The Portland Trail Blazers will sign free agent center Chris Dudley to a seven-year, $11 million contract today, according to published reports.
The New York Post reported that Dudley turned down a $21 million, seven-year offer from his former team, the New Jersey Nets, which would only guarantee six years of the contract.A key to the deal apparently is an escape clause that would allow Dudley to become a free agent again after one year.
The Trail Blazers will only be able to pay Dudley $800,000 next season in a slot under the NBA's salary cap created with the trade of Mario Elie to Houston on Monday.
The 6-foot-11, 240-pound Dudley averaged 3.5 points, 7.2 rebounds and 19.7 minutes per game for the Nets last season. In 71 games, he shot a career low 35.3 percent from the field and 51.8 percent from the free throw line.
Dudley was drafted by Cleveland in the fourth round of the 1987 draft out of Yale, and spent 21/2 seasons with the Cavaliers. He was traded to New Jersey on Feb. 21, 1990 for two second-round draft picks.