The Chicago Bulls announced today the team has signed free agent guard/forward Adrian Griffin to a contract. Per team policy, terms of the contract were not disclosed.

"We are extremely pleased to have Adrian back. We missed his presence last season and it will be great to have him on board with us again,? said Bulls Executive Vice President of Basketball Operations John Paxson. ?He played well for Dallas last season and we believe he fits the direction we are heading as a team. He is also a proven leader and competitor and will be a key component of our roster.?

John Paxson spoke at length about the personnel moves that he has made over the summer with the Daily Herald.  

"Obviously, the thing we?re going to keep our eyes and ears open for is the ability to find another big if possible," said Paxson when asked what other moves they might make before the season starts. "Maybe something comes down the pike that we can take a look at."

The Bulls ultimately won out, but Charley Walters reports that the Wolves attempted to execute a sign-and-trade deal for Ben Wallace.

No word on which pieces Minnesota were prepared to pass to the Pistons for the Defensive Player of the Year.

The Chicago Bulls announced today the team has traded guard J.R. Smith to the Denver Nuggets in exchange for Howard Eisley and two 2007 second-round draft picks from the Nuggets.  The two second-round selections are Denver?s regular second-round pick in 2007, as well as the less favorable of Golden State?s 2007 regular second-round selection and Boston?s 2007 regular second-round selection.

Eisley, a 6-2, 185-pound point guard, was selected by the Minnesota Timberwolves in the second round (30th overall) of the 1994 NBA Draft.  A 12-year veteran, he has played for eight different teams and posted averages of 6.5 ppg, 3.5 apg, 1.7 rpg and 20.4 mpg in 786 career appearances (167 starts).

J.R. Smith is expected to be traded to the Denver Nuggets today, and he will be in Denver according to the Rocky Mountain News.

The move also allows the team to match the offer sheet signed by Francisco Elson with the Spurs, although according to Mark Warkentien no decision has been made on Elson. Smith comes cheap, weighing in for just over $1 million on his rookie contract.

"Anytime you get a young talent, when you don't have a first-round pick, I look at (Smith) as like our first-round pick," Karl said.

Last week, Smith was dealt with P.J. Brown from the Hornets to the Bulls for Tyson Chandler. Smith and Brown took physicals Wednesday in Chicago. Chandler passed his Tuesday. That trade should become official today, clearing the way for Smith, who will take a physical in Denver, to join the Nuggets.

The Charlotte Bobcats signed free agent forward Othella Harrington on Wednesday.

"Othella complements our team well and is a veteran player who can serve as a mentor to our younger players in the frontcourt," said Bobcats coach Bernie Bickerstaff, who's also the team's general manager. "He brings the toughness that we have displayed in our first two seasons and he understands his role in the team concept on both ends of the floor."

Bulls free agent Darius Songaila has agreed to a five year, $21 million deal with the Washington Wizards, the Washington Post is reporting.  Songaila had previously been waiting for the Sacramento Kings to tie up loose ends with free agent Bonzi Wells to see if there was a chance he could return to the Kings.

The Wizards were interested in Songaila last summer before the 6-foot-8, 240-pounder signed a two-year contract with the Bulls, earning $2.2 million last season. However, Songaila declined to pick up the second-year option on that contract and drew interest from several teams before agreeing to terms with the Wizards yesterday.

Before signing with Chicago, Songaila played two seasons with the Kings, where he averaged 6.1 points and 3.7 rebounds while shooting 51.2 percent. Like the Wizards, the Kings ran a version of the Princeton offense and Songaila carved out a role as a good midrange shooter who flourished in the pick-and-roll game, and as a solid rebounder.

The addition of Songaila should give the Wizards some much-needed depth in the front court.

A source said Sunday the Denver Nuggets are close to acquiring J.R. Smith, an up-and-coming guard who played last season for the New Orleans/Oklahoma City Hornets, the Rocky Mountain News is reporting.

In a deal that was announced Friday, Smith was traded with forward P.J. Brown from the Hornets to the Chicago Bulls for forward Tyson Chandler. The trade is expected to become official after Brown and Smith take physicals Wednesday.

The source said the Bulls then plan to trade Smith to the Nuggets for guard Howard Eisley, who has a nonguaranteed contract, and two future second-round picks. The Bulls, who need to clear salary cap room to sign free-agent forward Adrian Griffin, then would waive Eisley.

The 6-foot-6 Smith, 20, averaged 7.7 points last season after averaging 10.3 as a rookie in 2004-05. He entered the NBA directly from St. Benedict's Prep, a high school in Newark, N.J.

The Denver Nuggets are close to trading for newly acquired Bull J.R. Smith, the Rocky Mountain News is reporting.

It is unsure how the potential deal may affect the Nuggets handling of the Francisco Elson situation.  Elson signed an offer sheet with the San Antonio Spurs and the Nuggets have until Thursday to match.

Elson, whose playing time has been erratic, hopes the Nuggets don't match the deal, which would have him receive $3 million each of the next two years.

"I don't think you can keep all those big men on one team," Elson said Friday. "That's too much big guys."

Elson spoke with Warkentien on Thursday but said Warkentien didn't speculate what might be done.

Adrian Griffin has agreed to a three-year contract with the Chicago Bulls, his agent said Sunday.  Griffin played in Chicago in the 2005/06 season before re-joining the Mavericks, where he previously played from 2001-03.

Agent Tony Dutt said the Mavericks offered a two-year deal at a competitive salary. Dutt declined to reveal financial terms of the Bulls' contract or Mavericks' offer.

"He had such a respect for Avery [Johnson] and the Mavericks organization," said Dutt, who represented Johnson during the Mavericks coach's playing career. "With that being said, players at the end of the day have to go with their gut.