Bulls Settle Up With Starks

John Starks wanted to leave the Chicago Bulls so badly he offered to give up his salary for a chance to join a team headed to the playoffs.

It didn’t quite work out that way.

Even though arbitrator Roger Kaplan ruled Tuesday that Starks could forfeit his salary if he wanted to, the Bulls, after waiving him, said they would pay off his contract, about $700,000.

Kaplan also ruled that if Starks signs with another team, he can’t be on the playoff roster.

Starks came to Chicago from the Golden State Warriors last month as part of a three-team trade that sent Toni Kukoc to Philadelphia.

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Forward Bill Curley, who played with the Warriors earlier this season, re-signed with the team to replace Sam Mack, who was released a day earlier.