the camera. The jury agreed, ruling that Williams was not working for Iverson the night of the brawl.

Kane denied taking part in the fight, saying he left with Iverson as trouble brewed. Kane was not present for Monday's verdict.

Iverson faces another lawsuit for another nightclub fight involving his security in Hampton, Va. That happened less than two weeks before the Washington fight.

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Robert Hite is wearing a New Jersey Nets jersey this week for summer league play, with hopes that some NBA club will offer a second chance he insists is deserved.

And if that team is the Miami Heat, well, the second-year guard will be absolutely thrilled.

"If they want me back," Hite said, "I'll definitely come back."

The way Hite sees it, he should have never left South Florida in the first place.

The former University of Miami standout seemed a longshot to make the Heat's regular-season roster when the then-reigning NBA champions invited him to training camp a year ago. But Hite earned a spot, played in 12 games over the season's first 2 1/2 months and rewarded the Heat when given significant playing time, averaging 11.7 points in the three games in which he played at least 20 minutes.

His stint ended without warning -- and, as Hite says, without cause.

Hite was arrested on a drunken-driving charge in Miami Beach around 4 a.m. on Jan. 21, held in jail for eight hours and wound up missing the Heat's afternoon game that day with the Dallas Mavericks. Heat coach Pat Riley sent him home the next day so he could "get his personal issues in order," and wound up cutting him two weeks later so the team could use his roster spot -- and locker -- on veteran Eddie Jones.

One small problem: Hite wasn't drunk that fateful night.

The charge was later dropped when blood-alcohol tests showed him to be well within legal limits, but Hite believes his name still carries the smear of that arrest. Hite, who is considering filing suit against the Miami Beach Police Department, wound up finishing the season in Sioux Falls of the NBA Development League, yet knows that this week's summer league affords him a great chance of returning to the top level.

"I've been over it," Hite said. "It happens. ... We'll see where the lawsuit goes. But right now, I'm just trying to play basketball."

Hite and Riley crossed paths Monday when summer league began at the Orlando Magic's workout complex in Central Florida. If there ever was any animosity between the player and the man who cut him from the Heat midway through last season, it was erased in the handshake and embrace they shared at courtside.

"Good to see you. Do a good job," Riley whispered into the guard's ear.

"No hard feelings at all," Hite said after the quick greeting ended. "It's the business of the NBA. They felt like they did what they needed to do."

Even if Hite hadn't been arrested, he would hardly have been assured of finishing last season in Miami. The Heat were going to sign Jones once he was released from Memphis regardless, and all signs pointed to Riley releasing one of the two rookie guards he carried at the start of last season, either Hite or Chris Quinn.

Riley has, though, acknowledged that the decision to keep Hite away from the team after the arrest was wrong. "I should have waited a little longer before I sent him home," Riley said in April.

Maybe, just maybe, the Heat will now see fit to bring Hite back. Of course, there'll be other suitors for him as well.

Hite has gone 7-for-9 from 3-point range in New Jersey's first two summer league games, averaging 14.5 points after the Nets lost to Orlando 85-74 on Monday night and beat Miami's summer squad 73-65 on Tuesday.

"He can make shots," Nets coach Lawrence Frank said. "He's a good athlete, got really good balance. There's a niche for guys like him ... guys who size-wise are a little bit deficient, but they're able to score and score in bunches and make open shots."

Hite said he's enjoyed his time with the Nets, and says he isn't ruling any team out if he has multiple offers from clubs before training camps start in October.

"My agent thought it was a good situation," Hite said. "They had room on their roster and they're trying to make some moves, so it felt like it was a good situation for me to have an opportunity to play and showcase my talent, maybe make a roster. And we knew Miami was here too and I'd get a good look, so that's what we decided to go with."

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Miami coach Pat Riley expressed relief Tuesday over the news that Heat forward Antoine Walker was not injured during a robbery at the player's suburban Chicago home.

Walker and one of his relatives were bound at gunpoint while multiple robbers took a car, cash and jewelry from the three-time All-Star's offseason residence Monday night.

Walker -- a Chicago native -- was shaken up, but not physically injured, said agent Mark Bartelstein.

"I've talked to Mark. Have not been able to get through to Antoine yet, but he's OK," Riley said Tuesday after watching the Heat's summer-league team play. "It's what it is. It had to be a terrifying ordeal for him. Until I speak with him, I don't have any knowledge other than what I've heard from other people."

The vehicle taken in the robbery was found, abandoned, in Chicago on Tuesday morning.

Police have not announced any arrests in the case.

