Sonics Trade For Ellis
The Seattle SuperSonics reacquired veteran guard Dale Ellis from the Denver Nuggets, adding one of the game’s best long-range shooters to their roster.
In return for Ellis, who spent 1986-1990 in Seattle, the Nuggets received guard Greg Graham and center Steve Scheffler.
Ellis, 37, averaged 16.7 points per game last season, his 12th in the NBA. He also hit 192 3-pointers.
The NBA’s all-time leader in 3-pointers made with 1,461, Ellis has shot 39.8 percent from 3-point range in his career.
The league has moved the 3-point line to 23 feet, 9 inches, back from last year’s mark of 22 feet.
Jackson says he’s gone after this season
It’s time to move on, says Phil Jackson, who can’t foresee any circumstance that would result in him returning as coach of the Chicago Bulls after this season.
At Thursday’s media day, the story was Jackson, who almost left after last season.
“It would take wild horses to drag me back this time. This is the final year. It’s time to start something different,” he said.
Chicago signed No. 1 draft pick Keith Booth to a three-year contract.
Malone blasts owners, teammates
Karl Malone, a perennial member of the NBA’s all-interview team, was already in midseason form Thursday.
Malone ripped Jazz management and several of his teammates during media day.
“If I listen to some of the things our front office says, I’m retired and John (Stockton) is retired and Jeff (Hornacek) is retired,” Malone said. “They say Karl and John have maybe one or two years left … and that makes me real mad.”
Malone also chastised several unnamed teammates for not working hard enough during the off-season and reporting to camp out of shape.
“We’ve got guys in camp here who aren’t in shape, and that’s inexcusable,” Malone said. “To come as close as we did to winning (the NBA title) last year, and to have some of these guys not take their off-season seriously, well, that’s a disgrace.
“I’m an old man, but I’m coming into this camp in the best shape of my life. You look at some of these (players’) weights and it’s a damn shame,” Malone said.
Around the league
Minnesota’s Kevin Garnett, a day after signing a $125 million contract, was 63 minutes late for the team’s media day. … The Portland Trail Blazers have signed five free agents, including NBA veterans Sean Higgins and Alton Lister. … Sacramento’s Mitch Richmond, in a contract dispute, said he would attend the Kings’ training-camp opener.