Johnny Ludden of the San Antonio Express-News reports:On Monday, the Spurs will give Greg Popovich a three-year contract extension that is designed to keep him with the franchise through the 2005-06 season, as well as make him one of the league's 10 highest-paid coaches.

The Spurs also restructured the terms of the remaining two years on Popovich's contract, which would have expired after the 2002-03 season, to give him a substantial raise.

Holt said Popovich's salary for this season would rank about 10th highest among current NBA coaches and escalate each year.

The total contract is estimated to be worth about $20 million.

Popovich will continue to also serve as the team's general manager, but the contract includes a reduced-salary provision each year if he wants to relinquish either his front-office or coaching duties.

Mike Finger of the San Antonio Express-News reports: In a long-awaited move Friday, the Spurs made the latest in their flurry of offseason transactions the same way they started ? by getting Tony Parker.

Almost three months after the team made the 19-year-old French point guard its first-round pick in the NBA Draft, Parker and the Spurs finalized a three-year deal worth about $2.4 million.

Parker signed the contract July 28, but the NBA couldn't approve the deal until he got a formal release from his French team, Paris Basket Racing.

The Spurs had already paid a $350,000 buyout ? the maximum allowed by the NBA ? to get Parker out of his French contract, but Paris Basket Racing took the case to the International Basketball Federation (FIBA) in an effort to get more money. Earlier this week, a FIBA arbitrator finally handed down a decision in favor of the Spurs.

"It's what we expected," Spurs assistant general manager R.C. Buford said. "The arbitrator ruled that Tony was free to sign a contract, and he's done that."

Mike Finger of the San Antonio Express-News reports: In a long-awaited move Friday, the Spurs made the latest in their flurry of offseason transactions the same way they started ? by getting Tony Parker.

Almost three months after the team made the 19-year-old French point guard its first-round pick in the NBA Draft, Parker and the Spurs finalized a three-year deal worth about $2.4 million.

Parker signed the contract July 28, but the NBA couldn't approve the deal until he got a formal release from his French team, Paris Basket Racing.

The Spurs had already paid a $350,000 buyout ? the maximum allowed by the NBA ? to get Parker out of his French contract, but Paris Basket Racing took the case to the International Basketball Federation (FIBA) in an effort to get more money. Earlier this week, a FIBA arbitrator finally handed down a decision in favor of the Spurs.

"It's what we expected," Spurs assistant general manager R.C. Buford said. "The arbitrator ruled that Tony was free to sign a contract, and he's done that."

San Antonio Express News' Buck Harvey reflects on the importance of Tim Duncan in the grand scheme of things.  Orlando and Miami are structuring their payroll to be able to offer Duncan the maximum two years from now when he becomes a free agent, and San Antonio must hope they are still competitive enough to keep him.  Harvey wonders, what does it really matter?

Ira Winderman of the South Florida Sun-Sentinel reports: The agent for free-agent forward Anthony Mason said that although the arrival of a luxury tax has limited his client's financial options with the Heat, it is the Heat's infatuation with Tim Duncan that has limited the length of contracts Pat Riley's team is offering.

Reporting no movement with his client, agent Don Cronson said the Heat has been cautious in discussing contracts beyond two seasons because of the potential free agency of Duncan in 2003.

"There's no question in my mind that's what they're pointing toward,'' Cronson said Monday, "because Alonzo [Mourning's] contract ends in two years. Whatever they decide to do, it's all going to be directed toward that line of demarcation, two years from now."

Duncan can become a free agent in 2003 by opting out of the final, $13 million season on the four-year contract he signed last summer to remain in San Antonio.

Despite the Heat standing on the precipice of having to pay the dollar-for-dollar tax on excessive payrolls, Cronson said he continues to talk to the Heat about a sign-and-trade agreement with Mason.

"It's still a possibility,'' he said. "It's certainly one of the possibilities."