In July 2000, Walker -- then a Boston Celtic -- was the victim of an armed robbery along with NBA center Nazr Mohammed as they sat in a vehicle waiting for a restaurant on Chicago's South Side to open. Police said at the time that three men approached and demanded cash and valuables, which included a $55,000 wristwatch.

Walker averaged 8.5 points with Miami this past season and was a key part of the Heat's run to the NBA championship the year before.

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The Minnesota Timberwolves signed first-round draft pick Corey Brewer on Tuesday.

The 6-foot-9 swingman from Florida was the seventh overall pick in last month's draft. He got a two-year deal worth $4.4 million with team options for two more years.

"We're really happy to bring a player and person of Corey's caliber into our franchise," vice president of basketball operations Kevin McHale said in a statement. "He brings a lot to our team both defensively and offensively and will be a great fit with the talented young players on our roster."

Brewer has accompanied the Timberwolves' summer league team to Las Vegas, along with former Florida teammate and Wolves second-round pick Chris Richard. Brewer, considered a defensive stopper, had 16 points and eight rebounds in his debut on Monday night against New Orleans.

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Los Angeles Lakers owner Jerry Buss pleaded not guilty Tuesday to two misdemeanor counts of driving under the influence.

Buss, 74, was stopped May 29 after he was seen driving his car on the wrong side of the road in an unincorporated section of Carlsbad, according to the California Highway Patrol.

According to a criminal complaint filed by the district attorney's office, Buss was under the influence of an unspecified drug but refused to take a chemical test. He was arrested after failing a field sobriety test.

Buss was charged with one count each of driving under the influence of alcohol and drugs and driving with a blood-alcohol level of .08 percent or greater.

Buss, who was not required to be in court, entered his plea through attorney David Manning Chodos.

Chodos declined to comment after the hearing.

Buss has previously said he only drove a short distance, but acknowledged that he was wrong to do it.

Buss was near a home he owns in north San Diego County when he was stopped.

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Top draft pick Greg Oden needs to have his tonsils removed and is expected to miss the rest of the Portland Trail Blazers' summer league games.

After he tapes the ESPY awards in Los Angeles, he will undergo a tonsillectomy Saturday, at the Vancouver Clinic in nearby Vancouver, Wash., the team said.

Recovery time is expected to be two to three weeks.

"Greg felt that this was the right decision to make in the interests of his health, and we support that decision 100 percent," Trail Blazers general manager Kevin Pritchard said. "The sooner he gets the procedure done, the sooner he can get back on the court at full strength."

Oden, a 7-foot center who played one season at Ohio State, was the No. 1 pick in the NBA draft.

In his summer league debut, Oden scored six points and had two rebounds before leaving with 10 fouls, the maximum allowed in the summer league. The Blazers lost 74-66 to the Boston Celtics.

In his second game against Dallas, a fatigued Oden finished with 13 points, five rebounds and nine fouls. The Mavericks won 72-68.

Oden will miss Sunday's matchup with Seattle that would have pitted him against No. 2 pick Kevin Durant.

"They'll make more money during the regular season," Oden jokingly said earlier this week.

Oden will also miss the U.S. Senior National Team's camp July 20-22 in Las Vegas.

[Rasputin]

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The Memphis Grizzlies signed free agent guard-forward Casey Jacobsen on Tuesday, marking his return to the NBA after playing two seasons in Europe.

Jacobsen spent last season in Germany with the Brose Baskets, who won the 2007 German Basketball Championship. He was named MVP of the finals.


He spent the 2005-06 season with TAU Victoria of the Spanish ACB League, before joining the Rockets last preseason, when he averaged 1.5 points and 1.8 rebounds in four games.

"We are pleased that Casey is coming to resume his NBA career in Memphis," general manager Chris Wallace said in a statement. "Casey brings much needed outside shooting to the team. He also provides size in the backcourt."

Jacobsen averaged 5.9 points, 1.9 rebounds, 1.2 assists and 20.4 minutes in 234 games played with Phoenix and New Orleans in his three years in the NBA.

He was first drafted by Phoenix before the 2003-04 season, when he ranked ninth in the NBA in 3-point percentage (75-180, .417).

At Stanford, he ranks third on the school's career scoring list with 1,723 points.

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Free agent guard Morris Peterson signed a four-year contract with the New Orleans Hornets on Monday after playing the first seven seasons of his NBA career with Toronto.

"I'm excited about getting a fresh start in New Orleans," Peterson told The Associated Press. "It's an opportunity to make history and be a part of a franchise on the rise. They faced a lot of adversity the last two years, and didn't complain."


"Coach (Byron) Scott is a guy who knows the game and has had success as a player and coach. He understands guys and has won championships on this level."

