http://sports.espn.go.com/nba/news/story?id=2132889 The Sacramento Kings signed forward Shareef Abdur-Rahim on Friday, three days after a deal sending him from Portland to New Jersey fell through. The Nets rescinded their trade with the Trail Blazers on Tuesday, claiming the nine-year veteran's right knee had failed physical exams. The Kings wasted no time reasserting their interest in Abdur-Rahim, quickly closing what's believed to be a one-year deal for the NBA's midlevel salary cap exception, worth about $5 million. Abdur-Rahim has averaged 19.9 points and 8.1 rebounds in a career with Vancouver, Atlanta and Portland. The veteran forward has never reached the playoffs -- but that seems likely to change with the Kings, who added him to a starting lineup that now could be one of the NBA's strongest. Geoff Petrie, the Kings' president of basketball operations, moved swiftly to complete the latest move in his yearlong makeover of the franchise, which has parted ways with Chris Webber, Vlade Divac, Doug Christie, Cuttino Mobley and Bobby Jackson since last summer. With Abdur-Rahim in town, Maurice Evans and Darius Songaila now are likely to leave as free agents. Sacramento acquired high-scoring guard Bonzi Wells in a trade with Memphis last week, and the Kings picked up guard Francisco Garcia in the draft. Abdur-Rahim joins a projected starting lineup with Wells, Mike Bibby, Peja Stojakovic and Brad Miller, along with Kenny Thomas, Corliss Williamson, Brian Skinner and new signees Jason Hart and Jamal Sampson on the bench. While Abdur-Rahim visited his list of potential new teams in recent weeks, he said the Kings were among his top two choices. His wife is from the San Francisco Bay area, about 90 miles west, and he played one collegiate season at California.
Yep! And you know what that means - stat whoring and ball hogging. I don't think this will mesh well with Sacramento's offense. I'm not a big fan of Chris Webber, but Sactown has come a long way down from the days of Vlade and Webber playing the two man game.
Checking the Kingsfans chatboard, a radio station in Sactown is reporting the deal is 5Yrs/$29MM. May not be a one year deal after all.
Didn't sound right, 5yrs/$29M sounds more like it. Why would he sign so quickly for just a 1 yr deal. I think he makes them better and they needed him, with SAR they have a chance of making the playoffs.
Who cares about SAR!!! Sacremento is going to get beaten like Rodney King by the Clippers!!! The Clippers have Sam Cassell and Cuttino Clippers=Rocket Legends!!!
Well, that does it, with just this signing of SAR, the Kings are contenders once again, LOL . Seriously, do they actually think that this makes them a better team?
I think adding a 20 and 9 player DOES make them better. This is a GREAT pickup for Sacramento, and should keep them as a playoff team.
NJ make a mistake letting him go. He has never had any knee problems despite what the physical showed. Definitely a great pickyp by SAC.
Well there's our athletic SG... and I would love to have Songalia on this squad... although we don't "need" him like we did before the Swift matter was settled.
Geoff Petrie proves once again he is one of the best GMs in the NBA. If it weren't single-handedly for him, I bet the Kings would be the Clippers II.
Good move for the Kings. Adds yet another asset to the team. But I have to wonder what kind of chemistry that team will have. Who is their "go to" guy? Peja? Bibby? SAR? Plus Wells, Miller, Thomas, Williamson. Will there be enough basketballs to go around?
Steal of a contract, probably the best value all offseason, at least on face value. (I think Swift's could well prove better, but he is not as accomplished as SAR yet) Sac won't be better than us, but they have a real shot at home court in the 1st round of the playoffs.
The Kings may not be better than us next year, but they are now very dangerous. Miller, SAR, Peja, Bibby & Bonzi is an outstanding starting 5 if Adelman can get them to play together. Bonzi is the wild card. Their backups are Skinner, KT, Corliss Williamson, Jason Hart & Francisco Garcia (or Kevin Martin). That, ladies and gentlemen, is a dangerous team. The problem is they don't have a superstar (or two) that can carry them when the going gets really tough. The same problem the Mavs and Grizzlies have had. I wouldn't be surprised if this team finishes in the top 3 in the WC, maybe top 2. In the playoffs, Adelman's system of not playing defense just doesn't work and they will flame out. Of course, Peja could start playing like a man in crunch time which would make them a championship contender. Kingsfans are pretty pumped about their team and they should be. I wouldn't be surprised is Petrie is able to pull off something else to improve them. He is worth double whatever the Maloofs are paying him.
Depending on final roster moves by Dallas or Seattle, I'd strongly considered picking the Kings as the 2nd seed in the West and 3rd overall record behind the Rockets and Spurs. Bibby is still an excellent playoff player and leader, they have an improved starting 5 in talent and a fair amount of depth on that team now.
this makes the kings one of my favorite teams. any team who can bring the two best VANCOUVER grizzlies of all time together is going to be a top team for me. 1. Rockets 2. Suns (cuz of Nash) 3. Kings
