Brown, Pistons Talking It Out

Even after his first meeting this month with the Detroit Pistons, Larry Brown’s future with the team is undecided.

“We had good dialogue about some internal things,” Brown said Wednesday night.

The Hall of Fame coach, his agent Joe Glass, Piston owner Bill Davidson and President of Basketball Operations Joe Dumars got together Wednesday morning and decided they needed to talk again.

“Both sides have a clearer understanding of the situation and decided to discuss this again Thursday via phone,” team spokesman Matt Dobek said.

Brown, 64, said he was glad he traveled to speak with Dumars and Davidson. He had been resting, on doctor’s orders, at his vacation home in New York before flying to his home in suburban Detroit.

“We’re going to talk some more,” said Brown, declining to elaborate. “I’m glad I came and got to sit down and talk with Joe and Mr. D.”

Brown’s agent and Dumars have spoken at least twice since the coach checked out of a hospital almost two weeks ago.

“I will only say that we’re still talking,” Dumars said.

The morning after the NBA draft, Brown was hospitalized for two days to address a medical problem that developed from complications after hip surgery in November and didn’t go away after a second procedure in March.

Brown has said that if doctors deem him healthy enough, he wants to return next season to Detroit -- and insists he will not coach another NBA team. Still, many have reported that the New York Knicks will not hire a new coach until they know for sure that Brown is not available.

The Pistons have said they would welcome Brown back, if he’s willing to return. He signed a five-year contract worth about $25 million, plus incentive bonuses, two years ago.

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Udonis Haslem got his wish. He’s staying home.

With work on Shaquille O’Neal’s multiyear deal to stay in Miami progressing, the Heat has completed another of its top off-season tasks. Haslem, the team’s starting power forward, said he has agreed to a five-year contract that could be worth more than $33 million.

The Miami native wanted to stay in his hometown so badly that he apparently turned down more lucrative offers from other clubs. Without discussing specifics, his agent, Jason Levien, said Haslem left at least $10 million on the bargaining table.

“This has been a long process, but I’m happy it’s over and in the end, I got what I wanted,” Haslem.

The exact amount of the deal, which cannot be signed before July 22, won’t be known for a few days. Haslem -- who said he also chose to stay because he believes the Heat is close to winning a title -- will get between $5.2 million and $5.6 million next season, then a 10.5% raise each subsequent year. Haslem averaged 10.9 points and 9.1 rebounds on 54% shooting -- the NBA’s fourth-best percentage -- last season.

Settling the Haslem matter could indicate an agreement with O’Neal is close. President Pat Riley has said Miami will make no significant moves until knowing what O’Neal would cost over the next four or five seasons. O’Neal probably will command at least $25 million a season.

O’Neal is expected to opt out of the final year of his existing contract, one that would have paid him $30.6 million. But that’s not a precursor to his departure -- because no team could pay O’Neal as much as Miami, under the current rules.

The Heat also reached a preliminary agreement with Matt Walsh, who left Florida after his junior season but wasn’t drafted.