MIAMI - The NBA season opens tonight with two games on the schedule: Chicago at Miami and Phoenix at the Los Angeles Lakers. The Heat, led by Shaquille O'Neal and Dwyane Wade, will be presented with their championship rings before they face a Bulls team bolstered by the addition of center Ben Wallace.

Miami Heat center Shaquille O'Neal warms up before a NBA pre-season basketball game against Houston Rockets in Miami, Florida October 25, 2006. [Reuters] Canadian Steve Nash of the Phoenix Suns, seen here in June 2006, is the reigning two-time league Most Valuable Player. While USA Basketball struggles to counter the international assault on American supremacy in the game, the National Basketball Association is nurturing a growing crop of global stars.[AFP]

Lakers star Kobe Bryant is expected to play tonight despite missing the entire preseason after recovering from knee surgery.

In other NBA news:

- Veteran swingman Jalen Rose has been waived by the New York Knicks. He averaged 12.7 points a game in 26 games for the Knicks last season and was scheduled to make $16.9 million this season.

- Larry Brown and the Knicks reached a settlement on the remainder of the fired coach's contract. Terms were not disclosed. Brown had argued he was due about $40 million with four years left on his five-year contract.

- The Memphis Grizzlies have picked up the option on forward Hakim Warrick. The extension means he'll be with the club through the 2007-2008 season.

- Center Luke Schenscher has been waived by Chicago. He averaged just two points and two rebounds a game in three preseason appearances.

- New Jersey has waived forward Darvin Ham. He missed almost the entire preseason with an injury to his right calf.

- Seattle signed its fourth-year point guard Luke Ridnour to a contract extension. He averaged 11 1/2 points and seven assists a game last season, his second as the Sonics starting point guard.

- The New Orleans Hornets signed leading scorer David West to a multiyear contract extension. It keeps him from becoming a restricted free agent at the end of the season. He averages 17.1 points and 7.4 rebounds, leading the team in both categories.

- Boston Celtics legends Larry Bird and Bob Cousy were among several basketball luminaries who paid their respects last night to Red Auerbach, the NBA coach, executive and pioneer who died Saturday at 89. There will be a private funeral in Falls Church, Va., today.