An urgent message is being sent to the Bulls:

Before signing free-agent power forwards Malik Allen and Darius Songaila, consider adding a seven-time NBA rebounding leader instead.

Of course, there?s a catch. The available player is 44-year-old Dennis Rodman, whose last appearance in an NBA uniform came in 2000 when he spent 12 games with the Dallas Mavericks.

Then again, Rodman was wildly popular here when he played for the Bulls? three championship teams from 1995-98, as much for his off-court antics as his ferocious defense.

?He would love to come back,? said Rodman?s agent, Darren Prince. ?He loves the people of Chicago, loves the city. I?m sure the fans would embrace him. All we?ve asked is to come in for a tryout.?

Bulls general manager John Paxson acknowledged that he has taken a few phone calls from Prince, but he chose not to comment on Rodman. It?s safe to say the 6-foot-8 showman does not rank high on the Bulls? wish list.

?I?m in constant contact with several GMs, but no one has pulled the trigger yet,? Prince said. ?His top choices are L.A. and Chicago. He would love to reunite with Phil Jackson (on the Lakers), and he would love to go back to Chicago. Both cities love him.?

The Lakers made it official Monday, announcing that Frank Hamblen, Kurt Rambis and Brian Shaw would remain with the team as assistants to Coach Phil Jackson.

Longtime members of the organization, Hamblen, Rambis and Shaw ? assistants last season ? had been expected to join Jackson on the sideline in his second stint with the franchise.

Hamblen, also interim coach in the second half of the 2004-05 season, has served six seasons as a Laker assistant, five under Jackson.

Rambis, who won four NBA titles as a player and has held many front-office and coaching positions with the Lakers, previously assisted Jackson for three seasons. Shaw, a guard on Jackson's three title teams in Los Angeles, worked in the front office for two seasons.

The Lakers appear to be leaning toward buying out 37-year-old center Vlade Divac.

Divac is due to earn $5.3 million next season, but the Lakers can buy him out for $2 million.

The Nuggets have seen a boatload of free-agent shooting guards end up at other addresses this summer. But after teams passed him by as well, Latrell Sprewell seems high on Denver.

"I can confirm Latrell has interest and even hopes of playing there," agent Bob Gist said Thursday of Sprewell, who averaged a career-low 12.8 points in 30.6 minutes with Minnesota last season.

Nuggets general manager Kiki Vandeweghe confirmed talking to Gist. Gist said Sprewell, who also considers the Los Angeles Lakers a desirable destination, would contact coach George Karl in the near future.

Gist said Sprewell likes the speed of Denver's game, the chance to start at two-guard and former New York teammate Marcus Camby and Karl.

Denver can pay no more than the $5 million midlevel exception, which Gist called "hard to digest," but he added Sprewell could be inclined to take it. The guard, who turns 35 next month, earned $14.6 million last season. But after he turned down a reported $7 million per year deal early last season, the Timberwolves made no effort to re-sign him. Detroit and Houston signed other guards after eyeing him.

"He made it clear that he could not see coming off the bench in Detroit and fitting in there," Gist said. "Not with (his) legs and basketball IQ and love for the game."

The Lakers, who still have some $2.5 million left to spend, have started the search for another guard to bring off the bench.

Lakers general manager Mitch Kupchak has inquired about free agents Jannero Pargo and Dan Dickau, according to agent Mark Bartelstein, who represents both players. Pargo played in Chicago last season, and Dickau started 46 games for New Orleans.

"I think they're still trying to figure out what direction they're going to go (after McKie)," Bartelstein said of the Lakers.

Pargo played in parts of two seasons with the Lakers before he was released in January 2004. Dickau, who has also been linked to Boston, averaged 13.2 points and 5.2 assists in 67 games for the Hornets.

Aaron McKie gave the Nets the thumbs-down yesterday, refusing their one-year offer to accept a two-year, $5 million deal with the Lakers.

