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Free agent forward Fabricio Oberto will decide on an NBA team by next week, according to his agent, Herb Rudoy, with the Washington Wizards favored to sign him. Oberto, who is at home in his native Argentina deciding what he will do, has also mullng whether to return to the San Antonio Spurs, who sent him to Milwaukee in late June in the Richard Jefferson trade. However, a league source said Wednesday that the Spurs, while keeping their options open, are looking in another direction.
The Wizards have offered Oberto their bi-annual exception, set for next season at $1.99 million. That amount, combined with the $1.9 million that was guaranteed on Oberto's deal next season, would make the four-year NBA veteran financially whole for next year. Despite good Vegas Summer League play from young forwards JaVale McGee and Andray Blatche, Washington still believes it has a gaping need for a veteran big to back up center Brendan Haywood next season.
"He knows he wants to go where he can play on a team that has a chance to win," Rudoy said.
After going to Milwaukee, the 34-year-old Oberto was re-routed to Detroit in exchange for center Amir Johnson. But the Pistons had no intention of keeping Oberto, whose $3.8 million contract for next season was only partially guaranteed. They immediately waived him and collected $1.9 million in cap room, which, combined with letting Allen Iverson go and getting Johnson's contract off their books, helped create enough room for a free agent signing bonanza, including guard Ben Gordon and forwards Charlie Villanueva and Chris Wilcox.
Oberto was the Spurs' starting center on their last championship team two years ago, but injuries limited him to 54 games last season, and San Antonio went with a better perimeter shooter, Matt Bonner, at center. The Spurs effectively replaced Oberto by signing free agent forward Antonio McDyess to a two-year deal in June.
The Suns, Kings and Thunder have also made inquires about Oberto, who came to the NBA as a 30-year-old rookie after a stellar international career for teams in Argentina, Greece and Spain. His greatest achievement, though, may have been his stint with Argentina's teams that won the silver medal at the 2002 World Championships and the gold medal at the 2004 Summer Olympics in Athens. Despite offers to return to Europe to finish his career, Oberto wants to end his playing days in the NBA.