Ron Artest and Stephen Jackson are in trouble with the NBA again.

The central figures in the brawl at The Palace of Auburn Hills, Mich., were each suspended without pay by the league yesterday for the first seven games of next season because of their most recent legal problems.

And their history of headaches was likely the reason they were slapped with stronger penalties than other players who have been suspended in recent years for getting in trouble with the law.

The NBA's collective bargaining agreement calls for a minimum 10-game suspension when a player is convicted of or pleads no contest to a violent felony. While the league felt these crimes fell short of that, it came down hard on both players -- who already are used to hearing from the league office.

Artest pleaded no contest in May to a misdemeanor domestic violence charge stemming from a March 5 dispute with his wife, the latest in a string of off-court problems.

A judge sentenced Artest to 100 hours of community service and a 10-day work project through the county sheriff's department. The Sacramento Kings forward also was fined $600 and ordered to get extensive counseling.

Jackson of the Golden State Warriors pleaded guilty a month ago to a felony count of criminal recklessness for firing a gun outside an Indiana strip club in the fall, when he was with the Pacers. He was ordered to pay a $5,000 fine and perform 100 hours of community service.

Heat

The suspense surrounding Alonzo Mourning's playing status for next season is nearing an end. The seven-time All-Star center said he will make it known "very soon" whether he will return to Miami or retire, a decision he has been contemplating for the 2 1/2 months since the team was eliminated in the first round of the NBA playoffs. If he returns it would be Mourning's 15th season, not including a year he missed because of kidney disease and a transplant that followed in December 2003.

Trail Blazers

Rookie center Greg Oden had his tonsils removed yesterday. The tonsillectomy was performed at The Vancouver Clinic in Vancouver, Wash., and the recovery time for the No. 1 pick in the NBA draft a month ago is expected to take two to three weeks.

Nets

A day after losing center Mikki Moore to free agency, New Jersey reached an agreement in principle with former All-Star Jamaal Magloire. The Nets also announced that they had requested waivers on guard Hassan Adams.

Bucks

Point guard Mo Williams reportedly agreed to a six-year, $52 million deal, rejecting an offer from the Miami Heat. The Heat had offered Williams a five-year, $31.4 million deal, the maximum it could give under salary cap guidelines.

Wizards

Unrestricted free agent DeShawn Stevenson and Washington have agreed on a contract to keep the shooting guard with the club. The team wouldn't disclose the terms of the deal, but it's reportedly worth $15 million over four years. The Wizards are expected to formally announce the signing next week.