The Worm finally signs
Posted: Wednesday February 24, 1999 11:16 AM
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According to a source close to the team, Rodman may actually suit up in a Lakers uniform and begin practice Wednesday. AP |
LOS ANGELES (AP) -- It's official -- The Worm is a Laker.
Dennis Rodman, the
NBA's dominant rebounder of the '90s, signed a one-year contract with the
Los Angeles Lakers on
Tuesday, and will participate in a limited practice session Wednesday, team
spokesman John Black said.
The way things have gone recently, the slumping Lakers need all the help
they can get.
A source close to Rodman said the eccentric forward spent much of Tuesday
doing post-production services on the movie "Simon Sez," to be released
later this year, but took a break to sign the contract.
Following Wednesday's practice, the source said, Rodman will attend the
Grammy Awards with his wife, actress Carmen Electra.
The Lakers waited to execute the contract until after a 93-83 loss at
Vancouver on Tuesday night.
Rodman, who will take a physical examination before Wednesday's practice,
will replace rookie Ruben Patterson on the Lakers' roster. Patterson was
placed on the injured list because of tendinitis in his right knee.
Because they're over the salary cap, the Lakers can only pay Rodman the
veterans' minimum of $1 million, pro-rated to under $500,000 because of the
shortened season plus the games he's missed.
Rodman, who has led the NBA in rebounding in each of the last seven
seasons, will be one of several Lakers taking part in Wednesday's practice,
which comes on the heels of a three-game, three-day road trip -- all of
which were losses to drop them to 6-6.
Black said Rodman will be available to the media afterward, and probably
play his first game for the Lakers on Friday night against the Los Angeles Clippers
at the Forum.
Black said Rodman, who turns 38 in May, could make his Lakers' debut as
early as Thursday night against the Clippers in Anaheim, or as late as
Sunday against Houston at the Forum.
Also among those expected to take part in Wednesday's practice is forward
Robert Horry, who was
cleared to play Tuesday. Horry missed seven games after being diagnosed
with an irregular heartbeat prior to a 101-99 loss to Indiana on Feb. 14.
Meanwhile, former Lakers point guard Nick Van Exel believes
his former team could be making a mistake by adding Rodman.
Of course, Van Exel, who was traded to the Denver Nuggets on draft
day last summer after five controversial seasons with the Lakers, might not
be the most objective observer.
"He [Lakers coach Del Harris] thought I was a problem? I want to see
Dennis go over there personally," Van Exel said after helping the Nuggets
beat the Lakers 117-113 in overtime Monday night in Denver for only their
second victory of the season.
"I want to see how Del handles it. ... My honest opinion is it depends on
Dennis Rodman's attitude," Van Exel said. "If he comes in with his great
rebounding, the intensity he always brings to the game, he's going to be
great for that team. If he come in with all his antics and just thinking
about Dennis Rodman the show, he's going to kill that team."
A member of five championship teams, including the last three with the Chicago Bulls, Rodman
announced during a rambling 20-minute news conference Monday he intended to
play for the Lakers and would be in uniform later this week.
"He's going to get some rebounds -- he's going to be a big help," Lakers
star Shaquille O'Neal
said after the loss at Denver.
Rodman's announcement during a bizarre press conference met with mixed
reaction among fans.
XTRA Radio in San Diego's afternoon show kept count among callers and the
totals were 34 in favor of Rodman's addition to the Lakers and 28 against.
Among the comments:
"Let's get the player now and then get his [former] coach [Phil
Jackson] next."
"Cross off the cross-dresser from this list."
"Have not won, will not win with Del Harris. Get Rodman."
Van Exel, who had a stormy relationship with Harris, said he wasn't the
problem with the Lakers -- his coach was.
After the Nuggets rallied from a 12-point fourth quarter deficit to beat
the Lakers, Van Exel said, "I wasn't the cancer. The cancer is still there.
He has white hair. And until they get rid of him, they're going to keep
having lapses like this."
The reference was obviously to Harris.
"I was loving it," said Van Exel, who scored seven of his 16 points in
overtime and had 13 assists. "It was exciting, beating Del, beating their
management. There was a lot of revenge in this room."
Copyright 2003 Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
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