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Kings Sign Abdur-RahimThe Sacramento Kings signed forward Shareef Abdur-Rahim on Friday, three days after a deal sending him from Portland to New Jersey fell through. The Nets rescinded their trade with the Trail Blazers on Tuesday, claiming the nine-year veteran's right knee had failed physical exams. The Kings wasted no time reasserting their interest in Abdur-Rahim, quickly closing what's believed to be a one-year deal for the NBA's midlevel salary cap exception, worth about $5 million. Abdur-Rahim has averaged 19.9 points and 8.1 rebounds in a career with Vancouver, Atlanta and Portland. The veteran forward has never reached the playoffs -- but that seems likely to change with the Kings, who added him to a starting lineup that now could be one of the NBA's strongest. Geoff Petrie, the Kings' president of basketball operations, moved swiftly to complete the latest move in his yearlong makeover of the franchise, which has parted ways with Chris Webber, Vlade Divac, Doug Christie, Cuttino Mobley and Bobby Jackson since last summer. With Abdur-Rahim in town, Maurice Evans and Darius Songaila now are likely to leave as free agents. Sacramento Kings, New Jersey Nets, Portland Trail Blazers Read the Full Story Discuss Send Feedback Buy Tickets Nets Rescind Trade Offer For Abdur-RahimThe New Jersey Nets have rescinded their trade with the Portland Trail Blazers for forward Shareef Abdur-Rahim, Nets President Rod Thorn announced today. The Nets and Trail Blazers had agreed on a deal, pending a physical, that would have sent the nine-year veteran to the Nets in exchange for the Nets first round pick in 2006, lottery protected, and the team’s trade exception as a result of the Kerry Kittles trade to the Los Angeles Clippers in 2004. “We were anticipating adding Shareef to our roster,” said Thorn. “However, during the course of his normal physical examination, some questions arose that gave us cause for concern. After consulting with several noted specialists, we feel that rescinding the trade is our best course of action. We will now look in other directions for ways to improve our team for the upcoming season.” New Jersey Nets, Portland Trail Blazers Read the Full Story Discuss Send Feedback Buy Tickets Decision On Shareef By Tuesday's EndShareef Abdur-Rahim will know whether or not he will be a member of the New Jersey Nets at midnight on Tuesday night. That's when the Nets lose their $4.9 million trade exception, a key component of the sign-and-trade deal they worked out with the Trail Blazers for the 6-9 power forward. "We're running out of time," Kidd said yesterday at Basketball City. "The one good thing is we've got to make a decision. I just hope it's the right decision." That decision has become a gut-wrenching one for the Nets, who yesterday were reviewing the advice of three prominent orthopedic surgeons. If they complete the deal with Portland, they owe Abdul-Rahim $38 million over six years. There are questions if his right knee, which has scar tissue dating to 1993 when he underwent arthroscopic knee surgery, will become arthritic. "The business always gets in the way of basketball," said Kidd, who pointed out the Nets wouldn't be in this crunch if not for the labor dispute. "We went through this once before already. If it wasn't business, just strictly basketball, then this would be no issue. But the team has to protect itself. At the same time I think the two sides will find a happy medium. "Hopefully [Abdur-Rahim] will put us in the elite," said Kidd. "We plan on competing as much as Miami and Detroit and Indiana. We would like to be mentioned in that group." Instead of Abdur-Rahim, the Nets could turn their sights on Sacramento's Darius Songalia, Cleveland's DeSagana Diop, Miami's Malik Allen, Phoenix's Steven Hunter, or Brian Grant if the Lakers use their amnesty buyout. New Jersey Nets, Portland Trail Blazers Read the Full Story Discuss Send Feedback Buy Tickets Trail Blazers Aug 2005 Archive
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