Chuck Hayes’ Agent Says There Is No Heart Problem, Forward Cleared To Play

Chuck Hayes does not have a heart problem and has been cleared by the renowned Cleveland Clinic to play, the forward's agent Calvin Andrews announced on Thursday. That would be in direct conflict with a Sacramento Kings announcement this week that said Hayes failed a physical. On Wednesday, the Sacramento Bee's Ailene Voisin cited anonymous sources who said that Hayes was diagnosed with pericarditis, or enlargement of the sack surrounding the heart.

Whether the Kings will consider signing Hayes after all remains to be seen, though if they do, the decision to void his deal before getting a corroborating exam is mighty curious. Hayes is an unrestricted free agent; he played for the Houston Rockets last season. On Wednesday, the Rockets signed center Samuel Dalembert to replace Hayes; Dalembert played in Sacramento last season and appeared set to re-sign with the team on Wednesday before the Kings announced that they had rescinded their offer.