Coachless Bucks re-sign coveted free agent Redd
The Milwaukee Bucks are putting together a talented lineup even without a head coach.
Coveted free agent Michael Redd agreed Thursday to re-sign with the Bucks and play alongside No. 1 draft pick Andrew Bogut and T.J. Ford rather than return to his home state of Ohio to serve as LeBron James’ sidekick.
Redd accepted Milwaukee’s six-year offer for between $90 million and $96 million, his agent, Kevin Poston, told The Associated Press. The Cleveland Cavaliers offered $70 million over five years, the most they could offer.
“Money is important, obviously, but there were other factors involved,” Poston said. “Michael is really comfortable in Milwaukee and the Bucks gave him a shot to make it in this league. And they obviously showed that they want to keep him around for years to come.”
The 6-foot-6 shooting guard from Ohio State averaged a career-high 23 points last season and has averaged 17.7 points since Milwaukee selected him in the second round of the 2000 draft.
Former Minnesota Timberwolves coach Flip Saunders was the presumed front-runner following Terry Porter’s firing last month, but speculation has shifted to former Atlanta Hawks coach Terry Stotts, who served on George Karl’s staff in Milwaukee and was a finalist when the Bucks job went to Porter two years ago.
Free-agent Griffin goes to jail
Free-agent forward Eddie Griffin was in jail for violating his probation, a court official said.
Griffin, on probation after pleading guilty in a 2003 assault case, was listed as a witness in a disturbance at a club in Houston on Wednesday.
It was a violation of his probation because he was “consorting with disreputable people” at a compromising time of day, state district court coordinator Virginia Cerda said.
Griffin’s attorney, Rusty Hardin, said Griffin went to a nightclub to pick up a friend and an altercation broke out.
Griffin was not involved in the altercation and was not drinking at the time, according to Hardin, and a police report that listed Griffin as a witness.
Griffin chose a 15-day sentence for the violation rather than going to a hearing that could have resulted in a harsher punishment.
Bobcats sign Felton, May
Former North Carolina teammates Raymond Felton and Sean May both signed with the Charlotte Bobcats.
The two juniors were taken in the first round of the NBA draft after helping the Tar Heels win the NCAA championship.
•First-round draft pick Ike Diogu signed with the Golden State Warriors. Diogu, a 6-8 forward and the ninth pick in last week’s NBA draft, was the Pacific-10 Conference Player of the Year last season as a junior at Arizona State.