[NY Daily News] Nets looking to sign Jon Barry?

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Nets' move is Thorny issue

Find Blazers won't budge

BY OHM YOUNGMISUK
DAILY NEWS SPORTS WRITER

Having secured a commitment from Shareef Abdur-Rahim, the Nets are working hard to make sure they can continue shopping for free agents.
The Nets are trying to hammer out a sign-and-trade with Portland for the free-agent power forward so they can spend their mid-level exception on Miami point guard Keyon Dooling - who will visit the Nets this week - and perhaps a shooter such as Jon Barry or a forward like Malik Allen.

According to several sources, the Nets have offered their $4.9 million trade exception along with a future lottery-protected first-round pick that extends beyond the 2006 draft. The Blazers appear to be fixated on acquiring Nets' second-round pick Mile Ilic, but the Nets have no intention of surrendering the 7-1 center.

"We don't have a deal," Portland GM John Nash said. "The Nets know (what it will take)."

If Nash rejects the offer, the Nets will be forced to try to deal part, if not all, of the trade exception to another team for a free agent like Dooling or risk losing it when it expires near the end of the month.

The Blazers could lose Abdur-Rahim for nothing since the former All-Star has agreed to join the Nets for their mid-level exception - worth roughly $5 million - if a sign-and-trade cannot be executed.

"Shareef wants to play in New Jersey next year," said agent Aaron Goodwin, whose client passed on more lucrative offers from the Bucks and Clippers.

A sign-and-trade gives Abdur-Rahim a six-year deal worth as much as $38 million, as opposed to the five-year, $28 million pact he would have to settle for with the mid-level money.

Nets president Rod Thorn has until July 29 - or later, if the NBA's new collective bargaining agreement isn't completed by this Friday - to use his trade exception.

"We would like to get something done so we can move on in other directions," said Thorn, who is also trying to re-sign free agent Clifford Robinson. "We have had some discussions (with Portland) but we haven't gotten any place."

If the Nets can't deal their trade exception and have to use all of their mid-level exception on Abdur-Rahim, they will have to wait until later this summer to make significant additions.

High-priced veterans such as Allan Houston, Michael Finley and Brian Grant could become available due to the new clause in the CBA that allows teams to make a one-time cut to save luxury-tax money. The Nets would then try to lure such players for the veteran minimum - the veterans will be paid their enormous salaries by their former teams - by selling a team that now has Jason Kidd, Vince Carter, Richard Jefferson and Abdur-Rahim.

Originally published on July 20, 2005

 

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Blazers' GM plays hardball with Nets

Wednesday, July 20, 2005

By AL IANNAZZONE
STAFF WRITER



The Nets have an agreement with Shareef Abdur-Rahim, but not one with Portland yet.

They continued to try and work out a sign-and-trade with the Blazers for the free agent power forward Tuesday. The hang-up is that Portland wants the rights to Mile Ilic to go along with the Nets' $4.9 million trade exception for Abdur-Rahim.


"We made clear what we wanted and they haven't delivered," Portland general manager John Nash said in the afternoon.

Nash believes he's working from a position of strength. If he accepts the trade exception in a sign-and-trade, the Nets still have the midlevel exception for other free agents such as Keyon Dooling, who is arriving in New Jersey today for a visit; Jon Barry and Malik Allen.

In addition, the most the Nets could give Abdur-Rahim is $28 million over five years via the midlevel exception. With the trade exception, Abdur-Rahim would get six years and $38 million.

"I think when you analyze the value of getting a player for 40 percent of what he made last year and you still have your midlevel, that is a bonanza," said Nash, a former Nets' GM.

"We have some leverage because [Abdur-Rahim] needs us to get the sixth year."

Abdur-Rahim's agent, Aaron Goodwin, has been trying to broker a trade to get his client more money. But it would seem either the Nets have to increase their offer or the Blazers lessen their demand.

Several sources believe Nash will accept the Nets' offer of a conditional future first-round pick and the trade exception. However, Nash said he is willing to not do anything at all since he is prepared to lose Abdur-Rahim without compensation.

The Nets are on a deadline, though. Their trade exception expires July 29, but it could be extended if the new collective bargaining agreement is not finished by then. But the Nets don't want to go the distance.

"If we go that far, then we're not going to be able to do some other things we might like to do," team president Rod Thorn said.

The Nets could use part of the trade exception to get Dooling, if Miami is a willing trade partner. And they could use whatever is left over on other free agents. But they will have to act quickly.

One source said the Nets are talking to other teams about the trade exception. They want to use it so they're not forced to fill out their roster with minimum-contract players. But the Nets would rather use it on Abdur-Rahim.

"We'll continue to talk and see if something can transpire," Thorn said.

The Nets gave Abdur-Rahim a Monday deadline to decide, which was perfect timing. Thorn said he had an "inkling" that Stromile Swift, who was close to becoming a Net, was going to agree to terms with Houston and Donyell Marshall the same with Cleveland.

"It had to come to a head one way or another," Thorn said. "Stromile and Donyell Marshall were getting ready to pull the trigger, which they did."

E-mail: iannazzone@northjersey.com