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Wow... shocking.
Should we take the nets out of contention ?
And do you think the Spurs would have a legitimate chance to get him?
I DON'T WANT TO BE A NET'
By LENN ROBBINS
NY Post
http://www.nypost.com/sports/nets/26727.htm
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.
Wow... shocking.
Should we take the nets out of contention ?
And do you think the Spurs would have a legitimate chance to get him?
Then why did he sign there??
He hasn't signed yet... the Nets wanted to see if his knee was alright, they were having doubts before he would be actually signed.
It looks like he won't be signed.
YES!!!-snatch this guy up and we can finally deal Rasho and get us a SF and be done with it, maybe even Van Exel too!
I was the Net's owner I would do a three-team trade that would send the Spurs SAR and they would get Rasho.
Did he sign the contract? If he signed was there a condition fo the contract that said the contract goes into effect only upon successful completion of a physical exam? If so is there a limit on how long the Nets can hold it up seeking medical opinions?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?"
Yes, the Nets have 5 more days
I don't get it. Why do you want a player that the Nets have reservations about? Don't you think that there might be something wrong? It's not like the Nets are going to gain anything by stalling for no reason.
Ahh just saw it at the bottom of the article.
Why do they need to act?
And we're are not deep enough if AR is a bust.
wtf. Spurs need a reliable backup PG and a long defensive SF.
i'm with slomo...why would the nets put a hold on this thing unless they were really, really concerned about the knee.
Well, you know how well the Nets track record is with identifying injuries in players?
He's had this condition his entire career. I don't think its as big a problem as the Nets are making it out to be. Also, I don't think the Spurs would have a shot either way. They already gave Oberto part of the MLE.
sign and trade would be the only way.
Well the Nets coveted him all summer, so it's not like they are exaggerating his injury. They just want to get it checked out to make sure they aren't getting damaged goods. They'll probably get a couple more doctors to check out the MRI to assure them and then the deal with go through.
Then why does the article point out that SAR has no control over the situation? He was a free agent, right? If he hasn't signed he can just walk away from the deal.
It sounds to me like he signed the contract but the Nets haven't yet.
Anybody have any clear specifics as to whether SAR signed a contract with the Nets?
Sounds like the reporter got him in an extremely down mood and protecting himself from disappointment. I expect NJ to clear this up soon. He'll be very happy to play there.
This was in the original press release ...
As expected, Shareef Abdur-Rahim signed Tuesday with the New Jersey Nets for five years, pending the results of his physical.
So Kori, technically Portland still has his rights then, because the signed contract is voided if he failed his physical? So would we have to do a sign-and -trade with the Nets or Portland, because wasn't Portland getting a first-round pick from the Nets?
Portland signed him. The Nets are balking at the trade, not the contract. Portland has his contract, and if the trade falls through, I would guess they'd have to peddle him in another deal. If he is damaged goods, Portland would appear to be the proud owner of a $38 million albatross.
It would have to be with Portland. If NJ fails him on the physical, the contract and the trade are voided, but Portland would still hold his Bird rights, so any deal would have to be with them.
Edit: a sign and trade contract is only valid if the trade goes through. Portland is NOT stuck with him.
Last edited by exstatic; 08-07-2005 at 04:18 PM.
From ESPN.com 'The Sports Guy':
25. "It's so damn hot! Milk was a bad choice."
Think the Nets are sleeping like babies right now?To the Nets, who geared their entire summer around a Shareef Abdur-Rahim sign-and-trade and found out he couldn't pass a physical. Ouch. Why not pursue Antoine Walker over Shareef? Since when has Shareef ever been on a winning team? Isn't he the quintessential "Good stats/bad team" guy of the past 10 years? And while we're here, everyone needs to settle down with the whole "The Nets could be a top-five team!" stuff. Let's get an extended look at Kidd's knees and Vince's everything before we start lumping them in with the Pistons, Pacers and Heat.
Let's get an extended look at ...Vince's everything before we start lumping them in with the Pistons, Pacers and Heat.
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