SALARY CAP GOES UP: The NBA and its players association announced today that the salary cap will be raised to $26.9 million for the 1997-98 season.
The cap might be subject to another upward adjustment in the next few weeks following the resolution of certain accounting issues.Last season, the salary cap was $24.4 million, which for the first time gave players an average salary of $2 million.
PISTONS SIGN WILLIAMS: Free agent center Brian Williams, who held out almost all of last season before joining the Chicago Bulls for their stretch run, signed a seven-year, $45 million contract with the Detroit Pistons Saturday.
The 6-foot-11, 260-pound Williams signed with the Bulls for the final nine regular season games and was one of their best bench contributors during the playoffs, averaging 7.4 points and 5.2 rebounds in 19 games.
ROCKETS INK MALONEY: Matt Maloney, a surprise starter at point guard for the Houston Rockets last season, has signed a one-year contract with the NBA team.
Because of where the Rockets are on their salary cap, they could offer Maloney only a one-year guarantee of $327,000, the minimum salary for veterans.
Maloney said he shunned more lucrative offers to stay with the Rockets, who gave him a chance to start last season when Brent Price went on the injured list.
"This is the best place for me," Maloney said. "That's one of the main reasons I came back. I could have gotten a little more money with some of the other offers I got, but once my family and I started talking about it, I just decided this was the place."
Maloney was the only Rocket who started every game.
CLIPPERS SIGN ROBINSON: The Los Angeles Clippers signed free agent guard James Robinson, who averaged 8.3 points off the bench last season for the Minnesota Timberwolves.