Grizzlies Sign Veteran Long

VANCOUVER, British Columbia (AP) The Vancouver Grizzlies continued to bolster their roster this offseason, signing free agent forward Grant Long to a three-year, $6.6 million contract Thursday.

Vancouver previously signed swingman Dennis Scott and acquired four players in the trade for rookie Steve Francis, the No. 2 overall pick in this year's NBA draft.

"It's going to be nice to see that seed blossom. I want to be there when it happens because I think the potential is there," Long said. "It's going to be nice, if you will, to be able to be some of the water that helps that seed grow."

Long, entering his 12th season, chose to sign with the Grizzlies over a number of other teams, including the Wizards, who also made him a similar offer under the NBA free agent exemption. In the end, Long turned down Washington because he saw more potential in the Grizzlies, who have yet to win more than 19 games in a season over their four-year history.

"There were a number of offers that I had," Long said. "I was either looking at a championship situation or a situation where I think I would be best utilized and possibly bringing a young team on, getting them to a point where they are ready to take the next step."

"I saw that as a challenge to me in coming to Vancouver."

Long, an 11-year NBA veteran, averaged 9.8 points and 5.9 rebounds while playing in all 50 regular-season games for the Atlanta Hawks last season.

The 33-year-old will bolster the Grizzlies' frontcourt, along with recent acquisitions Othella Harrington and Antoine Carr, who came over from the Houston Rockets in the trade for Francis.

Playing alongside second-year point guard Mike Bibby and forward Shareef Abdur-Rahim, with whom he works out in a Marietta, Ga., health club during the offseason, Long saw only an upside in moving to Canada.

"There's a very good young nucleus," Long said. "They have the ability and the talent. It just has to be harnessed in the right direction."

Long was chosen 33rd overall in the 1988 NBA draft by the expansion Miami Heat, where he spent eight seasons. He also played for the Detroit Pistons.

"In Miami, we lost so consistently that it left a bad taste in our mouth," he said. "I think they (the Grizzlies) are at that point where they are ready to take the next step."

The Grizzlies were excite about adding a veteran and depth to their roster.

"We think that it finishes off our ballclub very nicely," Grizzlies president and general manager Stu Jackson said. "It wasn't something that was an easy decision for him, simply because there were other teams that wanted him."

"I think he felt that at the end of the day, this was the team that was going in a positive direction and a team that he could add a great deal to."

The 6-foot-9, 250-pound forward has appeared in 788 NBA regular-season games and 34 playoff games.

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