Slam dunk: Loyal Lakers pin careers to contract of favourite coach

The LA Lakers' future is cluttered with expiring contracts and duelling loyalties, but Karl Malone still wants to play for Phil Jackson and will pin his own fate to the coach's when the club sorts through his contract negotiations.

"I want him here," said Malone, joining Shaquille O'Neal in support of re-signing Jackson.

Team officials ceased negotiations on a contract extension for Jackson last week.

The sides remain millions of dollars apart, and no further talks are expected until after the season, meaning Jackson will be a free agent.

Malone's contract also allows him to leave this summer, but he holds an option for next season. Asked if Jackson's status affected his decision, Malone said, "Yeah, it do. Oh, yeah."

"I think coach is going to do what's best for him," he said. "You know what, I respect that. I did the same thing when I left Utah. I did what was best for me, and I think everybody goes through that stage in their life."

For now, Malone's focus is on returning to the court, which should happen within the next four weeks. Doctors cleared him on Monday to do exercises to strengthen his injured right knee.

"However many games it is - whether it's 20, 25 or whatever - I'm going to enjoy those 20 games and the playoffs, and when it's all over with, I think everybody should have a feel on what direction we're going [as a team]," Malone said.

Brian Cook had a restrictive splint removed from a finger and was cleared for full-contact drills. Cook, who fractured the finger on January 22, will wear a smaller protective splint for at least three weeks.

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The Chicago Bulls have requested waivers on second-year guard Jay Williams, required by the league where a team and player make a settlement on their contract.

The Bulls have agreed to pay Williams a reduced portion of his salary for this season and next, which were the two seasons remaining on his contract at the time of his motorcycle accident in Chicago last year.

Bulls executive vice-president of operations John Paxson said the accident was tragic and unfortunate.

During his rookie campaign, he appeared in 75 games, including 54 starts. The Bulls roster is now 14.

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The first NBA games in China will take place on October 14 and 17 when the Houston Rockets and the Sacramento Kings play pre-season games in Beijing and Shanghai.

The NBA will be the first American professional sports league to stage games in China.

The games will be played in Shanghai and Beijing where stadiums will be renovated.

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Sacramento Kings' forward Chris Webber has been suspended without pay for eight games.

He was suspended for five games for violating the terms of the NBA/NBPA anti-drug programme.

Webber also received a three-game suspension for being convicted of criminal contempt in violation of federal law.

Houston Rockets' centre Yao Ming will have an American coach with Texas ties at the Summer Olympics in Athens.

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Dallas Mavericks assistant coach Del Harris is expected to be named this week as the first foreign head coach of the Chinese national basketball team, according to sources in China.

Li Yuanwei, general secretary of the Chinese Basketball Association, was quoted in China by the Xinhua news service as saying:

"We are still talking with the Dallas Mavericks [about] details and the contract has not been signed yet.'