Vin Baker spent two days in Miami last week meeting with Heat president Pat Riley to discuss a possible contract offer, according to an ESPN.com report citing NBA sources.

Aaron Goodwin, Baker's agent, was quoted in the report as saying he expected his client to sign with a team ``by Tuesday at the latest.''

On Sunday, Vin Baker's agent, Aaron Goodwin, said that his client should be signed by the end of the week and that the Knicks have a good shot at landing him.

"The Knicks have a great chance," Aaron Goodwin said before the Knicks lost to the Cavs. "It's a great organization and they have number of people who are sensitive to the issues that Vin has gone through. They are also a playoff team and those are the categories we're looking for."

However, because of his grievance against the Celtics for terminating his contract with the Players Association, there might be a hold up but executive director Billy Hunter said on Sunday that Baker should be cleared to sign with another within the next 48 hours.

"We just want to make sure it doesn't negatively impact his arbitration," Hunter said. "We hope to resolve that within the next day or so.

Detroit, Indiana, and Miami are also rumored to be interested in Baker's services.

MIAMI (AP) Miami Heat forward Caron Butler remained hospitalized Wednesday with back spasms and a bruised buttocks after falling to the court against the Los Angeles Lakers.

Butler was fouled hard under the basket Tuesday night by the Lakers' Kareem Rush early in the third quarter. He remained in the game for four more minutes before leaving for good.

Butler was taken to the hospital afterward, and he is expected to be released Thursday. His status is day to day.

MIAMI (AP) Rookie guard Dwyane Wade did not practice with the Miami Heat on Tuesday because of a sprained left ankle.

Wade was listed as day-to-day, and may be able to play Wednesday at New Jersey. He suffered the injury with 2:22 left in the fourth quarter of Monday's overtime loss to Detroit.

Wade missed 13 games last month with a sprained wrist. Wade is Miami's third-leading scorer, averaging 15.9 points per game.

Center Brian Grant will not play against the Nets, the team said. Grant, who has missed four games because of knee tendinitis, did not practice Tuesday because of flu-like symptoms and was not expected to travel with the team to New Jersey.