New deal reportedly for two years

WALTHAM, Mass. — The Boston Celtics are bringing back Glen “Big Baby” Davis.

The Celtics announced Monday that they’ve re-signed the power forward to a new deal. It’s reportedly for two years.

Davis, a two-year pro out of Louisiana State, was a restricted free agent.

After averaging seven points per game during the regular season, the 6-foot-9, 289-pound forward emerged in the playoffs, improving to 15.8 points and 5.6 rebounds per game.

Kleiza signs 2-year deal with Olympiakos

Denver Nuggets forward Linas Kleiza is taking his playing career to Greece after signing a two-year contract worth $12.2 million with Olympiakos on Monday.

Kleiza can opt out of the deal after one season to return to the NBA, according to a source.

The Toronto Raptors, Cleveland Cavaliers and Nuggets all showed interest in Kleiza at various points this summer, but none were offering more than the bi-level exception.

Kleiza played four seasons with the Nuggets out of the University of Missouri. Coming off the bench, he averaged 9.9 points last season.

Source: Wallace returning to Detroit

Free-agent center Ben Wallace agreed to terms with the Detroit Pistons on Friday, according to a league source.

The contract is for one year at the veteran’s minimum of $1.3 million, according to sources.

Wallace became a free agent this summer after the Phoenix Suns bought him out of the last year of his contract. Wallace was traded from the Cleveland Cavaliers to Phoenix earlier this summer for Shaquille O’Neal.

The move is a bittersweet reunion of sorts. Wallace bolted from the Pistons for the Chicago Bulls in summer 2006 after the Pistons balked at matching the Bulls’ four-year, $60 million offer.

Wallace’s move from Detroit to Chicago was a bit of a bust. He never regained his defensive dominance and was traded away two years later to Cleveland.

Alarmed by the bad economy and struggles of a number of the league’s 30 teams, NBA owners continued to paint a bleak financial picture Tuesday in Manhattan when they opened labor negotiations with players on a new contract.

Ten owners, including the Knicks’ James Dolan, used the 3-1/2-hour meeting to potentially lay the groundwork for major changes in the current system that pays players 57% of basketball-related income. Read the full story