A Hectic, Seat-of-the-Pants Return

The NBA officially reopened for business Thursday after a 204-day labor dispute, triggering an avalanche of player signings, trades and other moves unprecedented in the history of the league. As teams began preparing for the start of a shortened 50-game season in only two weeks, rosters were reshaped in the blink of an eye and agents fielded offers and shot back counteroffers with equal speed.

The changes produced by this frenzy of player movements will be widespread, with many fans left uncertain precisely who is playing for their favorite team. Approximately 200 free agents sought either places on new teams or new contracts with their present teams.

“We have players flying in from all over the country, physicals being taken, photo shoots for media guides and brochures, agents trying to finalize details before a player can be ours,” Philadelphia 76er President Pat Croce said. “It’s hectic and nerve-racking, but it also gets you more fired up.”

“It was so unorganized, it was incredible,” Miami Heat Coach Pat Riley said. “You have to deal with a chaotic, fly-by-the-seat-of-your-pants routine. We had guys with physicals, getting contracts signed. We have to move guys in and out of practice.”

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No Michael Jordan, no national TV for the Chicago Bulls.

In a sign of how much has changed since June, a finals rematch between Chicago and the Utah Jazz on opening night Feb. 5 won’t even be shown nationally.

“We didn’t look at that as a rematch of the NBA Finals because of the complete overhaul of the Bulls’ roster,” TNT spokesman Greg Hughes said.

Only one Chicago game will be on NBC all season, a regional choice in the opener of a Feb. 21 doubleheader. No Bulls games will be on TNT or TBS.

At this point, the Bulls don’t have enough players for a game anyway. During the chaotic, first official day of business, Chicago had only six players under contract by mid-afternoon, so practice was called off.

Meanwhile, Dwight Manley, the agent for former Bull Dennis Rodman, said the rebounding specialist won’t sign with anyone until next week.

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Penny Hardaway was determined to do whatever it took to get free agent Ike Austin in an Orlando Magic uniform.

“I offered him my house on weekends, my car--anything that might help him make up his mind,” Hardaway said. “I wanted him here that much.”

Hardaway was quite a salesman.

Rejecting an opportunity to make more with other teams, Austin signed a three-year, $15-million contract to fill Orlando’s void at center.

“I really do feel with me coming here, and the guys they have here, that we can be contenders. It’s going to take a lot of work. But I think everybody has the effort and wants to put it in and wants to win,” said the sixth-year pro, who finished last season with the Clippers.

To clear room under the salary cap to sign Austin, the Magic traded second-year forward Johnny Taylor and the rights to rookie Keon Clark of Nevada Las Vegas to the Denver Nuggets in exchange for a first-round pick in this year’s draft.

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Getting some help for big men David Robinson and Tim Duncan, the San Antonio Spurs acquired Steve Kerr, Jerome Kersey and Mario Elie.

Kerr, one of the best three-point shooters in league history, was a key player on three consecutive Chicago championship teams, and he said the Spurs have a good shot at the crown.

“‘They’re one of the best teams in the league for sure,” he said. “It wasn’t that tough a decision.”

Robinson said he hoped that the addition of Kerr and Elie would propel the Spurs to the championship.

“I hope that,” Robinson said. “I haven’t won the championship yet, so I can’t tell you what the ingredients are.”

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Karl Malone’s off-season odyssey has ended, and the perennial All-Star is right back where he began.

During an emotional news conference, Malone and Utah Jazz owner Larry Miller left almost no doubt the power forward will finish his career in Utah. Hours later, Malone joined his Jazz teammates for workouts on the first day of training camp.

“You say things sometimes that you wish you wouldn’t have said. It takes a bigger man to admit he was wrong,” said Malone, who at one point said he would never play in Utah again. “I apologize for a lot of things I said. The stuff that happened this summer made me grow up quick.”

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Charles Barkley is returning to the Houston Rockets.

Barkley, playing golf in the Bob Hope Chrysler Classic, apparently signed an agreement on the 10th tee of Tamarisk Country Club, with his agent bringing the contract to the course.

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The Heat was dealt a surprising blow when starting guard Voshon Lenard was found to have a stress fracture in his left leg. The fourth-year guard is expected to undergo surgery and be out 8-10 weeks. . . . Free-agent forward Corliss Williamson probably will sign a one-year contract to stay with the Sacramento Kings.

Get season schedules for all the NBA teams on The Times’ Web site: https://www.latimes.com/nba