Peterson said the Hornets were the first team to call him when the free agency period began July 1. He traveled to Salt Lake City to meet with the Jazz two weeks ago and said Cleveland, New Jersey, Detroit, Miami and Toronto also showed interest.

The 6-foot-7, 220-pound Peterson, who can play shooting guard or small forward, has career averages of 12 points along with about four rebounds, two assists and a steal.

His production and playing time fell last season -- averaging 8.9 points and 21.4 minutes -- one season after career highs in scoring (16., rebounding (4.6), steals (1.3) and minutes (3 a game.

"Morris was our top free agent target this summer, so this is an exciting day for the team and our fans," Hornets general manager Jeff Bower said in a statement. "He is a reliable veteran scorer who can stretch the defense with his 3-point range, which is exactly the role we were looking to fill."

After helping Michigan State win the 2000 national championship, Toronto drafted Peterson 21st overall. He averaged 14 points in his second and third NBA seasons and 12 1/2 in his fourth season.

New Orleans signed Peterson to a $15 million, three-year offer sheet in 2004 when he was a restricted free agent, but the Raptors retained him by matching the deal.

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Lawrence Frank signed a multiyear contract extension on Monday with the New Jersey Nets, who have advanced to the playoffs each of the four seasons he has coached the team.

New Jersey finished 41-41 last season, but lost in the second round to the Cleveland Cavaliers, the eventual conference champions. Frank, the NBA's youngest coach at age 36, has never gotten the Nets beyond the second round.

"My concern has always been to live for the moment," Frank said. "I just do my job and eventually I'll get evaluated properly. I don't worry about things I can't control."

With the re-signing of All-Star guard Vince Carter, and returning stars Jason Kidd and Richard Jefferson, Frank will have a familiar nucleus for the upcoming season.

"Four days after the season was over, we had guys back in the gym, getting ready," Frank said. "The drive is there. The chemistry is there. We're not satisfied how we ended. We all want more."

Frank has been head coach since midway through the 2003-04 season. His record of 157-129 (.549) makes him the franchise's winningest coach. His playoff record is 18-20 (.474).

"Lawrence has done an outstanding job, and we feel confident that he will continue to provide the leadership so invaluable to the success of our team in the future," Nets president Rod Thorn said.

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New Orleans Hornets owner George Shinn has agreed to sell 25 percent of his NBA franchise to a family-owned investor group led by south Louisiana businessman Gary Chouest.

Shinn introduced Chouest, owner of a Galliano, La.-based offshore supply company, at a dinner hosted by the team Tuesday night. And Shinn hailed his new partner's involvement as proof that the Hornets were serious about becoming a long-term fixture in this recovering city.

"I need somebody that has roots here, that has a business here, that has connections here, that's going to fight for it the same way I do, that's going to help me sell tickets," Shinn said of his new minority partner. "He's got a skin in the game now. He's going to do it. That's what we need to make this thing work. It's not just money."

The new owner is a group called Slam Dunk, owned by Chouest and his family. Chouest and his sons played basketball in their youth and remain passionate about the game. Chouest has been a season-ticket holder, sitting near courtside, since the Hornets moved to New Orleans from Charlotte in 2002.

Chouest said that while he is confident he will get a decent return on his investment, he said he wanted to give something back to the state that helped his company, Edison Chouest Offshore, become one of the most successful businesses of its kind.

"I want to do something for our community, for our area, for our city, for south Louisiana," Chouest said. "It's up to the people who sort of live off the land to invest in it, where we have something here that's going to be a magnet to attract other large businesses and keep them here. I think any large city without professional sports teams are extremely limited in attracting industry and attracting and holding large companies.

"I know the Hornets organization will be successful in New Orleans, and I can't wait until that first game and tip-off."

Edison Chouest Offshore's boats and barges ferry supplies and people to offshore oil and gas rigs and platforms.

Shinn has been seeking investors to reduce a large debt from buying out former minority partner Ray Wooldridge in January 2005.

According to recent surveys by Forbes magazine, the Hornets are worth around $248 million, meaning a one-quarter share would run around $62 million.

Shinn and Chouest declined to discuss the precise figure of their deal, which Shinn said technically was still a "handshake agreement" until a small amount of legal work is ironed out.

Shinn said he has kept NBA officials up to date on his negotiations with Chouest and that the league gave the go-ahead for the pair to make their new partnership public.

The Hornets are returning this fall to New Orleans for a full 41-game home schedule for the first time since being displaced to Oklahoma City by Hurricane Katrina in August 2005. The Hornets have played only nine regular-season games in New Orleans since the storm.

