A 3-team deal sends Brian Grant to Heat

By Compiled from Times wires

© St. Petersburg Times, published August 11, 2000

MIAMI -- The Heat, the Trail Blazers and the Cavaliers have agreed to a sign-and-trade that will send free-agent power forward Brian Grant to Miami, the Sun-Sentinel of Fort Lauderdale and the Miami Herald reported Thursday.

The Heat will send Chris Gatling and Clarence Weatherspoon to Cleveland, which will deliver Shawn Kemp to Portland. In addition, the Cavs reportedly are due to receive guard Gary Grant after he signs a multiyear deal with the Blazers.

Because the Heat acquired Gatling on draft day, it is unable to trade him until month's end. NBA rules prohibit players being traded more than once in 60 days.

Before completion of the three-way trade, both Grants must be re-signed by the Trail Blazers, with Brian Grant winding up with a seven-year contract worth about $84-million, one that can start next season for as much as $8.7-million.

In June, he opted out of the final four seasons and $40-million on his initial Blazers contract.

In Grant, 28, the Heat gets a quality frontcourt defender with much of the same blue-collar qualities as P.J. Brown, whom Miami sent to Charlotte in the Eddie Jones sign-and-trade.

Playing behind Arvydas Sabonis and Rasheed Wallace last season, Grant averaged 7.3 points and 5.5 rebounds. Both were career lows. During his first five years, Grant averaged no less than 10.5 points and 5.9 boards.

A starting lineup of Grant at power forward, Alonzo Mourning at center, Anthony Mason at small forward, Eddie Jones at shooting guard, and either Tim Hardaway or Anthony Carter at point guard gives the Heat one of the league's toughest defensive units.

CLIPPERS: Alvin Gentry was introduced as coach of a franchise loaded with young talent. "If you look at what happened on draft night, I think there are a lot of people who would like to be where I am," said Gentry, 45, who signed a four-year deal for an undisclosed amount.

JAZZ: Point guard John Crotty, 31, reached an agreement two days after Utah re-signed Jacque Vaughn to be the No. 2 point guard behind John Stockton. Talks with Howard Eisley, who played behind Stockton last season, broke down.

LAKERS: Rookie guard Cory Hightower signed for an undisclosed amount. The 6-foot-8 Hightower averaged 9.8 points and 2.9 rebounds in the summer league.

MAGIC: Orlando signed free-agent guard Troy Hudson, 24, who averaged 8.8 points, 3.9 assists and 2.4 rebounds in 62 games before being waived by the Clippers.

NETS: Guard Kendall Gill, who said Sunday that he would join the Lakers for their $2.25-million salary-cap exception, is expected to re-sign for at least $7-million.

RAPTORS: Free-agent point guard Mark Jackson reportedly has agreed to a three-year, $15-million contract. Jackson, 6 feet 3 and 205 pounds, averaged 8.1 points and 27.0 minutes last season.

SPURS: The team signed free-agent forward Danny Ferry, who averaged 7.3 points and 3.8 rebounds in 63 games last season.

SONICS: Second-round draft pick Olumide Oyedeji signed a two-year contract. The 19-year-old native of Nigeria averaged 12.4 points and a league-leading 15.5 rebounds last season for DJK Wurzburg in Germany.

WNBA

ORLANDO: Guard Elaine Powell had surgery to repair the anterior cruciate ligament in her left knee. Injured July 19, she is expected to begin rehabilitation immediately and will miss the playoffs. In 20 games, she averaged 3.6 points, 2.5 rebounds and 2.1 assists.

© St. Petersburg Times. All rights reserved.

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