Burtt Will Take a 10-Day Tryout in NBA, Any Day : Basketball: Journeyman was arrested for carrying hashish and cocaine in Athens airport in November. He says it was a plant.

Making an NBA team on the basis of a 10-day contract is strictly a longshot proposition. But after guard Steve Burtt’s harrowing experience in Greece last fall, his current tryout with the Washington Bullets is a welcome challenge.

Burtt, 30, has journeyed among the NBA, Continental Basketball Assn., United States Basketball League and the Greek Basketball League since he was drafted by the Golden State Warriors in 1984. He practiced with the Bullets for the first time Thursday and will be in uniform for tonight’s game against the 76ers in Philadelphia.

“Just to be back in the NBA is a blessing,” said Burtt, whose Greek odyssey ended Nov. 11, when he was arrested at the Athens airport and charged with carrying hashish and cocaine in his luggage on a return trip from his hometown of New York. At the time, Burtt said the drugs were planted on him.

“It was a nightmare, and, the day after it happened, I was determined to put it out of my mind,” said the former Iona College standout. “All I can say is I didn’t do anything.”

Burtt, who averaged six points for Phoenix last season as a backcourt replacement, had chosen to play in Greece rather than accept a non-guaranteed contract with the Suns this season.

“I was really looking forward to playing with Charles Barkley,” said Burtt. “He was the missing piece to the puzzle. But I’ve got two kids to support, and I needed a bigger guarantee than $25,000.”

So Burtt signed with Iraklis Thessalonika, a team situated 30 miles north of Athens. He was leading the Greek League with a 28.2-point scoring average when he was arrested.

Held for three days by police, he tested negative for drugs and was released. He even participated in two more games for Iraklis before being cut. A wire story quoted Iraklis Owner Kostas Haitoglou as saying, “We got rid of him (Burtt) because we don’t want any druggies on our team.”

He returned to the United States and was courted by the Oklahoma City Cavalry of the CBA. But the Cavalry could not sign him until the CBA conducted its own drug investigation.

To prove his innocence, Burtt agreed to go to John Lucas’ rehabilitation clinic in Houston. It was before Lucas became coach of the San Antonio Spurs.

“After Steve’s first day at the clinic, Lucas called me and said, ‘Why is Burtt here? He’s clean as a whistle,’ ” said Cavalry Owner Chip Land.

“This whole episode with Steve in Greece was so sketchy, no one could reconstruct it. Mr. Haitoglou later denied accusing Steve of using drugs,” Land said.

Burtt joined Oklahoma City after the CBA cleared him, and was averaging 24.2 points when the Bullets called his agent, Tom Ansgulsakis, on Wednesday and offered a tryout.

“Steve was not only a leader for us on the floor, but he was a role model in the community,” said Land. “This Greek experience was tough on his psyche, but he is so strong-willed and motivated to make it back to the NBA, I know he’ll succeed.”

In the past, Bullet Coach Wes Unseld has been reluctant to give players on 10-day trials significant minutes.

But Burtt’s ability to play both guard positions and his strong offensive performances in the minor leagues might lead to a more serious test while Doug Overton recovers from thumb surgery. Overton is expected to be out another six weeks.