NBA: Curry is Pistons' new coach; Del Negro going to Chicago?

DETROIT - Michael Curry will be the Pistons' coach next season after serving only one year as an assistant.

Curry is set be introduced at a news conference today, said Joe Dumars, Detroit's president of basketball operations.

Curry was an assistant last season for Flip Saunders, who was fired last week.

The Pistons and Curry agreed on a three-year deal worth $2.5 million a season. The team holds an option for a fourth season.

Del Negro for Bulls?

Vinny Del Negro has been offered the Chicago Bulls' coaching job, according to a person within the league who is familiar with the situation.

An official announcement, which could come this week, would end a nearly two-month search that included courtships of Mike D'Antoni and Doug Collins.

Del Negro, the assistant general manager of the Phoenix Suns, has never been a head coach. He would take over a team that went from 49 wins to 49 losses this season.

Opting out.

Three-time all-star Gilbert Arenas lived up to his word and opted out of the final year of his contract, the Washington Wizards said.

The move had been long expected. Arenas has repeatedly said he would forgo the final year of his six-year, $65 million deal so that he could re-sign with the team for an even larger amount.

Arenas can begin negotiating with any team on July 1.