By The Associated Press

BOSTON – The Boston Celtics waived guard Orien Greene on Friday, two days after picking up two point guards in trades during the NBA draft.

The 6-foot-4 second-round pick last year out of Louisiana-Lafayette averaged 3.2 points, 1.8 rebounds and 1.6 assists in 80 games as a rookie. He averaged 15.4 minutes per game.

The Celtics had until Friday to waive him and not owe him any more money.

On Wednesday, the Celtics added point guards Sebastian Telfair in a trade with Portland and Rajon Rondo of Kentucky, who was traded to Boston after Phoenix chose him with the 21st pick. Delonte West was Boston’s starting point guard last season.

Villanova’s Ray set to join C’s summer league

VILLANOVA, Pa. – Snubbed in the NBA draft, former Villanova guard Allan Ray agreed this week to join the Boston Celtics’ summer league team.

Ray, a 6-foot-2 guard, set a school record with 107 3-pointers as a senior and finished sixth on Villanova’s career scoring list. Ray was regarded as possible second-round pick in Wednesday’s draft, but wasn’t taken.

Ray is considered small for an NBA shooting guard and was a streaky shooter in college. Still, he was known for creating his own shot and could connect from NBA 3-point range.

Danny Ainge, Boston’s executive director of basketball operations, said Thursday that Ray had a shot at making the roster.

“I’ve never seen a college kid have as good a career as him and not get drafted,” Ainge said.

“We think he has a chance to make our team, and he was one of the best shooters in college basketball.”

Villanova’s Randy Foye and Kyle Lowry were both selected in the first round.

Cleveland braces as Cavs offer James extension

CLEVELAND – LeBron James surprised his coach, general manager and the Cleveland Cavaliers by showing up unannounced at a press conference on Friday to introduce the club’s top two draft picks.

“It’s good to see him – anytime,” coach Mike Brown said.

But especially now.

Because after 12:01 a.m. Saturday morning, the Cavaliers were expected to contact James’ agent, Leon Rose, and offer the All-Star forward a five-year contract extension worth about $80 million. James, who isn’t eligible to become a free agent until after the 2006-07 season, has given every indication that he intends to accept and sign the deal.

Trouble is, he can’t officially sign until July 12 when the NBA’s free-agent moratorium ends. So for now, Cleveland fans, burned in the past by promises made by the likes of Art Modell, Jim Thome and Carlos Boozer, are doing their best to keep the faith that the Akron-born James stays close to home.

“These are stressful times,” Marissa Carcioppolo of Parma said after buying a silver Cavs basketball for her 5-year-old niece’s birthday at the club’s team shop at Quicken Loans Arena. “Everyone is a little bit stressed out that he’s going to leave us, but LeBron has said he wants to stay in Cleveland. He’s home grown, and I feel like he wants to be here. His heart is here.”

Posey will stay with Heat

MIAMI – James Posey was a key part of the Miami Heat’s run to the NBA championship. And he wants to be a part of the title defense, too.

Posey decided Friday to exercise his $6.4 million option to stay with the Heat next season, electing not to become a free agent.

He and the Heat will likely talk about a longer-term deal in the coming weeks, but for now, Posey simply wanted to ensure he’d be back for the 2006-07 campaign.

“He won a championship and really enjoyed every moment of the experience in Miami,” said Posey’s agent, Mark Bartelstein. “It’s a place he wants to be. We kind of went back and forth about testing the market, but he’ll be a free agent next year in the prime of his career. He couldn’t lose either way.”

With the free agent window opening Saturday, Posey’s decision answers one of many questions the Heat will face this summer.