Starks waiting out arbitration at home

Wednesday, March 8th 2000, 12:00 am

By: News On 6

(Chicago-AP) -- Former Oklahoma State basketball star John Starks will NOT play for the Chicago Bulls while an arbitrator decides his fate. He won't be sitting on the Bulls' bench either.

Starks has gone home to Tulsa to await an arbitrator's decision on whether he can forfeit the rest of his salary, leave the Bulls and join a playoff contender.

Bulls coach Tim Floyd says Starks' wife is pregnant and Stark has tendinitis in his legs. Floyd says rest is the only way to help the tenditis while Stark assists his wife.

The 34-year-old Starks has offered to forfeit the rest of his four million dollar salary -- or about 900-thousand dollars --if the Bulls would waive him. N-B-A sources have said the New York Knicks and the Miami Heat are interested in Starks if he won his case.