Shareef Abdur-Rahim: "I don't want to be a Net"

[Evilmav2]

'I DON'T WANT TO BE A NET'

By LENN ROBBINS

August 7, 2005 -- The Nets have bigger problems than the condition of Shareef Abdur-Rahim's right knee. The team's handling of medical concerns growing from his physical have alienated the power forward to the point where he on longer wants join the team.
"Right now I don't feel I want to be a Net," Abdur-Rahim told The Post last night by telephone.

"I can go somewhere else and play my career out. This is not an emotional thing. I've got to stand up for myself."

When the Nets announced on Thursday that their deal with the Trail Blazers for Abdur-Rahim had been put on hold, the 6-foot-9 power forward said he understood the franchise was doing it's due diligence.

But when the situation wasn't resolved by yesterday and Abdur-Rahim was overwhelmed by phone calls from concerned friends and family saying they had read newspaper and Internet accounts of him failing his physical, he became more upset.

By 8 o'clock last night, Abdur-Rahim had yet to go out and celebrate his fifth wedding anniversary. He was on the phone discussing his options with his agent, Aaron Goodwin, and telling The Post how disenchanted with the Nets he had become.

"At this point I feel they're doing me a disservice," said Abdur-Rahim. "Look at my history. I've never missed a game because of my knees. They could have asked the team that drafted me [Vancouver] or any of the teams that have traded for me [Atlanta, Portland]. Instead, they're putting it out there like I failed the physical and I'm damaged goods.


"I don't
want to be there," continued Abdur-Rahim. "We can just part ways and I'll find another situation where I'll have to do some damage control."

Abdur-Rahim doesn't have the power to stop the deal, but as Goodwin pointed out, "If you were the Nets, why would you bring in a player who no longer wants to be there?"

The Nets had a news conference scheduled for Thursday morning to introduce Abdur-Rahim, but an MRI found scar tissue in his right knee resulting from an injury he suffered in high school. He underwent arthroscopic surgery in 1993 and has never missed a game in college or during his nine-year NBA career because of a knee injury.

But because the Nets are investing $38 million and six years in Abdur-Rahim, they put the trade on hold.

Net President Rod Thorn never said Abdur-Rahim failed the physical - rather that the team had a concern.

"We're trying to gather all the information and make as informed a decision as we can," Thorn told The Post last night. "It's something that came out of the blue. It's something that we were not at all aware of."

A source told The Post the Nets sent copies of the MRI to three of the most prominent sports orthopedic surgeons in the nation - Dr. David Altcheck, Dr. Russ Warren, the Giants' team doctor, and Dr. James Andrews, who pioneered what is now known as Tommy John surgery.

Goodwin told The Post on Friday that Altcheck agreed with the power forward that the condition is not one for concern. The Nets agreed to send a 2006 protected first-round lottery pick and the team's $4.9 million trade exception to Portland for Abdur-Rahim.

The Nets have until Friday to complete the deal.

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[MrCheerios]

Ouch to the nets. They wronged a player who turned down 48 million to join them and now it's biting them in the ass. I honestly thought he failed his physical. I'd be pissed too if I were him.

[mavsfanforever]

He wanted out of Atlanta. He did not want to play for Blazers. He does not want to be a Net. WTF.

[RocketFan11]

Originally posted by: mavsfanforever
He wanted out of Atlanta. He did not want to play for Blazers. He does not want to be a Net. WTF.

Everybody wants out of Atlanta (though I don't believe he demanded a trade to get out). Nobody wants to play for the Blazers. And if they were in the same shoes as Shareef, I don't think many people would still want to play for New Jersey (especially after cutting the Nets a break and turning down a larger deal to go there). Pretty easy for me to understand where SAR's coming from.

Though I hear he did enjoy Vancouver. Understandably too, it's a beautiful city, and there was surprisingly good fan support.

[kriD]

NETS SET TO LAND SHAREEF

By LENN ROBBINS

August 8, 2005 -- The roller-coaster courtship between Shareef Abdur-Rahim and the Nets seems to be headed toward a happy ending, and both sides can only hope the marriage is more stable than the dating process.

Spurred on by yesterday's exclusive story in The Post in which Abdur-Rahim — upset by the Nets' handling of medical concerns that arose in his physical — said he no longer wanted to join the franchise, the team is expected to announce today it is going through with the deal.

Abdur-Rahim, 28, who was courted heavily by the Nets, was disillusioned by the team's last-second decision to seek additional medical opinions about scar tissue in his right knee.

When his feelings were published in yesterday's Post, Nets star Jason Kidd, coach Lawrence Frank and Thorn called Abdur-Rahim to rebuild the relationship, sources told The Post.

"Shareef is a good guy, and No. 1, he's a professional," said Thorn. "I understand there's some anxiety and trepidation when the possibility of not ending up with the team you chose arises. We feel we have all the information we need to make a decision within the next day or two."

The Nets have reason to be cautious since they are investing six years and $38 million in the deal. They sent copies of his MRI to three leading orthopedic surgeons and now must decide if they want to complete a sign-and-trade deal with the Trail Blazers.

In addition to sending Portland a protected No. 1 pick in the 2006 draft, the Nets are shipping their $4.9 million trade exception to the Trail Blazers. They lose that exception at midnight tomorrow, so time is of the essence.

"The real reason for me coming to New Jersey is I feel like we have a real good chance to compete for a championship," Abdur-Rahim said last night by telephone. "I don't think that's changed. I just wish things had been handled better, with me in mind.

"But it is what it is. I know I have a lot of basketball left in me. I thought that's one of the reasons the Nets came after me as hard as they did. I don't want them making a decision they're not comfortable with. I'm a grown man; if this goes through, I signed a contract and will work hard to earn it."

[madape]

someone get the baby a pacifier. jeez

[HexNBA]

Deal is off: http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/8861968/

[dalmations202]

This guy might be able to help the Mavs quite a bit. He has an inside post game. I wouldn't think he would want to come to the Mavs because he wouldn't start, but he would be an assett at the MLE if he would. Of course, his defense is suspect so I don't think he would be the perfect answer, but him/DJ as needed would be a descent backup tandem with KVH.

[Dirkenstien]

Originally posted by: HexNBA
Deal is off: http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/8861968/

Good call in my opinion. The Nets truly cannot afford to have another player with a long term contract go down.

[poohrichardson]

Originally posted by: dalmations202
This guy might be able to help the Mavs quite a bit. He has an inside post game. I wouldn't think he would want to come to the Mavs because he wouldn't start, but he would be an assett at the MLE if he would. Of course, his defense is suspect so I don't think he would be the perfect answer, but him/DJ as needed would be a descent backup tandem with KVH.

S&T with the Blazers might be an idea.. how about the Blazers signing Shareef for Marquis' contract and doing a straight up trade? He could start at the 3 and backup Dirk at the 4.. move Josh to the 2 and we're gold.

[capitalcity]

Dude's damaged goods... why would the mavs want him.

[MrCheerios]

He's not damaged goods, but he's not helping the mavs either. Mavs could use another defender and he's not it. Both Stack and josh are better overall at the 3, dirk is starting at the 4, and there's still KVH coming off the bench. Talk about redundancy. It'd be like getting Walker all over again.