http://sports.espn.go.com/nba/news/story?id=3085467
Miami Heat: Penny Hardaway is officially back in the NBA, after the Miami Heat placed him on their season-opening roster Monday.
The Heat released guards Jeremy Richardson and Brian Chase, along with forwards Marcus Slaughter and Devin Green to reach the league-mandated 15-man limit.
Hardaway signed a nonguaranteed contract this summer after a strong tryout. He hasn't played in a regular-season game in nearly two years because of knee problems and has been limited for several seasons by an array of injuries.
Houston Rockets: Guards Bob Sura and John Lucas III were among four players cut by the Houston Rockets on Monday, the eve of their season opener.
Forwards Jackie Butler and Justin Reed were also released as the team reduced its roster to 15 players.
The 6-foot-5 Sura has been plagued by back and knee injuries almost since the day he signed with Houston in 2004. He missed the 2005-06 season after arthroscopic knee surgery. Two months later, he had surgery to fix a herniated disk in his back.
The 34-year-old Sura also sat out last season as the back injury lingered. The former Florida State star averaged 8.6 points, 3.4 rebounds and 3.8 assists in 10 NBA seasons.
The 5-11 Lucas, son of former Rocket John Lucas, appeared in 60 regular-season games over the past two seasons and averaged 3.1 points. Lucas had an outside shot but a defensive liability because of his height. And when the Rockets acquired point guards Mike James and Steve Francis in the offseason, the release of Lucas seemed inevitable.
The Heat released guards Jeremy Richardson and Brian Chase, along with forwards Marcus Slaughter and Devin Green to reach the league-mandated 15-man limit.
Hardaway signed a nonguaranteed contract this summer after a strong tryout. He hasn't played in a regular-season game in nearly two years because of knee problems and has been limited for several seasons by an array of injuries.
Forwards Jackie Butler and Justin Reed were also released as the team reduced its roster to 15 players.
The 6-foot-5 Sura has been plagued by back and knee injuries almost since the day he signed with Houston in 2004. He missed the 2005-06 season after arthroscopic knee surgery. Two months later, he had surgery to fix a herniated disk in his back.
The 34-year-old Sura also sat out last season as the back injury lingered. The former Florida State star averaged 8.6 points, 3.4 rebounds and 3.8 assists in 10 NBA seasons.
The 5-11 Lucas, son of former Rocket John Lucas, appeared in 60 regular-season games over the past two seasons and averaged 3.1 points. Lucas had an outside shot but a defensive liability because of his height. And when the Rockets acquired point guards Mike James and Steve Francis in the offseason, the release of Lucas seemed inevitable.
