Charges that the Chicago Bulls mascot attacked an off-duty police officer during an outdoor festival in Chicago have been dropped, Bulls officials said Wednesday.

Charges of misdemeanor battery and driving within a parkway were filed against Barry Anderson, the Benny the Bull mascot. Police said Anderson, in his bright red bull costume, threw a punch at a sheriff's deputy on July 2, knocking off his glasses and breaking his watch.

Police said the officer had tried to stop the mascot for riding a mini-motorcycle thorough the Taste of Chicago festival without a permit. When the off-duty officer, who was working security, tried to stop him, Anderson ran, police said. The officer chased and caught him.

Andres Nocioni was signed as a free agent two years ago by John Paxson and he is now in the final year of his contract.

He is ineligible to negotiate a contract extension with the Bulls, but he will be a restricted free agent next summer and the Bulls will be clear favorites to sign him.

"He is obviously a foundation piece of our team and we will work very hard to keep him here," Paxson said.

Toni Kukoc is reportedly telling friends he intends to play another year, and that his choice is between the Bulls and Bucks, with a strong leaning toward returning to his first NBA team.

The Bulls have one more guaranteed roster spot available and could decide to use it on Kukoc instead of a player deemed to be a project.

Pau Gasol had 25 points and nine rebounds and Spain used another impressive performance to beat Lithuania 89-67 Tuesday and advance to the tournament's final four for the second time.

Spain (7-0) will play Friday against Argentina, who disposed of Turkey 83-58.  Andres Nocioni led the Argentinians with 21 points, including 6-for-7 from the field, and 6 rebounds.

"The team who beats us is the team that plays really well,'' Spain coach Pepu Hernandez said. "We know we can lose if we don't do the right job and be the team we have been until this moment. They can beat us, but it will be difficult."

Antonio Davis, formerly of both the Bulls and Pacers, is interested in returning to the NBA for another season, according to Donnie Walsh.

"He's still interested," Harrington said Thursday. "He mentioned Chicago and the Pacers, but said he'd rather play here."

Davis said he doubts that he'll return, however.

Lonny Baxter's plans for a playing career in Italy could be over after the forward was sentenced to two months in jail for firearms offences.

"We haven't reached a decision on Baxter but to tell the truth we weren't expecting there to be such a serious sentence," Montepaschi Siena general manager Ferdinando Minucci told The Associated Press on Thursday. "We will be speaking with him to reach a solution."

Baxter ? who signed for the Italian team from the Charlotte Bobcats for this season ? was sentenced to two months in jail Wednesday after pleading guilty to charges of carrying a gun and firing it into the air a few blocks from the White House.

The former Toronto Raptors forward was originally scheduled to join Siena for training camp on Monday ahead of the start of the Italian league season on Oct. 8. His prison sentence will delay his arrival.

Despite the acquistion of Martynas Andriuskevicius, John Paxson said on Friday that the Bulls are still considering re-signing 7-1 center Luke Schenscher.

?We still have one roster spot open,? Paxson said. ?We?re still keeping our options open.?

Former NBA player Lonny Baxter will remain in the District of Columbia jail on felony gun charge at least until next Wednesday, in part because of a request from his attorneys.

Baxter's lawyers asked a D.C. Superior Court judge Friday to delay a bond hearing so they could challenge aspects of the city's new crime emergency legislation that presumes anyone charged with carrying a pistol without a license to be dangerous.

Richard Finci argued that Baxter's classification as a dangerous person, which can be used to deny him bail, violates his constitutional rights.

"He should not be presumed to be a dangerous person just because he had a gun in his possession," Finci said. "To extend the law to the mere possession of a firearm, without a violent crime, goes too far," he said following the hearing.

The Chicago Bulls today acquired center Martynas Andriuskevicius from the Cleveland Cavaliers in exchange for guard Eddie Basden.

Martynas Andriuskevicius, a 7-2, 240-pound center, appeared in six games with the Cavaliers during his rookie season.  He also appeared in 15 games with the Arkansas RimRockers of the NBA Development League and averaged 7.0 ppg and 4.2 rpg in 18.9 mpg.  The 20-year old native of Kaunas, Lithuania was originally selected in the second round (44th overall) of NBA Draft 2005 by Orlando.  He was then traded to Cleveland for a second-round pick and cash considerations on June 29, 2005.

?Martynas is a young big that we view as a player who needs development with his strength and skill, but has the potential to make it in this league,? said Executive Vice President of Basketball Operations John Paxson.  ?We are always looking for size and skill, and feel he is a young player that we are willing to take a strong look at.?

Charlotte Bobcats player Lonny Baxter was arrested early Wednesday after reports of shots fired from a vehicle about two blocks from the White House, a Secret Service spokesman said.

Baxter, 27, was taken into custody around 2:30 a.m. after a witness flagged down a Secret Service officer and reported shots fired from a white sport-utility vehicle, said Secret Service spokesman Eric Zahren. Officers stopped the vehicle near the intersection of 17th and I streets in Northwest Washington.

"There were spent shell casings in plane view inside the vehicle," Zahren said. Officers also recovered a handgun.

Both Baxter and another man in the vehicle, 35-year-old Irvin Martin, were charged with carrying a pistol without a license and other firearms charges.

Both men were being held by District of Columbia police.