Van Horn Finally on His Way to New Jersey in 76er Trade

The New Jersey Nets and Philadelphia 76ers on Friday finally completed their multiplayer trade that will bring No. 2 draft choice Keith Van Horn to New Jersey.

In the deal, delayed more than 24 hours because of a grievance filed by the Boston Celtics, the Nets got Van Horn, a forward from Utah, and three veterans--center Michael Cage, swingman Lucious Harris and forward Don MacLean. The 76ers received Villanova forward Tim Thomas (the seventh pick), Bradley guard Anthony Parker (21st pick overall) and two veterans, swingman Jimmy Jackson and center Eric Montross.

New Jersey thought so highly of Van Horn that it gave one of its most prized assets to get him: space under the salary cap after next season. In acquiring the rights to Van Horn, the Nets also got three big contracts of players who had subpar seasons in 1996-97 in Cage (two years), MacLean (four years) and Harris (six years).

The 76ers are already talking with the Miami Heat about a another deal, involving power forward Derrick Coleman. Forward Clarence Weatherspoon, who was part of the recent failed Dino Radja trade with Boston, also might go somewhere.

While the Nets appeared to give away a lot, General Manager John Nash said the price was worth it, especially after seeing the 6-foot-10 Van Horn work out.

“He was better in almost every area than we anticipated,” Nash said. “He really could shoot the ball, and we knew that from seeing him on tape and in person. But we didn’t realize he’s as athletic as he is. His jumping ability is much better than we expected and his hands were most impressive. He had a post-up game we didn’t see. He’s got an all-round game.”

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The NBA Board of Governors approved four rules changes, including moving the three-point line back to its original distance of 23 feet 9 inches, except in the corners, where the distance will remain 22 feet.

Also approved were the recommendations of the competition committee dealing with forearm checking, calling a timeout while in the air, and the “no-charge area” under the basket.

The timeout rule will prohibit players from calling a timeout if both feet are in the air and any part of his body has broken the vertical plane of the baseline or sideline.

The forearm checking rule will prohibit a defensive player from using his forearm to impede the progress of an offensive player facing the basket.

The “no-charge area” under the basket will be expanded. The area where an offensive foul is not called if contact is made with a secondary defensive player who has established position will consist of a half circle with a four-foot radius.

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Ed Gray, a 6-foot-3 guard who was chosen by the Atlanta Hawks with the 22nd overall pick in Wednesday’s draft, signed a three-year contract. . . . Brendan Suhr, an assistant to Chuck Daly when the Detroit Pistons won NBA championships in 1989 and 1990, was hired by Daly as an assistant with the Orlando Magic.

Track and Field

Mike Marsh, the third-place finisher in the 100 meters at the USA Championships, and Leroy Burrell, who was sixth, have withdrawn from consideration for the U.S. 400-meter relay team for the world championships.

Marsh, the 1992 Olympic gold medalist at 200 meters, said he was withdrawing to concentrate on the 100 for the worlds, at Athens from Aug 2-10.

Burrell, the American record-holder who is recovering from a foot injury, has said he prefers to run individual races.

Olympic sprint champions Donovan Bailey and Michael Johnson, who clashed in an anticlimactic $1.5-million showdown in May, could meet each other in a rematch later this year in a Las Vegas parking lot. Although the idea surfaced soon after Bailey beat Johnson in Toronto on May 31 and was greeted with little enthusiasm, Bailey’s manager, Ray Flynn, said he was “totally serious” about the idea.

Bailey says he’s capable of breaking the world 100-meter record he set in last year’s Olympic final at Atlanta and beating Johnson again, if they meet in a rematch.

“I’m running faster now than I was running this time last year,” he said. “I’m lighter than I was and I’m a lot stronger. Last year I was 196 pounds and now I’m 188.

“I ran 9.94 seconds in Paris two days ago and I’m capable of running more 9.9s and even less.”

Hockey

The Dallas Stars signed 36-year-old defenseman Craig Ludwig to a one-year contract for the 1997-98 season. Ludwig played in 77 games for the Stars in 1996-97, getting two goals and 11 assists for 13 points.

In probably the last deal for outgoing St. Louis General Manager Ron Caron, the Blues acquired defenseman Alexander Godynyuk and a sixth-round pick in the 1998 NHL entry draft from the Carolina Hurricanes, the former Hartford Whalers, for right wing Steve Leach.

New Blues general manager Larry Pleau starts work on Monday and Caron becomes an advisor to team President Mark Sauer. Godynyuk, 27, had one goal, six assists and 41 penalty minutes in 55 games last season with the Whalers.

Miscellany

Quarterback Jake Plummer, accused of felony sex abuse, agreed to a plea bargain under which he received two years’ probation. Plummer, drafted by the Arizona Cardinals from Arizona State, was accused of groping four women in March at a Tempe nightclub.. . . . Despite having his request for reinstatement to the NFL granted, Indianapolis Colt fullback Roosevelt Potts said he might be better served playing elsewhere. Potts’ one-year suspension for violating the league’s substance abuse policy officially ends July 15. Potts, 26, is a restricted free agent who has been tendered a one-year contract offer of $361,000 by the Colts. . . . Ohio State center Jermaine Tate has been cleared for a supervised exercise program after team doctors found that his heart condition has improved. . . . Sidney Green, who played in the NBA for 10 years, has a new coaching job, at North Florida. . . . Seven boats of 39 entered in the 39th biennial Transpacific yacht race to Hawaii will start today. The West Coast’s premier sailing event dates to 1906.