Gugliotta Winds Up in Valley of the Sun

The Phoenix Suns, in a high-risk waiting game as the number of free agents dwindled in the NBA’s post-lockout signing frenzy, landed the player they wanted Saturday when Tom Gugliotta agreed to a six-year, $58.5-million contract--reportedly about $30 million less than he was offered by the Minnesota Timberwolves.

Gugliotta turned down a last-ditch effort by the Timberwolves to re-sign him, and possibly trade him, and expected to be in Phoenix for practice today.

“It is a risky business. We let a lot of free agents go by and got a guy that we all are very excited about,” Sun Coach Danny Ainge said. “From a coaching perspective, I think we’re going to have a great basketball team. It’s going to take some time, but I feel we are back on track.”

The signing was crucial to the Suns after losing power forward Antonio McDyess to the Denver Nuggets. After the bizarre waffling and eventual departure of McDyess, 24, Sun owner Jerry Colangelo praised the maturity of Gugliotta, 29.

“I see stability. I see someone who’s a pro,” Colangelo said. “He’s a given. He’s a former all-star. He’s competitive. He loves to play. We know every night we’re going to get a great effort out of this guy because he’s a pro.”

The agreement cleared the way for the final two major moves the Suns must make, re-signing Rex Chapman and Clifford Robinson. The Suns expect to get both under contract in the next few days.

Earlier Saturday, the league approved the sign-and-trade deal that brings former Chicago Bull center Luc Longley to Phoenix for Mark Bryant, Martin Muursepp and Bubba Wells. Colangelo said that deal, rather than signing Longley directly as a free agent, saved $2 million in salary-cap room that was crucial in acquiring Gugliotta.

The Suns also re-signed George McCloud on Saturday.

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Scottie Pippen has started life without Michael Jordan.

And for a player whose image has been etched on the Chicago landscape for his entire career along with Jordan, Pippen was eager to begin his new career with the Houston Rockets at Saturday’s first workout.

“Playing with Michael, who was always the superstar, and coming to a team that has more than one superstar, that’s different and it’s a situation you want to be in,” Pippen said, referring to new teammates Hakeem Olajuwon and Charles Barkley.

The Rockets and Pippen’s agent, Jimmy Sexton, finally waded through the complicated negotiating process late Friday night and signed Pippen to a five-year, $67.2-million contract.

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The Bulls open their exhibition season today against the Indiana Pacers.

The defending NBA champions, of course, are without Jordan, Pippen and Dennis Rodman.

And teams such as the Pacers undoubtedly are ready for payback against the six-time champions, even as they try to rebuild.

“BULLS are still written across the shirt and I think there will be some people trying to send some messages,” Coach Tim Floyd said. “Whether or not that’s fair . . . I can’t really answer that. But I do know that we can’t really concern ourselves with that.”

The Bulls acquired center Andrew Lang from the Milwaukee Bucks for a conditional second-round draft pick.

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Ray Allen, who could be in line for a seven-year, $84-million payday, has hired criminal attorney Johnnie Cochran on an hourly basis to examine contract offers from the Milwaukee Bucks. Allen, a third-year guard who will be eligible for free agency at the end of the season, plans to negotiate directly with the Bucks’ owner, U.S. Sen. Herb Kohl. . . . Forward Jason Caffey signed a seven-year contract with the Golden State Warriors. Terms of the contract weren’t released but newspapers put its value at $35 million. . . . The Houston Rockets signed former Utah Jazz backup center Antoine Carr. . . . Gary Trent, a 6-foot-8 forward who played for the Portland Trail Blazers and the Toronto Raptors last season, signed a one-year contract with the Dallas Mavericks.