Nets hoping N.J. can charm Abdur-Rahim
http://www.nj.com/sports/ledger/inde...130.xml&coll=1
Saturday, July 09, 2005
BY DAVE D'ALESSANDRO
Star-Ledger Staff
The Nets won't have long to wait.
Shareef Abdur Rahim and his wife have agreed on a timetable, and its length is a result of how comfortable they felt during their visit to New Jersey.
"I'll decide in maybe a week -- at the most," Abdur-Rahim said yesterday.
"As soon as possible," his wife, Dee, agreed. "No more than a week."
And yes, that is probably a positive sign for the Nets.
When the free agent forward arrived home in Atlanta in the early evening yesterday, the first thing he did was place a call - back to New Jersey.
"I just got off the phone with Lawrence," he said, referring to coach Lawrence Frank, "and thanked him for how nice everyone treated us. Really, they went out of their way to make us feel very comfortable."
Abdur-Rahim still has two perfunctory visits to Sacramento and Miami early next week, and his wife will not accompany him - but nothing should be read into that, he said. Dee is from the Bay Area, and already familiar with the California capital; and the couple has a second home in Florida (though on the Gulf coast).
So this recruitment season, more than anything else, was all about getting to know New Jersey.
"I learned a lot about the organization, but probably most about New Jersey itself," said the native Georgian, 28. "I didn't know much about it and the things it has to offer. There's a lot more going on than I had thought. I really enjoyed it."
"We both thought it was really nice," Dee added. "We were really impressed with the organization, we toured the neighborhoods around Ridgewood, which were really beautiful."
Was it a place they could raise their two young children?
"I think we left there thinking that it's a place where we be happy," Abdur-Rahim said.
The only drawback, perhaps, is the money issue. While no team has thrown more money at him than the Nets are offering (six years, $37 million), the market has just opened. He may do better if he waits, which could be a priority, because this could be the last contract of his career.
On the other hand, "The situation is what it is," Abdur-Rahim said. "Financially, they're limited in what they can do. But New Jersey is appealing for other reasons. I don't know if money is more important than other factors. Everyone wants to be in a good situation and a good work environment. . . .and the Nets provide those things."
To me, this sounds like the Spurs are off the radar. If he has to decide, that pretty much means that whatever trade was on the table earlier is off.
If the Spurs are heading in another direction, that probably means bringing in Scola or going after Donyell Marshall.
Then again, this could be CIA at work.
lol
just bring in freaking scola man.. who care about SAR??
did anybody acually think he was on his way here??
but i do agree on the fact that the spurs need another SF..
but i guess we'll just have to wait and see :wink
Yeah, is SAR really our answer at the "long 3?" More like a light 4.
I hope he doesn't go to Miami. I'm sick of all the talent that goes to a Shaq team. It pisses me off.
Yah, I doubt that he's going to visit with the Spurs within the week, therefore, he's probably not coming. I don't really care where he goes as long as its not miami.
Id be down with Donyell Marshall coming in a sign and trade, or an outright signing.
I dont think Scola and Marshall can be had in the same year though.....
im really sure that his mind is already made up about going to nj, he just wants to make it final within a week.
well, here's hoping for marshall, then.
I think spurs told sar he needs to decide so they can move on our not
So if the Spurs bring in Scola, do they keep Rasho???? I am trying to decide whether or not I like this idea.To me, this sounds like the Spurs are off the radar. If he has to decide, that pretty much means that whatever trade was on the table earlier is off.
If the Spurs are heading in another direction, that probably means bringing in Scola or going after Donyell Marshall.
Then again, this could be CIA at work.
I always thought a team like NJ made more sense for him anyway. I mean, it's great to go to a championship team, but he's 28 and he most likely wouldn't have started.
Meanwhile, NJ has the talent to go pretty deep in the playoffs with a good PF on board, and he'd be a lock as a starter. I'd say they're probably 4th in the East, after Detroit, Miami, and Indiana.
I'd keep him until we find the right trade opportunity. Also, as insurance until we resign Nazr. If someone important gets injured or somebody takes a step back or starts stinking up the place, we have trade bait to address the need up until the trade deadline.So if the Spurs bring in Scola, do they keep Rasho???? I am trying to decide whether or not I like this idea.
No surprise SAR isn't coming to the spurs. The spurs never do much with trades.
um, ok.
I think he has a good point. The spurs usually can't get much out of trades. Rack him.^
To me, this sounds like the Spurs never really were on the radar.To me, this sounds like the Spurs are off the radar.
we are getting no star, or atleast I dont want a proven player in the nba..
get someone who wants to prove something..
SAR is going to a team that's desperate if he goes to the nets..
simple as that.
It's just the way of balancing the NBA.
Rasho doesn't become expendible when Scola comes in. Rasho is there for his big body taking up space on defense and blocking shots. Scola gives us something we haven't really had in the Duncan era (other than an aging Robinson): a legitimate second post-up threat.
It doesn't sound like anything. He still has to decide if this is where he'd want to play, only then will a S&T be worked out. Portland can't force him to sign, and then trade him. He still has a say in it.
SAR wants to start. End of story.
I love SAR coming to NJ. As a Wright fan, I love to see some more quality there.
PG Kidd
SG Vinsanity
SF Jefferson
PF SAR
C <Insert Stiff Here>
And Wright will come in for Vince/Jeff. Quality.
Screw SAR. We don't need him.
He's ok...
not strong at all.....
They still need a big man..
The Nets might be an okay team, if Carter decides to show up every night. Kidd's health is always a question with his age.
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