Suns extend contracts of Barbosa, Diaw; waive rookie guard

[ducks]

Suns extend contracts of Barbosa, Diaw; waive rookie guard
October 27, 2005

PHOENIX (AP) -- The Phoenix Suns extended the contracts of guards Leandro Barbosa and Boris Diaw on Thursday and lowered their preseason roster to 15 players by waiving rookie guard Anthony Lever-Pedroza.

The team exercised the fourth-year options on the rookie-scale contracts of Barbosa and Diaw. Both players will be under contract through at least the 2006-07 season with the Suns holding the right of first refusal when the two become restricted free agents in summer 2007.

The 22-year-old Barbosa has averaged 7.5 points, 1.9 rebounds and 2.2 assists in 133 games over two seasons with the Suns, including 52 starts.

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Diaw was acquired from Atlanta in an Aug. 19 sign-and-trade deal that sent Joe Johnson to the Hawks. Diaw averaged 4.6 points, 3.6 rebounds and 2.3 assists in 142 games (62 starts) in his first two seasons with Atlanta.

Lever-Pedroza, the son of former Arizona State and NBA star Lafayette ``Fat'' Lever, was signed by the Suns on Sept. 30 after playing two professional seasons in Mexico.

He appeared in three preseason games for Phoenix.

[JMarkJohns]

yay!