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Report: 'Dream' retiring

The New York Post reported that Toronto center Hakeem "The Dream" Olajuwon plans to announce his retirement when the Raptors face the Rockets, for whom he played 17 seasons, in Houston's home opener Nov. 2.

Rather than have back surgery which would've incapacitated him for up 11 months, Olajuwon is stepping aside after a career in which he won two league titles and one MVP in Houston.

"Hakeem's a warrior, and I think his love for basketball is almost overpowering," his agent, Dan Fagan, told ESPN.com last week. "However, he's a realist, and if his back injury is what's been described to us, and we believe it is, the possibility of a retirement due to his injury is something we are going to discuss."

ESPN.com reported that Toronto general manager Glen Grunwald said last week he didn't expect Olajuwon to play this season. Olajuwon is in Houston and has been excused from training camp.

Olajuwon, who has two years left on his contract, went to the Raptors in August 2001.

SPREWELL APPEAL: Latrell Sprewell met with players' union director Billy Hunter to discuss appealing the $250,000 fine that the Knicks levied against him.

The union received official notification of the fine, believed to be the largest by a team against a player. The appeal is expected to be filed this week.

Aside from the fine for failing to notify the team of a hand injury, the Knicks ordered Sprewell to stay away from the team indefinitely. The injury will sideline him until mid-November.

EXPANSION: The league appointed a six-owner committee to search for prospective owners of a team in Charlotte, moving the city closer to finding a replacement for the Hornets, who moved to New Orleans. The committee, which will seek a group willing to pay the expected price of at least $300-million, includes Hornets co-owner George Shinn, whose sour relationship with Charlotte fans is partly why the team moved.

CAVALIERS: Center Zydrunas Ilgauskas pleaded no contest to drunken driving and was sentenced to a year of probation. A judge suspended a 30-day jail sentence. He was stopped Sept. 15 for erratic driving in suburban Cleveland and failed field sobriety tests.

JAZZ: Team owner Larry Miller said he would consider selling the nickname to the Hornets. The franchise played in New Orleans before moving to Salt Lake City in 1979.

SONICS: Starting small forward Rashard Lewis had an MRI on his left shoulder, which he hurt Sunday in Seattle's preseason opener.

SUNS: Guard Maurice Baker and forward Bobby Lazor were waived.

Preseason games

HAWKS 102, MAGIC 75: Grant Hill played his first game in 10 months Tuesday and scored 10 points in 28 minutes for visiting Orlando.

Hill was 4-for-7 and had 6 defensive rebounds and 3 assists in the first three quarters. Problems with his left ankle have limited him to 18 games since signing with Orlando in 2000.

Mike Miller led Orlando with 12 points.

SPURS 95, 76ERS 82: Tim Duncan, the league MVP last season, had 18 points and 12 rebounds in 23 minutes for San Antonio in its preseason opener at State College, Pa. Duncan, who sat out the final 17 minutes, added 4 assists, 4 blocks and 1 steal.

PISTONS 80, RAPTORS 70: Vince Carter scored 26 for host Toronto in his first game since surgery on his left knee in March. Carter scored 18 in the first quarter as Toronto took a 26-12 lead.

CELTICS 100, KNICKS 91: Antonio McDyess made his New York debut in Uniondale, N.Y., collecting 17 points and 17 rebounds.

ROCKETS 106, GRIZZLIES 98: Steve Francis scored 30 for visiting Houston, which was without top draft pick Yao Ming. Yao was fulfilling commitments with the Chinese Basketball Association.

MAVERICKS 105, KINGS 94: Dirk Nowitzki had 26 points and Raef LaFrentz added 19 points and 16 rebounds for host Dallas.

TIMBERWOLVES 88, BUCKS 82: Felipe Lopez scored all 15 of his points in the second half for Minnesota in Fargo, N.D. Minnesota's Wally Szczerbiak injured his foot and left with 2:51 to go in the third. He has a bruised tendon at the base of his small toe.

BLAZERS 95, JAZZ 81: Antonio Daniels scored 15 for host Portland. Anthony Bonner and Andrei Kirilenko (10 points each) led Utah.

WARRIORS 84, SONICS 75: Troy Murphy had 16 points and 12 rebounds for Golden State in Missoula, Mont.

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