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Thursday, February 20, 1997

NBA grants extension on Nets-Mavs trade

EAST RUTHERFORD, N.J. (AP) - The staggering nine-player trade between the Dallas Mavericks and New Jersey Nets hit a possible snag Wednesday when Khalid Reeves told the Mavericks about a childhood heart murmur.

Mavericks doctors were conducting Reeves' physical when they found out about the condition, said team spokesman Kevin Sullivan.

"In the course of conversation it came up that he had a heart murmur as a child," Sullivan said.

The trade should have been finalized Wednesday evening, 48 hours after it was filed with the league, but the Mavericks received an extension until noon today.

Sullivan said doctors would study Reeves' heart Thursday morning.

"We'll give him a stress test and go from there," he said.

The trade Monday sent center Shawn Bradley, Reeves and three other players to Dallas for all-star forward Chris Gatling, Jimmy Jackson and three others.

The NBA said the extension was granted to give the teams time to process the players and administer physicals.

"There's so many people involved it's taking a little longer to get everyone in place and to get the physicals done," NBA spokesman Chris Brienza said Wednesday night.

New Jersey had planned an 11 a.m. news conference today to introduce Gatling, Jackson, center Eric Montross, guard Sam Cassell and forward George McCloud. However, it was canceled Wednesday night, Nets spokesman John Mertz said.

All the players have to pass physicals before a trade is finalized and there were some concerns with Robert Pack going to Dallas. He has been sidelined since mid-January with an ankle injury. Reeves also has been bothered by a sore throat, while forward Ed O'Bannon missed games recently with a minor injury.

When the Nets acquired Reeves from Charlotte last year along with Kendall Gill in a deal that sent Kenny Anderson to the Hornets, they asked for an extension to examine Reeves' left ankle. It passed inspection and the deal was finalized.Send a Letter to the Editor about This Story | Start or Join A Discussion about This Story
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