The Hornets' lease at the New Orleans Arena runs through 2012, and Shinn has said he would like to extend it if fan support is strong and if the state fulfills its promise to build the team a new training headquarters.

The state's bond commission is expected later this year to review a request from the state Legislature and governor's office to supply up to $18 million to build a training facility that would be attached to the arena.

The City of New Orleans already has about $6 million set aside for the project as part of the agreement that brought the Hornets to New Orleans.

During the 2004-05 season, the Hornets' were last in the NBA in attendance, but also were among the worst teams in the league then, winning only 18 games.

Next season, the Hornets are expected to be a playoff contender and have new corporate sponsors, including Cadbury Schweppes Americas Beverages and Capital One Financial Corp., which have made several-year, multimillion dollar commitments in support of the franchise's return to the rebuilding Gulf Coast.

Shinn said he also is continuing to negotiate with several other Louisiana-based business owners who are interested in each buying about 5 percent shares of the team. However, Shinn said he intended to retain at least a 51 percent controlling stake in the team and probably more than that.

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Mo Williams chose Brew City over Pat Riley and South Beach on Tuesday, signing a six-year, $51.5 million contract to remain with the Milwaukee Bucks.

It's another step forward for the Bucks, who held on to their starting point guard one day after reeling in free agent small forward Desmond Mason. These moves helped soften several weeks' worth of discouraging words coming from handlers of Chinese basketball star Yi Jianlian, who was drafted by the Bucks at No. 6 but hasn't yet shown any willingness to sign.

As far as Williams is concerned, Milwaukee is the place to be.

"The thought of it kind of warms your heart up, knowing that you're at a place that loves you on and off the court," Williams said.

Williams' heartwarming experience came at the expense of the Miami Heat, who put on a full-court press to woo Williams by flying him to Miami earlier this month to have dinner with Riley.

Bucks general manager Larry Harris knew Williams was the second-most-coveted point guard on the market after the Pistons' Chauncey Billups. Harris figured the Heat and perhaps the Cleveland Cavaliers would make strong runs at Williams, leading to a lot of sleepless nights.

"I thought that when he went to Miami, it would be a one-way ticket," Harris said. "And that was the thing that concerned me, because I know that Pat can sell it."

Harris joked that it'd be hard for anybody to resist Riley's personality.

"Oh, you're motivated when you walk away from that," Harris said. "The guy makes $10,000 an appearance. He knows how to motivate."

But Williams said he didn't really want the full free-agent schmoozing experience, insisting that he always wanted to stay with the Bucks and that his trip to Miami was nothing more than a "mini-vacation."

How could he say no to Riley, Shaquille O'Neal and Dwyane Wade?

"Being here in Milwaukee is different from going to a new team," Williams said. "I mean, we all see Miami from the outside looking in and say, 'OK, they've got Pat Riley in Miami.' But people don't know, everything that looks good on the outside, everything is not peaches and cream on the other side of the field. So I felt like at the same time, I know what to expect here."

Williams' six-year contract includes player options for the final two seasons, agent Mark Bartelstein said. Despite the high-profile courting from Miami, Bartelstein said Williams always felt comfortable with Milwaukee, the Bucks and new head coach Larry Krystkowiak.

"Milwaukee's a great situation," Bartelstein said. "But when you're a free agent, you owe it to yourself to see what's out there."

The Bucks limped to a 28-54 record last season. But the team was riddled with injuries all season and figures to be much improved if healthy.

"I know this team is going to be a good team next year," Williams said. "There wasn't a doubt."

Williams, 24, averaged career highs in points (17.3), rebounds (4. and assists (6.1) last season. He was taken by the Utah Jazz in the second round of the 2003 draft and signed with the Bucks before the 2004-05 season.

Next season, he'll be counted on to take on more of a leadership role.

"He's gotten better each year with us, but now the bar gets raised a little bit higher," Harris said. "The bar gets raised -- financially it gets raised, the expectations come with that, and he's got to be consistent every night. And that's on both ends of the floor."

Harris said Williams has vowed to improve his defense, and expects the player to become a "very acceptable" defender.

"He's too athletic and he's too quick, and he's going to take his game to another level," Harris said.

Williams said he was ready to lead.

"Basically in my mind, it's my team," Williams said. "Things don't go right, I'm the point guard. I'm the leader on the floor, an extension of the coach."

Now that he has landed Williams and Mason, Harris can turn his attention to Yi.

Bucks owner Sen. Herb Kohl has extended a formal invitation to Yi, his family and Chinese basketball officials to visit the city. And if Harris can just get Yi in town, he figures he can close the deal.

"Once I can get a player here, they'll stay," Harris said. "I really believe that."