Rodman Issues Ultimatum on Signing

Unhappy with incentive clauses in a one-year contract, six-time rebounding champion Dennis Rodman has given the Chicago Bulls an ultimatum: No acceptable contract by noon Thursday, no Rodman in 1997-98.

“Noon Thursday . . . just do it, get it out of the way,” Rodman said in Chicago. “If it’s going to be, let’s do it. If it’s not going to be, move on.

Rodman said both he and Bull General Manager Jerry Krause agreed to the deadline. Krause, however, declined comment.

Coach Phil Jackson still expects Rodman to be on the court for the start of the season Oct. 31.

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Minnesota Timberwolf forward Clifford Rozier was fined $10,000 and suspended for two games and Cleveland Cavalier center Vitaly Potapenko was fined $5,000 and suspended for one game as three other players were penalized for fighting during an Oct. 12 exhibition game.

Rozier was penalized for punching Potapenko, who was fined and suspended for elbowing and throwing a punch.

In addition, Minnesota’s Doug West and Cleveland’s Henry James and Shawn Kemp each were suspended without pay for one game and fined $2,500 for leaving the bench area. The suspensions will be served at the start of the regular season.

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Washington Wizard guard Rod Strickland pulled his left hamstring in the first half of an exhibition game against the Denver Nuggets, and teammate Chris Webber blamed the conditions on the court after the game was delayed near 90 minutes to let a cleaning solution dry. It is uncertain how long Strickland will be out. . . . The injury-plagued Dallas Mavericks signed forward Adrian Caldwell, 31, to a one-year, non-guaranteed contract.