Associated Press
The NBA notebook …
EL SEGUNDO, Calif. — The Los Angeles Lakers have signed free-agent forward Josh McRoberts to a two-year contract.
The Lakers announced the deal Wednesday with McRoberts, a four-year NBA veteran who spent the past three seasons with the Indiana Pacers.
The Duke product averaged career highs of 7.4 points, 5.3 rebounds and 2.1 assists while starting 51 games for Indiana last season.
The 6-foot-10 McRoberts could get playing time early with the Lakers, who traded Lamar Odom to Dallas last weekend after the NBA’s Sixth Man of the Year got angry about Los Angeles’ attempts to deal him for New Orleans point guard Chris Paul.
Andrew Bynum will miss the first five games of the regular season under suspension, and backup forward Derrick Caracter had surgery Wednesday on torn cartilage in his left knee.
MAGIC
ORLANDO, Fla. — Magic general manager Otis Smith said Wednesday the team’s goal remains to keep Dwight Howard in a Magic uniform as long as they possibly can and that the trade talks “could go to the end of the season.”
Howard, who is entering the last year of his contract, confirmed over the weekend that he had requested a trade to New Jersey, Dallas or the Los Angeles Lakers.
CAVALIERS
CLEVELAND — The Cavaliers have waived veteran point guard Baron Davis, using the NBA’s new “amnesty clause” to clear space under the salary cap.
Davis, acquired in a trade last season from the Los Angeles Clippers, is now a free agent. He will be paid $28 million owed over the next two seasons. His release had been expected since training camp opened. The 32-year-old has not been able to practice because of a bulging back disc.
BULLS
DEERFIELD, Ill. — Richard Hamilton is on the verge of joining the Chicago Bulls.
A person familiar with the situation said the veteran guard was closing in on a three-year, $15 million deal with the Bulls. The person spoke Wednesday afternoon on the condition of anonymity because the contract had not been finalized.
BOBCATS
CHARLOTTE, — The Charlotte Bobcats signed power forward/center Melvin Ely to a one-year, non-guaranteed contract Wednesday giving them a veteran presence in the middle.
The move comes one day after they lost free agent center Kwame Brown to the Warriors.
An eight-year NBA veteran, Ely has played in 373 games for the Clippers, Bobcats, Spurs, Hornets and Nuggets.
TRADE
DENVER — The Denver Nuggets acquired versatile swingman Rudy Fernandez and forward Corey Brewer from the Dallas Mavericks on Tuesday for a future second-round pick.