The Timberwolves on Thursday agreed to a contract with free-agent forward Nikoloz Tskitishvili and have made offers to free-agent forwards Eddie Griffin and Mark Madsen.

Tskitishvili had 25 points and 10 rebounds last Friday in his summer league debut with the Wolves. He broke a bone in his right hand in his second game and will be out about four weeks. Terms of the contract were not disclosed.

"However they want to use me, they can use me," Tskitishvili said of his role with the Wolves during a phone interview. "I can do everything. I can be a rebounder. I can be a low post player if I work on my post moves more this summer. I can be a shooter. I'm ready for everything."

The Denver Nuggets picked Tskitishvili fifth overall in the 2002 NBA draft. He averaged three points and 11.9 minutes in his first three seasons. In February, Denver traded him to Golden State in a package that involved Eduardo Najera.

Tskitishvili, 7 feet, 225 pounds, is most well known for his shooting ability. He is only 22 years old, and the Wolves believe he has talent and potential. Rex Kalamian, who helped coach the Wolves' summer league team, spoke highly of Tskitishvili last week but said being consistent has been his biggest challenge.

"I really like all the coaches," Tskitishvili said. "It seemed like they really cared about me. I loved the way the fans were excited about me when I was playing there."

With contract talks being tough due to Eddy Curry's health problems, the Bulls could try to swing a deal with another NBA team, assuming Curry would go along with it according to SI.com. The Warriors, Grizzlies and Sonics all have long been interested in Curry.

Golden State's Troy Murphy, for example, would fill Chicago's need for a sweet-shooting big man with whom to run the pick and roll.
The Warriors, meanwhile, have rookie power forward Ike Diogu, whom they took with the No. 9 pick in last month's draft. But Diogu is probably not ready yet to step in as a full-time starter at power forward and he has already signed with the Warriors, and Murphy is a base-year compensation player, making him almost impossible to trade to a team like Chicago that is over the salary cap.

The Sonics have a restricted free agent of their own in Vladimir Radmanovic, but the Sonics might have the same health concerns about Curry as do the Bulls. Grizzlies GM Jerry West is said to be shopping Jason Williams and Bonzi Wells, but Chicago is not likely to want any part of those guys.

Warriors point guard Baron Davis has taken over what he calls a "huge" responsibility.

He wasn't talking about his role as the leader of the Warriors. He wasn't referring to carrying his team into the 2006 NBA playoffs. He's talking about taking over Magic Johnson's charity game.

At the conclusion of Magic's Celebrity & Pro All-Star Charity Basketball game, the marquee event part of "A Midsummer Night's Magic," Johnson bequeathed the entire event to the control of Davis and Boston Celtics guard Paul Pierce, a fellow Los Angeles-native.

"It's a great way to give back to the community, also bring some entertainment to the city that I grew up in," Davis said. "I have a lot of friends in L.A. and it means a lot to me to give back. Magic has given 20 years of greatness with this event. In the past 10 years, Magic has been a hands-on mentor for me, both on and off the court. For him to hand something down after 20 years, it's an honor to be considered, let alone be given that responsibility."

The Magic Johnson Foundation has yet to officially announce the move.

Former Nuggets forward Nikoloz Tskitishvili, who also was in Las Vegas on Wednesday, said six NBA teams he wouldn't name are considering him as a free agent.

"I'm going to play in the NBA (next season instead of Europe)," Tskitishvili said. "I don't care about money."

He finished the 2005 season with the Warriors, where he was used as frequently as he was in Denver.

The Golden State Warriors signed first-round pick Ike Diogu to a contract Thursday.

Diogu, the ninth pick in last week's draft, was the Pac-10 Player of the Year last season as a junior at Arizona State. He finished the season tied for fifth in the country in scoring at 22.6 points per game.

He led the Pac-10 in scoring, rebounding (9.8 rpg) and blocked shots (2.34 bpg). He also led the conference in scoring as a sophomore, becoming the first player to lead the Pac-10 in scoring in consecutive years since Stan Love did so for Oregon from 1969-71.

Diogu is participating with the Warriors summer league team in Las Vegas.

ESPN's Marc Stein is reporting that the Milwaukee Bucks requested permission Wednesday to interview Golden State Warriors assistant Terry Stotts for the Bucks' coaching vacancy.

Sources said that Stotts could interview as early as Thursday or Friday, with the Bucks still unable to get a firm commitment from leading candidate Flip Saunders.

Saunders is believed to be waiting to see what happens in Detroit. He's widely considered a prime candidate to replace Larry Brown if Brown leaves the Pistons.

Kohl, though, has apparently grown impatient waiting for Saunders, who is scheduled to earn $5.5 million from the Timberwolves next season if he doesn't coach.