The Sacramento Kings will return to the Lawlor Events Center for the first time since 2002 to play the New Orleans Hornets in an NBA exhibition game on Oct. 22, team officials said Wednesday.

Tickets will go sale at noon on Thursday for the game scheduled for 5 p.m. on the campus of the University of Nevada, Reno.

"We had great success at the Lawlor Events Center in 2002 when the Kings sold out a previous preseason game at the arena," said Gavin Maloof, co-owner of the Sacramento Kings.

"We look forward to returning to the Lawlor Center this season and hope this is the beginning of a long-term relationship with the great Kings fans of the Reno-Sparks-Tahoe community," he said.

Bonzi Wells is reportedly having a difficult time finding a team to offer him a multi-year deal after turning down Sacramento's five-year $38 million offer earlier this summer.  

He will likely be forced to sign a one-year deal.

Ron Artest said yesterday that he would finish his career with the Sacramento Kings, ending any possibility that the Queensbridge product would suit up for the Knicks.

But Artest joked that he knew how to fix the Knicks and could help Isiah Thomas - his former coach with the Indiana Pacers - run the team after his retirement.

"I think (the Knicks) can turn it around, but they need some rest and less partying in New York City," Artest said with a smile at a press conference at a midtown restaurant to announce that the All-Star Classic for Wheelchair Charities will be held at the Garden on Saturday, Sept.9. "That's my bid to be a general manager."

Artest didn't offer any specifics on how he would improve the Knicks, who won just 23 games last season, but said he didn't like to see his hometown team suffer last year.

"Every time they lost I felt bad," Artest said. "I didn't want to see them lose."

After months of speculation and rumors of retirement, Doug Christie has officially announced his intentions of returning to play in the NBA.

Spending months undergoing intense rehabilitation and conditioning has put Christie in fantastic shape and made him eager to join an NBA team at their 2006 training camp. During a recent interview, Christie commented that, ?I am blessed to now have gained endurance, agility and quickness at a level that I had not previously experienced.?

Christie, a first Team and a two time All Defensive Second Team member who has over 1,500 career steals, 3,000 assists and 2,500 defensive rebounds, is a defensive force, which has sports gurus around the league agreeing that his presence on the court has been sorely missed and that whichever team is successful in signing him will benefit greatly from his veteran leadership and versatility.

Drafted by the Seattle Supersonics in the first round of the 1992 NBA Draft, Christie has played in Toronto, Los Angeles, New York, Orlando, Dallas and Sacramento where he enjoyed much success.

Mike Bibby will make a team-high $12.5 million this season, with an early-termination out if he chooses to exercise it next summer. If not, he would make $13.5 million for the 2007-08 season, with a player option that would grant him $14.5 million for the final season of 2008-09.

"I'm not saying I don't want to be here," Bibby said. "I'd love to finish my career here. I love it here. The atmosphere is great -- crazy. The fans are the best in the NBA. But I have talked to my agent (David Falk). It has to be (mutual). Both sides have to want a return. I know I want to be here.

"Everything has to work for all of us. They've got to want to keep me. I don't want to feel like I'm not wanted."

DETROIT -- Ron Artest, talking to children as part of his community service sentence, defended his actions in one of the worst brawls in U.S. sports history.

"Someone started trouble and I ended it," Artest told about 50 children Wednesday at a panel on black empowerment at the Judge Mathis Community Center. "I would always encourage you to protect yourself but in certain situations, if you can avoid them, avoid them."

Artest was at the center of the November 2004 brawl at a Detroit Pistons game. It started when Artest, then with the Indiana Pacers, fouled Pistons center Ben Wallace late in a blowout game.

The Kings signed center Loren Woods on Tuesday.

Woods, a five-year veteran, spent the last two seasons with the Raptors. He also has played for the Heat and Timberwolves, who drafted him in 2001. He averaged 2.3 points and 4.1 rebounds last season.

Loren Woods will soon be a member of the Kings, according to his agent.

Jason Levien, who represents the 7-foot-2 free-agent center, said his client and the Kings agreed to contract terms Saturday. Woods, a five-year veteran who has played sparingly throughout his career, is expected to fly to Sacramento on Monday. The deal is expected to be finalized Tuesday.

"Loren is bouncing off the walls, he's so excited," Levien said. "He really feels like this could be a good place for him."

A league source said the deal is for one year, paying Woods between $950,000 and $1 million, while keeping the Kings' payroll below the luxury tax threshold of $65.42 million.

William Phillips, Bonzi Wells' agent, said Wednesday he has had discussions with the Nuggets this week about the free agent shooting guard. Wells recently rejected a deal to return to Sacramento at a starting salary of about $6 million.

"It's just as strong as from the beginning (of free agency)," Phillips said of the Nuggets' interest in Wells. "We're focusing on a sign- and-trade."

Wells made $8 million last season. After he turned down the Kings' offer starting at $6 million, Sacramento last week signed guard John Salmons, all but ruling out Wells' return to the team.

"We just didn't get to the number (Wells wanted)," said Phillips, not offering details. "I believe we can still get to that number."

The Rocky Mountain News believes that considering the Nuggets are concerned with the luxury tax, a deal appears unlikely.

The Nuggets have the $5.2 million midlevel exception, which is less than what Wells rejected. The Nuggets are being cautious because they are $3 million from the luxury tax.