Kukoc To Bulls: I'll Be Ready

The Bulls aren’t expected to offer Toni Kukoc a contract before training camp opens Oct. 3, but the veteran forward plans to stay ready and available in case general manager John Paxson changes his mind at a later date.

Kukoc, who resides in Highland Park, worked out at the Berto Center as recently as last week, joining Bulls players for informal pickup games.

“Absolutely, he’s not retired,” said Herb Rudoy, Kukoc’s Chicago-based agent. “Pax told him to wait it out. We’re just waiting. There’s no timetable for this at all. Right now, his plan is to stay in shape.”

Rudoy said NBA teams call constantly asking if Kukoc, 38, is ready for another season. But Kukoc only wants to play for the Bulls or Milwaukee in order to stay close to his family.

Via Daily Herald

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Milwaukee Signs Harris And McCray

The Milwaukee Bucks have signed Mike Harris and Chris McCray to free agent contracts, General Manager Larry Harris announced today. In accordance with club policy, terms of the contracts were not disclosed.

A 6-6, 240-lb forward, Harris played with the Chicago Bulls summer league entry in the 2006 Pepsi Pro Summer League in Orlando and spent last season in Ukraine with BC Kyiv, averaging 10.4 points and 6.5 rebounds in 29 games. He played college ball at Rice University and averaged 20.6 points in 31 games during the 2004-05 season.

McCray, a 6-5, 192-lb guard, averaged 10.7 points, 3.4 rebounds and 2.6 assists in four seasons at Maryland. He averaged a college career-best 15.2 points during his senior season last year and maintained a 51.6 percent field goal percentage.

Via NBA.com

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Kukoc Likely To Retire

Toni Kukoc had hoped to play for Milwaukee or Chicago this season and since neither team appears interested in signing him, he will likely retire.

"It looks like I'm done," Kukoc said Monday after playing in the Skip Kendall Charity Pro-Am Fore Kids at Tripoli Country Club. "There are teams that want me, but I don't want to go far from home."

Kukoc, a 6-foot-11 forward, played 13 seasons in the NBA, including six-plus years with the Bulls and the last four with the Bucks.

"My choice was either Chicago or Milwaukee," he said. "Milwaukee is going with a young team and Chicago is in need of a big guy, so that's it."

"No, not at all," he said when asked if he expects to miss the game. "I think it's time for me to move away from basketball. It was a huge part of my life and gave me pretty much everything I desired but there comes a time when you just can't take it anymore.

"I can still play 10, 15, 20 minutes, maybe, but I don't need it anymore. I always felt like I needed to play basketball. Right now, it's not my most desirable thing anymore. I'd rather play golf."

Via Journal Sentinel

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