Lorenzen Wright, a 10-year veteran, is the oldest player on a Hawks team that was the league's youngest last year and the veteran presence inside that the Hawks lacked during last season's 26-56 campaign.

Wright signed a two-year deal, worth more than $3 million per season, that brings him back to the franchise he spent two years with earlier in his career ? he spent the 1999-00 and 2000-01 seasons with the Hawks.

"I've been to the playoffs at every stop of my career except this one," said Wright, who was drafted by the Los Angeles Clippers with the seventh pick in the 1996 draft and spent the past five years in Memphis. "I feel like this is a second chance to fix that with the Hawks. And really, being back here for a second time feels like I'm back home. It really does. There's a lot of quality talent here, young talent, and hopefully I can provide some of whatever has been missing here since I left."

The Phoenix Suns announced today that they have signed free-agent forward Jumaine Jones to a one-year contract.

A 6-8, 230-pound forward, Jones appeared in 76 games last season for the Charlotte Bobcats, scoring a career-best 10.5 points and grabbing 4.9 rebounds per game. In 42 games as a starter, he averaged 13.3 points and 5.7 rebounds, including a career-high 31 point (13-20 FG, 5-8 3FG) outburst versus the L.A. Lakers on February 3. On the year, he recorded eight 20-plus scoring nights and three double-doubles.

Minnesota Timberwolves Vice President of Basketball Operations Kevin McHale announced the team has signed forward Craig Smith. Per team policy, terms of the contract were not disclosed.

"Craig Smith is a competitor and will bring toughness to our basketball team," said McHale. "He's an aggressive, hard-nosed player who rebounds and has a nice touch around the basket. Craig was the leader at Boston College, and was someone who continually improved his game during his four years."

Gilbert Arenas' experience with Team U.S.A. has left him with a bitter taste in his mouth, particularly about assistant coaches Nate McMillan and Mike D'Antoni.

"I'm going to be the silent assassin this year," he said. "I can't wait to play the Suns and Portland. Against Portland, Nate McMillan, I'm going to try to score 100 in two games and against D'Antoni, I'm going to score 100 in two games. I'm going to try."

European power Maccabi Tel Aviv would have paid Jumaine Jones significantly more money to join them, as did several other NBA teams, but instead he will sign with the Phoenix Suns for the league minimum, which means $998,967 as a seven-year pro.

With the way Phoenix plays, there are certain players who are natural fits," Merle Scott, his agent said. "He's a shooter. He's a rebounder. He's looking to play for a contender, which was a priority for him. It's a great opportunity. He knows he's coming in to play a supporting role."

Scott expects a role for Jones similar to the one Tim Thomas, now with the Los Angeles Clippers, played at the end of last season.

"With the rotation and style of ball, the track record shows that guys are going to produce and get better," Scott said. "I know how happy Leandro is. I hope Jumaine feels as good about the family atmosphere.

"He's coming in to prove himself. The way they play, that's not too much to ask."

Mickael Gelable's layup with 1.8 seconds left gave France a 75-73 victory over Germany on Thursday in a classification game in the basketball world championship.

Germany's final possession ended when Dirk Nowitzki took an inbounds pass on the left sideline and as he turned to get off the possible game-winning shot, he stepped on the line with .9 seconds to go.

France (5-3) will play Turkey (6-2) for fifth place on Saturday. Turkey beat Lithuania 95-84 in overtime on Thursday.

A 4.8-magnitude earthquake jolted the Tokyo region on Thursday during halftime of the Lithuania-Turkey game in the FIBA championships.

There were no immediate reports of injuries or damage, the Meteorological Agency reported, and there was almost no reaction from the people in the Super Arena in Saitama, 17 miles north of Tokyo.

The quake shook buildings in central Tokyo and outside the capital.

The teams had just left the court at halftime of the classification game when the building shook for a few seconds. No announcement was made and the second half started without a delay.

The quake came about two hours after the U.S. team finished practicing at the Japan Institute of Sports Sciences in central Tokyo. USA Basketball spokesman Craig Miller said some staff members said they felt something, though there was no damage at the Four Seasons hotel where the Americans are staying.

With training camp less than two months away, the Washington Wizards have yet to decide where first-round pick Oleksiy Pecherov will play this season.

Team and league sources indicated this week that the Wizards are considering signing Pecherov and bringing him to camp, which will open in the first week of October. The 7-foot Pecherov played in Paris last season but remains under contract to his team in Ukraine. Pecherov holds a buyout option and has indicated that he would sign with the Wizards if they want him to play in the NBA this season.

The Wizards might decide that Oleksiy Pecherov might be better off in Washington even if he's not a part of Coach Eddie Jordan's regular playing rotation because of the mediocre quality of play in the Ukrainian Superleague.

Under NBA rules, the Wizards can pay up to $500,000 of Pecherov's $800,000 buyout. One key issue is that Pecherov's team, BC Kiev of the Ukrainian Superleague, would want Pecherov to play in Ukraine if he does not sign with the Wizards.

The problem, sources say, is that the quality of play in the Ukrainian Superleague is not on par with other top European leagues, so the Wizards might decide that Pecherov would be better off in Washington even if he's not a part of Coach Eddie Jordan's regular playing rotation.

The Rockets could be close to adding shooter Casey Jacobsen to their retooled backcourt, potentially giving them five guard additions since last season.

Jacobsen, a first-round pick out of Stanford by the Phoenix Suns in 2002, was offered a partially guaranteed contract with the Rockets after a strong season with European power Tau Ceramica (Vitoria, Spain) and in the Las Vegas Summer League.

Jacobsen, who is not likely to sign until the middle of next week, would join Vassilis Spanoulis, Kirk Snyder, John Lucas III and Kelenna Azubuike as backcourt additions since last season.

Charges that the Chicago Bulls mascot attacked an off-duty police officer during an outdoor festival in Chicago have been dropped, Bulls officials said Wednesday.

Charges of misdemeanor battery and driving within a parkway were filed against Barry Anderson, the Benny the Bull mascot. Police said Anderson, in his bright red bull costume, threw a punch at a sheriff's deputy on July 2, knocking off his glasses and breaking his watch.

Police said the officer had tried to stop the mascot for riding a mini-motorcycle thorough the Taste of Chicago festival without a permit. When the off-duty officer, who was working security, tried to stop him, Anderson ran, police said. The officer chased and caught him.