The 6-5 swingman, a recent amnesty cut by Philadelphia, was the Nets' primary target to fill their backup wing slot, but their offer of the veteran's minimum (one year, $1.1 million) was blown out of the water by Phil Jackson, who has an extraordinary track record for extending the careers of big guards well past their prime.

"The bottom line was that it was too good to turn down, and an excellent opportunity for Aaron from the standpoint of having a major role," agent Leon Rose said last night. "And it helps that Jackson uses veteran guards (Brian Shaw, Ron Harper, et al.), another factor that came into play."

Rose told Nets general manager Ed Stefanski of McKie's decision yesterday, but the Nets did not come off their one-year offer for a 32-year-old guard who is coming off his worst season. The team will now concentrate on filling out its rotation by pursuing free-agent forward Tractor Traylor, who has been offered a starting salary of $1.6 million.

Among the available free agents who can handle the role intended for McKie are Devin Brown and Greg Buckner, though the Nets have not pursued either player so far in this off-season.

Free agent Derek Anderson plans to sign a contract with the Houston Rockets, his agent said Sunday.

Tony Dutt, Anderson's agent, said he informed the Rockets of Anderson's plans, and he expects Anderson to join the team this week.

Anderson was released by the Portland Trail Blazers as part of the NBA's amnesty program. He met last week with Rockets coach Jeff Van Gundy. Dutt said that was a pivotal meeting.

"I think he loved the fact of the team concept, and he's gonna earn every minute that he plays," Dutt told Houston television station KRIV.

"We were offered a lot more money at other places, but we were looking more for the fit and opportunity and this is it," Dutt said.

Derek Anderson will choose in the next 48 hours whether to sign with the Lakers or Houston Rockets, agent Tony Dutt said Friday. Anderson, the NBA's first luxury-tax-amnesty casualty, is seeking a one-year deal with a player option for a second season.

"He's decided he's not going to base it on money, he's going to base it on opportunity," Dutt said. "He wants to go somewhere he can have a big year this year and then see what happens."

Asked if Anderson was favoring one team, Dutt said: "It's like a coin flip at this point."

The Lakers have offered Anderson half of their $5 million midlevel salary-cap exception, and the Rockets would give Anderson their $1.67 million biannual exception. Anderson still is owed $18.8 million from Portland the next two seasons.

Although the Lakers can offer more money, Anderson would make only about $415,000 more in Los Angeles than in Houston next season, based on league rules covering players who are released with guaranteed contracts and signed by another team.

Anderson, 31, would play a significant role in Phil Jackson's triangle offense. He has the size (6-foot-5, 195 pounds) and ability to play both guard spots, and the Lakers need a ball-handler and shooter.

Anderson could start in Houston but would compete with David Wesley for the job.

Los Angeles Lakers second-round draft pick Ronny Turiaf said Friday he's well on his way to recovery from heart surgery and is hopeful he'll one day wear the purple and gold.

Turiaf, who is recuperating in Spokane after open-heart surgery to repair an enlarged aortic root on July 26, said he will be cheering for his potential teammates this season as he works his way back into playing shape.

A decision on whether he can eventually play in the NBA is "way down the road" and up to his physicians and team management, Turiaf said, vowing to return stronger and better than before.

"I'm going to play basketball again," he said. "My heart is fixed ... there is no question. There is no need to tell me I can't play basketball if my heart is fine. So, I will play basketball, unless you don't want me to."

Turiaf, 22, was the 37th pick in this year's NBA draft.

The Phoenix Suns added defensive intensity, rebounding and veteran leadership to its frontcourt today with the signing of free agent forward/center Brian Grant.

An 11-year NBA veteran, Grant has played for four teams (Sacramento, Portland, Miami and L.A. Lakers) during his career averaging 10.7 points and 7.6 rebounds in 28.8 minutes over 735 career games. He has appeared in 53 career playoff games and averaged 7.1 points and 8.6 rebounds on .466 shooting from the field.