Aug. 10, 2001, 5:29PM Rockets make deal to acquire Glen Rice By JONATHAN FEIGEN Copyright 2001 Houston Chronicle Unable to strike a deal to bring back Shandon Anderson's all-around talents, the Houston Rockets reached agreement on a three-team deal today to bring in Glen Rice's top-shelf shooting touch, sources confirmed. Rice, a 12-year veteran coming off a down season with the New York Knicks, would give the Rockets shooting accuracy and range Anderson had not had in his two seasons with the team. He also would be a more natural forward, as opposed to Anderson who had been moved to forward when Cuttino Mobley took over the starting shooting guard spot. Rice, 34, struggled to carve out a consistent niche with Latrell Sprewell and Allan Houston and with plantar fasciitis. But he is still considered one of the league's best pure shooters, averaging 12.2 points on 46.2 percent shooting and 42.9 percent 3-point shooting in 75 games last season. A 6-8, 220-pound forward, Rice will earn $28.5 million over the next three seasons, taking the rest of the Rockets salary cap space, other than room saved to keep the rights to Eddie Griffin and Moochie Norris. Rice, a first-round pick of the Miami Heat in 1989 out of Michigan, where is was the most prolific scorer in Big Ten history, is a three-time NBA All Star and a member of the Lakers 1999-2000 championship team. The Rockets had tried to acquire Rice before the 1999-2000 season, but the Lakers were not willing to take on Scottie Pippen's contract. He has averaged 19.5 points per game in his career, making 45.8 percent of his shots and 40.4 percent of his 3-pointers. In his 12 seasons, he has missed just 52 games. His best season, 1996-97, was wsith the Hornets when he averaged 26.8 points and was the All Star game MVP. Anderson averaged 8.7 points, 4.1 rebounds and 2.3 assists last season. He averaged 12.3 points and 4.7 rebounds in his first season with the Rockets, increasing his scoring every month. He has started every Rockets game the past two seasons and has not missed a game since 1996-97, his rookie season, a streak of 335 consecutive games played, the fifth-longest active streak in the league. Anderson made 44.6 percent of his shots and just 27.1 percent of his 3-pointers last season. The Knicks will also pick up Anderson's former Jazz teammate Howard Eisley from the Mavericks. The Mavericks will receive Mugsy Bogues and trade exception money to make the deal acceptable financially.
when you have the tallest of all...why not having the shortest of all. always the coolest picture ,few years ago it was the picture of Muresn and Bogues (not on the same team) now it will be Bradley and Bogues. anyway ,great deal for us imo ,instead of a 3rd fiddle in Anderson ,we have a starting SF who fits the Rockets system. Rudy wanted this guy more than once in the last few years,and I think it was the right move. Dan Lederman
Dallas didn't want anybody -- but NY couldn't absorb Eisley's entire salary with the trade exception they get from the Rice-Shandon deal. So they had to send a player to the Mavs to make up the difference. What Dallas is really doing is saving up cap room for Tim Duncan in 2003. And this is a big step on the road to doing that.
With Shandon gone and the Bull going to Charlotte (no cap space here - they are offering a ton) and the Wiz to the Wiz for White, Rice will fit real well and have plenty of minutes and shots here...
