Kings' forward Ron Artest will not play in Wednesday's game against the Suns due to personal reasons.

Artest did not travel with the team after Tuesday's home loss to the Suns. He may re-join the team in time for Friday's contest at Portland.

The Cavaliers are still expected to pursue Mike Bibby, though the Knicks supposedly struck out on an even Stephon Marbury - Mike Bibby swap among several others with Marbury owed about $40 million through the end of next season.

The Kings waived guard Orien Greene on Thursday after just seven games with the club.

Greene, a third-year pro, started two early games as Sacramento's point guard in place of injured Mike Bibby. But Greene lost the job early on, and newcomer Beno Udrih had 17 points and five assists in the Kings' loss to Minnesota on Wednesday night.

The Kings' rookies and second-year players gathered around Ron Artest on Tuesday, having one more task to complete after their nearly three-hour practice finally ended. The veteran small forward was turning 28, and an off-key version of "Happy Birthday" was in order.

But the true celebration comes today for Artest and the Kings, as they finally regain the services of the player who many believe is due for a phenomenal season and who has much at stake personally and professionally. Artest, who will play against Minnesota after serving the seven-game suspension related to his May 3 no contest plea to domestic violence, has plenty of motivation.

Playing at a high level helps Artest for all the obvious reasons but also because it's a contract year. He has an early contract termination option that, if exercised, would make him a free agent next summer. His value on all fronts ? as trade bait or on the free-agent market ? rises in accordance with his effectiveness. Which says nothing of the fact that ? basketball business aside ? the eighth-year player is eternally obsessed with winning and his role in ensuring it takes place.

Prosecutors have declined to file charges against Sacramento Kings' center Justin Williams over allegations that he sexually assaulted a woman.

Their decision was based on a report by Sacramento police investigators who found there was not enough evidence to support criminal charges.

In a statement issued Tuesday, the Sacramento County district attorney's office said it agreed with police but declined further comment.

Prosecutors said releasing more information would harm Williams, the woman who said she was sexually assaulted and another woman who also was in the home at the time.

Sacramento police have finished their investigation into allegations that Kings' center Justin Williams sexually assaulted a woman and have sent their findings to prosecutors.

Police spokesman Matt Young said it will be up to the Sacramento County district attorney's office to decide if any charges should be filed. He would not discuss the department's findings.

Officers searched Williams' home last month after a woman accused him of sexually assaulting her there.

Reggie Theus remembers some of Sacramento's lean years when victories were tough to come by.

It took until the waning moments for his Kings to finally pull off the first win of his tenure as an NBA coach.

Francisco Garcia hit a go-ahead 3 from the baseline with 29 seconds remaining, lifting Sacramento to a 104-98 victory over the Seattle SuperSonics in Theus' Arco Arena debut.

"It's tremendous," Theus said. "I have to admit I kept the ball, and it's important to me. It's important to us as a team more than anything. We needed it in the worst way."

When Kings' guard Mike Bibby hasn't been sleeping as a result of the medication he has been taking following thumb surgery, He has watched the Kings on TV. Unlike most Kings fans, he had the opportunity to get with his guys and relate to them what he has seen from afar.

"I just told a few guys what I'd seen on TV because it's different than what you see when you're on the court or on the bench," he said. "I tried to tell them what I think the coach wants to get out of them, and that's about it."

Bibby is wearing his third protective covering, this one made of plaster, after he found a fiberglass cast to be too uncomfortable. He'll begin cardio work on Tuesday, he said, but where he really wants to be is on the court with his teammates.

"Man, I wish I could play," he said.

Sacramento's Spencer Hawes, the No. 10 overall pick with the All-Star aspirations, has shown no signs of being slowed by the procedure on his left knee and said he's "ready to go."

But even though the Kings are desperate for frontcourt scoring, Hawes is not expected to play in Tuesday's home opener against Seattle. He's awaiting word from the team's training staff as to when his NBA career officially can begin.

"It feels a lot better," Hawes said. "I'm able to cut on it. ... Now it's just a question of testing it out in practice-type, game-like situations and trying to see how it responds and then going from there. It shouldn't be that much longer."

The Kings are exercising caution, unwilling to bring back Hawes too early and set the table for another setback.

"He's coming along," coach Reggie Theus said. "A lot of times what happens with stuff like that is it's really healed, but it's just not strong."

Second-year point guard J.J. Barea made nine of 11 shots, including all four 3-pointers he tried, for a career-high 25 points, pacing the Dallas Mavericks to one of the most accurate shooting performances in franchise history and beating the Sacramento Kings 123-102 in their home opener Saturday night.

Imagine how much better it might've been if Barea had more fluids in him.

"I'm used to cramping up since high school," Barea said. "I used to control it better. I've got to get back to the old days of drinking more."