Boston's Next Bird(man)?

The Birdman wants to come back, but there's no telling whether there will be a clear or speedy flight path for his possible return to the NBA.

Chris Andersen, who was "dismissed and disqualified" from the NBA and the New Orleans Hornets on Jan. 27, 2006, after testing positive for a prohibited substance, is eligible to apply for reinstatement beginning Sunday -- exactly two years after he was thrown out of the league.

Prior to his suspension, Chris Andersen was a crowd favorite.

Now the "wheels are in motion" for Andersen to attempt a comeback, a somewhat arduous process that will begin with him filling out a multi-page application for reinstatement and sending it, along with dozens of pages of supporting documentation, to the league office in New York via overnight mail.

Andersen must then schedule a meeting with members of both the commissioner's office and the players' union, and the consent of both organizations is needed for Andersen to be reinstated. Andersen has no right to appeal if his reinstatement application is rejected.

There is no language in the collective bargaining agreement specifying any kind of a timetable for the reinstatement process, so it could be only a matter of days -- or it could take several weeks -- for Andersen to get a definitive answer.

If Andersen's application is granted, the Hornets would then have a 30-day exclusive window to tender him a contract for the remainder of the season. Sources have told ESPN.com that the Hornets are indeed quite interested in bringing Andersen back to a roster short on front-court depth.

Should the Hornets decline to sign him, Andersen would become an unrestricted free agent and could sign with any team.

Several NBA players have drawn five-game suspensions in recent years for violating the league's marijuana rule, but Andersen tested positive for a "drug of abuse" -- defined as amphetamines (and their derivatives), cocaine, opiates, PCP and LSD -- and was subject to a harsher penalty.

Andersen has never publicly said which drug he tested positive for, and league and union officials are prohibited under collective bargaining rules from disclosing that information

--ESPN