HOUSTON (Ticker) - Veteran forward Vin Baker's tumultuous career has taken another downward turn.

The Houston Rockets on Friday waived Baker, who has played for three teams over the past two seasons after spending the first nine of his career with Milwaukee and Seattle.

A four-time All-Star from 1995-98 and a member of the United States' Olympic gold medal-winning squad in 2000, Baker has averaged 15.1 points and 7.5 rebounds in 783 games.

But Baker, who turns 34 on November 23, has struggled mightily in the past few seasons as he has battled alcoholism.

After averaging 14.1 points and 6.4 rebounds with Seattle in the 2001-02 season, he was traded to Boston and averaged just 5.2 points and 3.8 rebounds the following campaign.

In the 2003-04 season, the Celtics terminated the final 2 1/2 seasons of his contract for violating his alcohol treatment program after he missed a 10th straight game .

Arbitrator Roger Kaplan overruled an NBA order that prevented Baker from signing with other teams until his grievance with the Boston Celtics was resolved. He finished that season with the New York Knicks.

Last season, Baker was traded from New York to Houston on Feb. 24. He averaged just 0.7 points and 0.7 rebounds in three games with the Rockets.

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