Rodman Will Play - Soon
Dennis Rodman's agent said Thursday the flamboyant seven-time rebounding champion won't be making his next move until next week.
Rodman announced Wednesday on his website that he had changed his mind and decided not to retire. His agent, Dwight Manley, confirmed Rodman wants to play in the NBA this season.
During a press conference Thursday agent for Karl Malone, another of Manley's clients, the agent's cellular phone rang repeatedly. Manley said the calls were from teams interested in Rodman, although he refused to name them.
Manley said there will be no deal for Rodman's services before next week. After flying to Toronto today, Manley plans to return to Los Angeles on Friday and speak to Rodman after his appearance on the Tonight Show.
"I've been reviewing my options," Rodman wrote in his website message, "and those options still include playing in the NBA this season with a contender. Chicago, New York and L.A. are all cities I'd like to play in. Playing overseas could be pretty cool, too."
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Rodman announced Tuesday he would sit out a year as rumors spread that he was about to be traded to the New York Knicks.
"OK, so here's the deal," Rodman's website message began. "I've had some long discussions with the people I love, the ones whose opinions matter most to me, and I've decided not to retire after all.
"I know yesterday I said I was history, and with the NBA lockout and everything going on, I really thought I should stop playing."
After going on about his supposed options in Chicago, New York and Los Angeles, Rodman wrote:
"There's one thing I have always told my fans I would do in my last game that I still haven't done. I'm sure you know what it is, but I still have to come back for at least one more game so that I can get buck naked on the court," Rodman wrote.
If the Bulls plan to resuscitate a sign-and-trade deal for Rodman, they'll have to do so by p.m. ET today, when teams can start making deals. Chicago is expected to renounce its rights to Michael Jordan and execute sign-and-trade deals for Scottie Pippen (to Houston), Luc Longley (to Phoenix) and Steve Kerr (to San Antonio).
Actually, anyone remotely familiar with Rodman's ways could have seen this un-retirement coming.
On Tuesday, hours after Manley said Rodman is finished with the game because he wants to go to Hollywood, Rodman backed off and said he was in a state of "limbo."
What remains to be seen is whether anyone is willing to bend over backwards to take another chance on him.
Manley said Tuesday there were several teams still interested in signing the wacky, 37-year-old Rodman, known for his ferocious workouts, frequent forays to Las Vegas and an ability to hit the boards that led to seven straight rebounding titles.
Manley refused to elaborate on those possibilities Wednesday night.
"I have nothing else to say on the subject," he said.
Rodman won championships with Chicago in 1996, 1997 and 1998, and titles with the Detroit Pistons in 1989 and 1990.
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