The Bucks signed forward Samaki Walker to a free agent contract on Tuesday.

Terms of the deal were not disclosed.

The 31-year-old Walker, who was originally selected ninth by the Mavericks in the 1996 draft, has averaged 5.3 points and 4.7 rebounds in 445 career games.

Eight-year veteran Brian Skinner and the Suns agreed to terms Monday on a one-year veteran's minimum deal, half of which is guaranteed. If Skinner remains on the team when opening day rosters are set Oct. 29, his $1.1 million salary will be fully guaranteed.

Skinner was the best of the big man prospects the Suns considered because he can offer Phoenix rebounding and defense with enough speed to play at the Suns' pace.

Skinner is accepting of the part-time role and had Phoenix atop his wish list because he wanted to play for a title contender after missing the playoffs last season, when he had 44 starts for Milwaukee.

"This is an opportunity to be on the inside looking out," Skinner said after his Thursday workout for Phoenix.

Former Temple point guard Lynn Greer is trading one guaranteed year in the NBA for two more lucrative ones in the Euroleague.

Greer, who had one guaranteed season left with the Milwaukee Bucks, has opted to sign a two-year guaranteed deal with Greece's Olympiacos of the Eurleague.

Greer would have been paid $770,610 this season in Milwaukee. He will be making close to $7 million over the next two years in Greece, according to a source.

In his only season in Milwaukee, Greer, who turns 28 next month, averaged 4.1 points and 10.5 minutes in 41 games.

The Bucks signed forward Michael Ruffin, the team announced on Saturday.

Terms of the deal were not disclosed.

"Michael has made a career out of being a high-character, high-energy player who does the little things to help his team," Bucks GM Larry Harris said. "He is a very good rebounder and excels on the defensive end of the court."

Against his wishes, the Milwaukee Bucks moved to keep Charlie Bell on Thursday.

The Bucks confirmed they matched an offer sheet Bell signed with the Miami Heat for the restricted free-agent guard, a five-year deal worth $18.5 million.

Agent Mark Bartelstein said that Bell was absorbing what had happened and "getting his thoughts together."

"He's going to get himself prepared to have a great year with the Bucks and play his heart out, the only way he knows how to play," Bartelstein said.

The 6-foot-3 Bell had said he did not want to play for Milwaukee and instead wanted to go to Miami, which failed earlier in the offseason to sign Mo Williams away from the Bucks.

The Milwaukee Bucks signed guard Royal Ivey to a one-year contract on Tuesday, the day after backup point guard Charlie Bell signed an offer sheet with the Miami Heat.

"Royal has shown that he can play both the point and off-guard positions," general manager Larry Harris said in a statement. "He has good size and athleticism, and brings a defensive mentality to our roster."

The Bucks have a week to match Bell's five-year, $18.5 million offer, and have not ruled out re-signing Bell even though he said Monday he did not want to return to Milwaukee.

"The Bucks said they didn't have this kind of money and didn't want to give me a long-term deal, so I would hope they stick to what they said and let me go," Bell said.

The Miami Heat announced today that they have signed guard Charlie Bell to an offer sheet. Under NBA rules, the Milwaukee Bucks now have seven days to match the offer or the restricted free agent will be a member of the Heat.

According to a report by the Associated Press in Sports Illustrated, the offer sheet is for $18.5M over five years.

Bell, a 6?3?, 200-pound guard, appeared in all 82 games (64 starts) for the Bucks last season and averaged 13.5 points, 3.0 assists, 2.9 rebounds, 1.18 steals and 34.7 minutes. A three-year NBA veteran, Bell began his NBA career after signing with the Phoenix Suns as an undrafted free agent on July 23, 2001. In addition to playing for the Suns and Bucks, he also saw action with the Dallas Mavericks during the 2001-02 season. For his career he has averaged 10.9 points, 2.6 assists, 2.5 rebounds and 28.2 minutes while shooting 43.7 percent from the floor and 75.7 percent from the foul line.

Charlie Bell, speaking Saturday after returning from Greece, supported the comments made earlier by his agent, Mark Bartelstein, that he wants out of Milwaukee.

Bell said his enthusiasm for playing in Milwaukee had diminished, in large part because of the slow progress in contract negotiations.

"I'm just unhappy with the way the summer has gone," Bell said. "I appreciate everything Milwaukee has done for me. But it's hard, because my heart is just not in it this year.

"I don't know if I can go out there and play the best I can for Milwaukee, knowing everything that's happened. Inside my heart, I just won't be there. I won't feel the same toward the organization."

Bell is a restricted free agent, and the Bucks have the right to match any offers he receives from other NBA teams. Bucks general manager Larry Harris said Friday that the Bucks had offered Bell a three-year, $9 million deal to remain with the team.

The former Michigan State star also has received an offer from Greek team Olympiakos, a one-year deal thought to be worth more than 2.5 million euros, with a player option for a second year. Bartelstein said talks were continuing with the Greek club.

"I went over to Greece, and everything was great there," Bell said.

Milwaukee Bucks general manager Larry Harris said Friday that he still wanted guard Charlie Bell on the team's roster next season, despite comments from Bell's agent that the player does not want to return.

Bell, a valuable reserve guard for the Bucks and a restricted free agent, has not been able to reach a contract agreement with the team. Training camp opens in less than three weeks - on Oct. 2 - at the Cousins Center in St. Francis.

Harris said the Bucks had made a three-year offer worth $9 million, and he said the team raised its offer after Bell traveled to Greece last week and received an offer from Olympiakos, one of the noted club teams in Europe.

"We felt like it was a fair deal," Harris said. "We respect Charlie and the decisions he has to make for him and his family. We hope the dialogue can continue and we can eventually get something done."

Milwaukee free agent Charlie Bell's agent, Mark Bartelstein, has said his client still hopes to play in the NBA this season, but it will not be with the Bucks.

The 6-foot-3 Bell and the Bucks have reached an impasse on negotiations for a multi-year contract, and with the start of training camp approaching in less than three weeks, the restricted free agent is ready to move on to a European club or another NBA team.

"A lot of frustration has built up throughout the summer," Bartelstein said. "The Bucks are certainly entitled to do what's in the best interest of the franchise.

"He feels the Bucks have sent him a message about how important he is to them. The waters have become poisoned at this point, and he doesn't want to be in Milwaukee any more."