James Edwards, a man of few words, may have the final one as the Detroit Pistons try to reshuffle their aging roster.
The 7-foot-1 Edwards and his $933,000 salary were traded Tuesday to the Los Angeles Clippers to make room for 6-9 forward Orlando Woolridge, acquired the same day in a trade with the Denver Nuggets.But Edwards' agent, Reggie Turner, said his 35-year-old client doesn't intend to report to the Clippers for a physical within the allotted five days, effectively scratching the three-way deal.
"If James doesn't take a physical in five days, the deal is off and everybody stays where they are," Turner told the Detroit Free Press in today's editions. "It's not going to happen."
As it stands, the deal sends Edwards to the Clippers in return for 6-6 guard Jeff Martin and the Clippers' second-round draft pick in 1995.
The Pistons also traded Scott Hastings, a 6-11 reserve center-forward, and their 1992 second-round pick to Denver for Woolridge.
The Pistons had to unload a big salary to squeeze Woolridge in under the NBA's $12.5-million salary
cap, which Detroit exceeds by about $700,000. Woolridge has a five-year, $4-million contract, but he would be limited to about $500,000 a season if both he and Edwards stayed with Detroit.
"If James wants to come back with us, that's alright," Pistons general manager Jack McCloskey said. "Then that's it, the deal would be void. But we won't renegotiate his contract, and we won't waive him."
McCloskey has talked to captain Isiah Thomas about taking a pay cut so the team could afford Woolridge. Magic Johnson took a $100,000 pay cut last year so his Los Angeles Lakers could afford to sign free agent Terry Teagle.
Turner has said his client won't report to training camp without a two-year, $3.2-million pact.
About an hour before the trade was finalized, Edwards flew to Italy, where he signed a three-year, $5 million contract last week. But that contract is binding only if Edwards is released by the Pistons and clears NBA waivers.
Edwards averaged 13.6 points and 3.8 rebounds last season. The Los Angeles Lakers' third-round pick in 1977, Edwards played in Los Angeles, Indiana, Cleveland and Phoenix before joining Detroit midway through the 1988-89 season.
Woolridge, 31, averaged 25.1 points and 6.8 rebounds last season, playing in only 53 games due to a detached retina.
Chicago drafted him in the first round in 1981. He's also played for New Jersey and the Lakers, averaging 16.3 points and 4.4 rebounds in nine seasons before joining Denver last year.
Hastings was drafted out of Arkansas in 1982 by the New York Knicks. He has played in 44 NBA playoff games over the course of his career.
Martin, 24, averaged 7.1 points and 1.8 rebounds in 74 games for the Clippers in 1990-91. As a rookie in 1989-90, he averaged 6.3 points and 2.3 rebounds in 69 games.