Abdur Rahim to the Nets an absolute pipe dream

[TomShane]

Nets looking for way to corral Shareef

BY OHM YOUNGMISUK

DAILY NEWS SPORTS WRITER

If the Nets hope to land free agent Shareef Abdur-Rahim, Lawrence Frank and Jason Kidd may have to work the phones more than Rod Thorn and Ed Stefanski.

Aaron Goodwin, Abdur-Rahim's agent, said it is "doubtful" that the power forward would settle for the $4.9 million the Nets can offer. But Goodwin did say there are two people that can convince Abdur-Rahim to pick the Nets over potential suitors such as the Knicks, Heat, Cavs and Spurs.

"Lawrence Frank and Jason Kidd certainly help," Goodwin said yesterday.

Starting at midnight this morning, teams could begin recruiting free agents, and it is likely Frank and Kidd will contact Abdur-Rahim if they haven't already.

Frank and Abdur-Rahim have a relationship that spans back to 1997 when the Nets coach was a scout and assistant for the Vancouver Grizzlies. Frank would love nothing more than to add the 6-9 forward with career averages of 19.8 points and 8.1 rebounds.

The same goes for Kidd, who goes back even further with the fellow Cal product. Persuading Abdur-Rahim to join New Jersey for either the $4.9 million trade exception or the $4.9 million mid-level exception is only one of a couple of hurdles the Nets will face during the free agency period.

Ideally, the Nets would like to use their trade exception on Abdur-Rahim or Donyell Marshall and save the mid-level one for one or two other free agents.

"We are going to address our front-court issues as quickly as we can," Thorn said, adding: "The only thing we have for sure is the mid-level."

The Nets are working under a deadline. In order to use the trade exception, the Nets need to strike a trade with Portland or Toronto for Abdur-Rahim or Marshall and do so by July 29, when the trade exception expires.

After being thrifty last summer and trading Kenyon Martin to Denver, the Nets are now prepared to spend.

Besides Abdur-Rahim and Marshall - New Jersey's top two realistic targets at power forward - Thorn could look at free-agent big men like Stromile Swift, Jerome James, Othella Harrington, Alan Henderson and Steven Hunter. He could also gamble on making an offer to a restricted free agent, although that could tie the Nets' money up for as many as 15days - the period a team has to match any offer.

As Kidd said following his quickest exit from the playoffs as a Net, this summer is imperative for New Jersey. Kidd is intrigued by what the Nets can do over a full season with Vince Carter and Richard Jefferson. But they need a big body, and Kidd and Frank can start by convincing Abdur-Rahim to join them.

That's a pipe dream. Rahim's going to the highest bidder, no doubt. If the Nets are getting a big man this off-season, they're going to have to deal. Swift would be nice, but only off the bench. Harrington, Jerome James, and Henderson are absolute stiffs. Ditto Stephen Hunter. The Nets need to begin looking to pry Eddy Curry out of Chicago or Elton Brand out of LA. A dark horse who might end up on the block is Pau Gasol in Memphis. He's a gifted scorer around the basket, and he's long. A Jefferson-Collins deal for Gasol and Shane Battier would be juicy, IMO. We'd get smaller, but faster and instantly more talented.

[T-Mac]

After being thrifty last summer and trading Kenyon Martin to Denver, the Nets are now prepared to spend.

I'm still not convinced of this. Vince fell in their lap due to circumstances beyond everyone else's control.

[TomShane]

I'm still not convinced of this. Vince fell in their lap due to circumstances beyond everyone else's control.

I don't know, T. They could have hung Mourning out to dry and made him play through his contract, but they gave him his cash to get out and took back a max-contract player who was a huge gamble. Ratner is all about Brooklyn, but he knows he has to bring a winner across the river. If he tries to drop a lottery team into a shiny new arena that no one from Jersey will drive to, and no one from Manhattan will take the subway for, he'd have a brand new, half-empty house. Ratner's a snake, but he ain't stupid.

[faba]

Nets have that trade exception to use to get a decent player plus the mid-level exception- someone like Marshall from Toronto could be a nice guy to fit in.

[TomShane]

Nets have that trade exception to use to get a decent player plus the mid-level exception- someone like Marshall from Toronto could be a nice guy to fit in.

Marshall is a nice talent, but he's always hurt. IMO, he's just not a true upgrade. It just goes to show you how rare good bigs are these days. Rahim is really the only guy that can help the Nets, and I just can't see him taking a nickel less to playin NJ, despite how much he loves Lawrence Frank and JKidd. Although, if Rahim does do the one year at $4.5, he'll put up H-U-G-E numbers playing with Kidd and Carter, who are both excellent passers. Alot of times last season those two would drive into the paint and have no one to pass it to that could finish. Rahim would get an extra 5-10 ppg just by showing up with those two. The dude will have to pass up the big payday somewhere, though. He's never been a guy that's showed a willingness to do that.

[The Troll]

Why would you even want Abdur-Rahim? He was just an above average player in his prime and he has sucked the past two years. Getting Abdur-Rahim at this point seems like something only a team ran by Elgin Baylor would do.

[Jetfanmack]

Abdur-Rahim to the Nets really isn't a pipe dream. He's definitely not getting a max contract. Unless a contender offers him a pretty big deal, I don't think the money will be that much different. I don't think that he'd sign with a team like Atlanta or New Orleans, a team with no chance to be competitive. With the Nets' chance to win, and his relationships with Frank and Kidd, it's a possibility. It's not a foregone conclusion as many on my Nets message board think it is, but it's a possibility. We have to be considered one of the favorites.