Mavs seek to sign Italian league star

Rigaudeau may be final piece in Dallas' NBA title puzzle

The Dallas Mavericks are attempting to sign one of the premier players in Europe, veteran French guard Antoine Rigaudeau, in hopes that he will put them over the top in their quest for an NBA championship this season.

Rigaudeau is currently playing for an Italian league club, Virtus Bologna. Team president Marco Madrigali cleared the way for Rigaudeau to join the NBA by agreeing to negotiate a buyout of his remaining contract, worth more than $3 million through the 2003-04 season.

Rigaudeau is averaging 13.9 points per game and shooting 52.9 percent in the Italian League this season. But Virtus is 7-8 and losing money, and Madrigali has a close personal relationship with Rigaudeau. "The president told me that Antoine's career is like a mosaic, that this [an NBA career] is the one piece that is missing and this is his chance to get that piece," said Rigaudeau's New York-based agent, Kenny Grant, who flew to Italy Sunday to begin negotiating the buyout at the Mavs' request.

A Mavs official confirmed Monday that the team is hoping to work out a contract that would bring Rigaudeau, who is considered an NBA free agent, to Dallas by next week. Grant said the Mavs are discussing a multi-year deal through 2004-05. NBA league rules would would prevent Dallas from contributing more than $350,000 toward the amount Rigaudeau will pay to buy out his Italian contract.

Rigaudeau led France to a silver medal at the 2000 Olympics in Sydney. Allsport UK

Rigaudeau, 31, has been a star in Europe for more than a decade. He led France to the silver medal in the 2000 Olympics, and was a member of Virtus Bologna's 1998 Euroleague champion.

The 6-foot-7 Rigaudeau is a combo guard in Europe, but he has the size and shooting range to play point guard, shooting guard and small forward for Dallas. With an NBA-best 27-5 record and a three-game lead over Sacramento in the Western Conference, the Mavs want to strengthen their team for the postseason without making a trade that might endanger their chemistry. The Mavs first contacted Grant last week about Rigaudeau.

"We're not looking for someone to generate offense for himself, because we have those guys already," said the Mavs official. "We're looking for a guy who can bang down shots from the weak side, who knows how to play and who won't be afraid of a playoff atmosphere. He's at the perfect stage in his career to be able to step in and do that for us."

Though several NBA teams have been intrigued by Rigaudeau over the years, none had ever been willing to offer enough guaranteed money to lure him overseas. But Grant says that Rigaudeau is now willing to accept a cut in salary in return for the opportunity to play a meaningful role on a potential NBA championship team.

Ian Thomsen covers the NBA beat for Sports Illustrated and is a frequent contributor to CNNSI.com.

 

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