Suns grab Grant, sign NBA's first Irishman

0 Comments | AFP, August, 2005

PHOENIX, United States (AFP) — A decision by the Los Angeles Lakers to dump forward Brian Grant to save money against the National Basketball Association's new salary cap has paid dividends for the Phoenix Suns.

The Suns signed the 33-year-old forward, an 11-year NBA veteran, to a deal worth at least 1.138 million dollars after the Lakers used their "amnesty" to ditch Grant without his salary counting against the overall payroll limit.

The Suns also signed the NBA's first Irish-born player, center Pat Burke.

Phoenix became the first NBA club to sign another player dumped in such a salary move after Grant was waived last week by the Lakers in a one-time move allowed under the NBA's new union contract.

Grant will still receive more than 14 million...