NEW YORK - Vin Baker won his arbitration case against the league Thursday, freeing him to sign with the team of his choice: New York or Miami.
"He'll make a decision in the next 24 hours, not sooner," agent Aaron Goodwin said Thursday night. "He's trying to figure out which one is a better fit for him."
In Baker's grievance against the NBA, which was argued Monday, arbitrator Roger Kaplan invalidated a league memo barring all 29 teams from signing Baker until his other grievance - against the Celtics - is settled.
After being notified of Kaplan's decision, Goodwin spoke with the Knicks and Heat when Baker decided he did not want to play for the Raptors - the third team that was pursuing him until the league sent out its March 1 memo.
Kaplan set an initial hearing date of April 12 for Baker's case against Boston, which terminated the remaining 21/2 years of Baker's contract - worth $35-million - after he missed 10 games while on suspension for violating terms of his alcohol treatment program.
The NBA argued if Baker were to win his case against the Celtics, he'd have to return to Boston because his contract would be reinstated. The union argued Baker should have a right to seek employment elsewhere while his case against the Celtics is pending.
Kaplan ruled the memo violated articles 11 and 14 of the collective-bargaining agreement, which deal with free agency and collusion, union spokesman Dan Wasserman said.
ROCKETS 97, HORNETS 86: Cuttino Mobley scored 31 and equaled a season high with six 3-pointers as host Houston won its fourth straight. With the Rockets leading 23-21 early in the second quarter, Mobley scored 13 straight as part of a 17-4 surge that put Houston in control.
KINGS 120, MAVERICKS 102: Chris Webber had 16 points, eight rebounds and five assists in his first game against Dallas since hurting his knee against the Mavericks during the 2003 playoffs, and host Sacramento won for the first time in three meetings this season.
LAKERS: Phil Jackson and the Los Angeles organization were fined $50,000 each by the league for comments the coach made about officiating. Jackson accused referee Bob Delaney of being prejudiced against Shaquille O'Neal after a 88-83 loss Monday to Utah.
MAVERICKS: Coach Don Nelson sent an e-mail to Warriors guard Avery Johnson offering him a spot on the Dallas coaching staff beginning this postseason.
76ERS: Allen Iverson will miss today's game because of a swollen right knee.
WILLIAMS TRIAL: Jayson Williams was facing limousine driver Costas "Gus" Christofi - with the barrel of a shotgun less than 2 feet from Christofi's chest - when the weapon fired a fatal blast, according to testimony by Dr. Henry Lee, a world-renowned forensic scientist. Williams is accused of recklessly handling the shotgun that killed Christofi and then trying to make it look like a suicide. He faces up to 55 years in prison if convicted in Somerville, N.J., on all counts.
