NEWARK, N.J. -- Free agent forward Shareef Abdur-Rahim has agreed to play for the New Jersey Nets, a person familiar with the negotiations told The Associated Press on Thursday.
A team source told ESPN Insider Chad Ford earlier in the week that the Nets were very close to an agreement n a six-year contract worth roughly $38 million.
To make the deal work under cap rules, the Portland Trail Blazers, who own Abdur-Rahim's rights, would have to agree to sign him to the contract and then trade him to the Nets using a $5 million trade exception that the Nets own, according to Ford. In return, the Nets would send a future first-round pick to the Blazers.
If the Nets are unable to get the Blazers to agree to a sign-and-trade, Abdur-Rahim has agreed to sign with the Nets for their mid-level exception at five years for about $28 million, the team source told Ford.
The Nets also have reached agreement with forward Clifford Robinson, the person within the league told The AP on condition of anonymity.
Contract terms were not available.
Free agent deals cannot be officially announced until the league's new collective bargaining agreement is signed, something expected to occur within the next week.
The 6-foot-9 Abdur-Rahim played in 54 games last season for Portland, averaging 16.3 points and 7.5 rebounds. In a nine-year career with Vancouver, Atlanta and the Trail Blazers, he has averaged 19.8 points and 8.1 rebounds.
Abdur-Rahim's agent, Aaron Goodwin, did not immediately return a call requesting comment.
The Nets acquired the 6-foot-10 Robinson from Golden State in February for two second-round draft picks, and he averaged 6 points and 3.3 rebounds in 29 games.
The addition of Abdur-Rahim, a 2002 All-Star, to a team that already includes Jason Kidd, Vince Carter and Richard Jefferson would give the Nets one of the stronger offensive lineups in the Eastern Conference.
The Nets also worked out Atlanta Hawks forward Chris Crawford this week, team president Rod Thorn said Thursday.
New Jersey finished third in the Atlantic Division with a 42-40 record in 2004-2005 and was swept in four games by Miami in the first round of the playoffs.
Information from The Associated Press was used in this report.
