Wang/Askrabic article

[MavsFanFinley]

Mavs, Wang split up, for now
Dallas wants to re-sign free agent, but he won't be on summer team

06/20/2002

By JODIE VALADE / The Dallas Morning News

Wang Zhizhi's rebellion against China's demands to return to his native country has led to a short-term severance with the team that brought him to the NBA.

Mavericks coach-general manager Don Nelson said the free agent will not play on the Mavericks' summer-league team because of the franchise's promise that Wang would return to China. Wang has remained in the United States since the end of the season, against the wishes of the Chinese Basketball Association.

"That doesn't mean that we don't want to re-sign him," Nelson said Wednesday. "We do."

Owner Mark Cuban said the Mavericks will tender a qualifying offer to Wang, thus making him a restricted free agent. The Mavericks will have the right to match any offer Wang receives, with a first-year salary up to the league average, about $4.5 million.

But as a free agent, Wang also has the option to play with any summer-league team.

Wang continues to work out privately in Los Angeles, according to adviser Simon Chan. He has missed two deadlines to return to China, conveyed in separate letters to the Mavericks, summoning the 24-year-old former soldier home to join China's national team in its preparations for the World Championship games in Indianapolis later this summer.

The Mavericks have not had contact with Wang since the end of the season, Nelson said.

"It's a strange situation where we'd love to have him play on our summer-league team, but we don't want to be misconstrued in China," Nelson said. "That [Wang returning to China] was our commitment to them."

The Mavericks' agreement with the Chinese Red Army that allowed Wang to play in the NBA included clauses that Wang must play for the national team whenever asked. That means he has had to miss NBA summer-league play, the first month of the regular season, and is eligible to be called back to China at any time.

Nelson said he isn't worried about the Mavericks' relationship with China with Wang's rebellion – despite his reluctance to include Wang in the team's summer-league plans.

"We've kept all our commitments with them [China]," Nelson said. "I don't see how they could change their opinion of us. He did that on his own."

Mavs have to wait for shot at power forward

Nelson returned from a three-week trip to Europe for clinics and scouting with free-agent news – the Mavericks will not sign free agent Ognjen Askrabic, as had been previously expected.

Askrabic has been a Mavericks target since mid-season, when assistant coach Donnie Nelson traveled to Yugoslavia to watch Askrabic play. Don Nelson said Askrabic will play for his club team, FMP Zeleznik, for one more season before testing the NBA free-agent route. Nelson said the Mavericks still have a strong interest in Askrabic, a 6-9 power forward.