Gill Staying In New Jersey

Kendall Gill signed a one-year contract Friday to stay with the New Jersey Nets after saying last week he would take a pay cut to play for the Los Angeles Lakers.

The contract was for $7 million, more than three times the $2.25 million the Lakers offered under their salary-cap exception, The Star-Ledger of Newark and The New York Times reported Friday.

Team president Rod Thorn said principal owner Lewis Katz assisted in the negotiations and spoke with Gill.

Gill, a 32-year-old swingman, has spent the last 4 1/2 of his 10 NBA seasons with the Nets. He was third on the Nets in scoring last season with a 13.1 average as a small forward.

He will move to his natural position of shooting guard next season, replacing Kerry Kittles. Kittles might miss the entire season following knee surgery.

Gill, the fifth overall pick in the 1990 draft, has played for Charlotte, Seattle and New Jersey. He has averaged 15.2 points and 3.5 assists for his career.

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