The Memphis Grizzlies signed rookie free agent Kennedy Winston on Wednesday.

Winston, a 6-foot-6, 230-pound guard, averaged 16.2 points, 5.3 rebounds and 2.2 assists in 82 games at Alabama.

Winston played on the Grizzlies' 2005 Summer Pro League team, averaging 6.6 points, 2.1 rebounds and 1.0 assists in seven games.

Grizzlies president of basketball operations Jerry West announced Tuesday that the Grizzlies have signed forward Kimani Ffriend to a contract. Per team policy, terms of the deal were not released.

Ffriend (6-foot-11, 220) played for the Grizzlies 2005 Summer Pro League team, where he averaged 8.7 points, 3.6 rebounds and 1.1 blocks in seven games.

The native of Jamaica played two seasons at Nebraska (1999-01), averaging 12.9 points, 8.5 rebounds and 2.7 blocks in 58 games. He finished his Husker career ranked fourth all-time in blocks (159) and seventh in rebounding average (8.5).

According to New York Daily News writer Frank Isola, Knicks president Isiah Thomas is not giving up on Eddy Curry, proposing a deal last week that is believed to have included Michael Sweetney. The Bulls rejected the package.

If Curry is not traded by Oct. 1, he will sign a one-year, $5.1 million contract with Chicago and then become an unrestricted free agent in July.

Thomas has been trying to acquire the former lottery pick since last summer and remains interested even though in July he signed veteran center Jerome James to a six-year contract.

Eddy Curry's agent said Saturday he has found a team that is a willing buyer in a sign-and-trade for the Bulls' center. The agent, Leon Rose, declined to name the team, but sources familiar with the negotiations said it was the Knicks.

Bulls general manager John Paxson said he would not pursue the proposal, which Rose said he made about a week ago.

"Unless there's a deal out there I want to make, I'm not making it," said Paxson, clearly angered by Rose's announcement. "I'm not going to give Eddy Curry away."

Worse for Curry, a three-year offer from the Bulls appears to be off the table, leaving him with only the one-year qualifying offer of $5.14 million.

"They've already rejected it," Paxson said of the short-term contract offer.

At this point, any other contract offer is "not going to happen," Paxson said. "There are too many questions."

Those questions always come back to Curry's risky heart condition, which was diagnosed last spring.

Unless a sign-and-trade can be put together, or another team gives him an offer sheet by Oct. 1, Curry will have no choice but to accept the qualifying offer.

A source close to Curry said Paxson will not negotiate with an Eastern Conference team but has sent out feelers to Memphis and Denver, both from the Western Conference. Paxson said he has not spoken to representatives from either team.

"I don't think it's my obligation to cold-call teams," he said.

'Lorenzen Wright walked into the lobby of FedExForum, donated $10,000 to the victims of Hurricane Katrina, and addressed the one lingering question in the Grizzlies' offseason.

"I'm going to be here," he said. "I'm focused on playing now."

And all that talk of being traded?

"I met with Jerry West and he told me he didn't want to trade me," he said. "I'm here. In my mind, when the season starts, I'm the starting center." '

Earl Watson is expected to sign a five-year, $29.3 million deal with Denver as early as today, leaving the Grizzlies with nothing to show for their investment.  The Memphis Commerical Appeal, however, reports that the Grizzlies did try to get something for Watson but nothing came into fruition.

Even as of last Friday the Griz talked to Denver about receiving a first-round draft pick in a deal for Watson. The Nuggets offered only a second-round selection and wanted the Grizzlies' $4.9 million trade exception.

Barring a last-minute agreement between the teams, Watson will simply sign a contract with the Nuggets using their $5 million midlevel exception.

"If a sign-and-trade was an option I would have been gone a long time ago -- probably to Minnesota, to be honest with you," Watson said, adding that "Minnesota was the most persistent" in seeking a trade.

Griz president Jerry West declined several offers from the Timberwolves because of his disinterest in a player or a long-term, expensive contract. Boston, Utah, Orlando, the Los Angeles Lakers and Cleveland also presented options for Watson.

Watson, who declined a four-year $20 million offer from Orlando, also rejected a contract offer from Utah more than a week ago.

He scoffed at reports that his asking price was unreasonable or well beyond $6 million.

"None of that was ever true," Watson said. "All I ever wanted was something close to the midlevel or the midlevel, and to play for a team that had an upside."

After biding their time all summer, the Nuggets could be close to making their first personnel move of the off- season.

Memphis point guard Earl Watson visited Denver on Wednesday and is seriously discussing joining the Nuggets.

"We're leaning in this direction. It's something we like a lot, but nothing is finalized," Nuggets general manager Kiki Vandeweghe said.

How Watson would fit into the Nuggets' backcourt remains to be seen. Andre Miller and Earl Boykins logged most of the minutes at the point the past two seasons, though both are versatile.

Asked if all three could work together, Vandeweghe replied, "Absolutely. (Form- er head coach) Doug Moe always had three point guards, and they played a lot."

If Miller or Boykins were to shift to shooting guard more regularly, it likely means at least one of Denver's other free-agent guards would not return. The Nuggets appear close to re-signing Greg Buckner and DerMarr Johnson.