NBA Again: Cassell dislikes contract

The Timberwolves' million-dollar man wants a contract extension.
ASSOCIATED PRESS
Two things are certain in life: The sun will rise in the East, and Sam Cassell will be unhappy with his contract.
Training camps opened Tuesday around the NBA, but Cassell declined to grace the Minnesota Timberwolves with his presence. Due to make $5.65 million this season and $6.1 million next season, Cassell -- who also complained about his contract when he played in New Jersey and Milwaukee -- is upset that he did not receive an extension.
"He's not totally unhappy, he just feels it's time for him to look out for his interests," said Charles Tucker, Cassell's agent. "Does he want to be there? Yes."
Scottie Pippen wanted to take part in another training camp, but the rigors of a 17-season NBA career have left his body too worn out to go through another 82-game season.
Standing in front of the six NBA championship trophies he helped the Chicago Bulls win, Pippen announced his retirement. The Bulls will retire his uniform No. 33.
"I got all the basketball out of me I possibly could," Pippen said.
Mourning eyes comeback
Alonzo Mourning is trying to coax some more basketball out of his body to become the second player to make a comeback after a kidney transplant.
He lifted weights, shot around and did stretching exercises on the New Jersey Nets' first day of training camp but did not participate in contact drills, saying he'd bide his time.
"I'm not going to get it all back in one week," Mourning said. "I've got to read my body, and I've got to be smart about this. I want to live another 50 years, that's the most important thing here."
Washington Wizards forward Kwame Brown said the broken foot he suffered in a summer pickup game will likely keep him on the sideline a month into the regular season.
O'Neal without brace
On the other end of the health ledger, Indiana's Jermaine O'Neal practiced without a back brace for the first time in three years
"His body needed that opportunity to take a breather," Pacers coach Rick Carlisle said of O'Neal, who withdrew from the U.S. Olympic team to rest his back and knee.
"Jermaine's situation is unusual because he's one guy that needed to have a lighter workload in the summer after three years of rigorous international play. This is a new beginning for him."
As it is for Kobe Bryant, who worked to uphold his new leadership image with the Los Angeles Lakers by staying on the court long after his teammates had retreated to the sideline to shoot jumpers, free throws and run sprints.
"It's fun kind of setting the bar for how hard we work and the intensity level of practice and things like that, competitiveness," Bryant said.
Bryant was in a good mood, but seemed to tense up for a moment after being asked if he missed seeing Shaquille O'Neal running up and down the court.
"No, I mean, I'm sure you'll get the same answer if you ask Devean George," he said. "We just moved on. We have a new ballclub."
Faced charges
A year ago, Bryant was facing sexual assault chargers in Colorado. He showed up for camp in Honolulu a day late, out of shape and admittedly "terrified" about his future. He had to leave a day early to get to Eagle, Colo., for a court appearance.
Bryant is free to focus on basketball this fall after prosecutors dropped the case last month after the woman who accused him of rape refused to participate in the trial.
Eddie Griffin is getting a fresh start, too.
The former Houston and New Jersey forward better known for his troubles off the court agreed to terms with the Timberwolves.
"I do feel like this could be my last chance," said Griffin, the seventh overall pick in the 2001 draft.
The Denver Nuggets re-signed free agent forward Rodney White to a two-year deal Tuesday, a day after a judge allowed him to leave the nation's capital for the first time since his arrest last month on a gun charge.