News briefs: League hasn't changed traveling rule

NEW YORK -- The correct call: The NBA has not changed the traveling rule.

Stu Jackson, the league's executive vice president of basketball operations, said recent media reports that the rule had been changed to allow an extra step after the dribble were not true.

"We have not changed the traveling rule, nor how we enforce the rule," Jackson said Friday during the league's annual preseason conference call. "What we did change was some antiquated language in our existing rule as it related to steps."

The section of the NBA rulebook dealing with traveling used to allow players to "use a two-count rhythm in coming to a stop." It was reworded this season to say players "may take two steps in coming to a stop, passing or shooting the ball."

Former Sixer Christmas arrested on firearms charge

PHILADELPHIA -- Philadelphia police say former Temple University basketball star Dionte Christmas, who was cut by the Philadelphia 76ers on Wednesday, has been arrested on firearms charges.

Police spokesman Lt. Frank Vanore says Christmas was stopped by Highway Patrol officers at about 7:30 p.m. Thursday for erratic driving in North Philadelphia. Vanore says he was found to be driving without a license, and the vehicle had a 9mm semiautomatic pistol under the driver's seat.

Vanore says Christmas was taken to the 35th Police District to be charged with felony firearms offenses.

The 6-foot-5 guard averaged 19.5 points per game in his senior season at Temple. His agent, Andre Buck, said he is trying to contact his client. Sixers spokesman Mike Preston says the team will not comment.

Newark, N.J., could be interim home for Nets

NEWARK, N.J. -- An adviser to New Jersey's governor has crafted a plan that would make Newark's Prudential Center the venue for sports events, possibly including home games of the Nets while the NBA team awaits a planned move to New York City's Brooklyn borough.

The Izod Center in East Rutherford, where the Nets currently play, would focus on concerts and family entertainment events.

The two venues have been battling over entertainment bookings for two years.

Jerold Zaro, who head's Gov. Jon Corzine's Office of Economic Growth, described a plan to resolve the dispute in a memo, obtained by the Associated Press.

Rockets waive veteran guard Barry

HOUSTON -- The Houston Rockets have waived guard Brent Barry, a move that trims their roster to the required 15 players.

The 6-foot-7 Barry signed as a free agent with the Rockets before last season and averaged 3.7 points and 1.4 assists in 56 games.

Barry, 37, has played 14 seasons in the NBA. He was selected by Denver in the first round of the 1995 draft, but was traded to the Los Angeles Clippers before his rookie season. He was traded to Miami in February 1998 and also played for Chicago (1998-99), Seattle (1999-2004) and San Antonio (2004-08), where he played on championship teams in 2005 and '07.

Barry had not rejoined the team in the preseason.