Commissioner Can Void Smith Pact

Joe Smith of the Minnesota Timberwolves could become a free agent in the next few days after a ruling Monday by an NBA arbitrator.

Kenneth Dam, the arbitrator, ruled that Commissioner David Stern has the right to void Smith’s current one-year, $2.5 million contract because Smith and the Timberwolves entered into a separate, secret agreement that violated salary cap rules.

The Timberwolves face severe penalties, including $3.5 million in fines, loss of draft picks and the suspensions of owner Glen Taylor and key front office personnel.

If Stern voids Smith’s current contract, he will be free to negotiate with all 29 teams.

Most clubs could only offer him a contract starting at $2.25 million, but the Chicago Bulls have enough room to offer more and the Miami Heat could have an injury exception worth about $4 million if the league approves it. The Lakers also are among the teams said to be interested in Smith.

“It’s a complete victory for Joe Smith,” players union attorney Ron Klempner said, adding that the league had sought to take away Smith’s Larry Bird rights and bar Smith from re-signing with the Timberwolves should the commissioner void Smith’s current contract.

The 6-foot-10, 225-pound Smith averaged 9.9 points and 6.2 rebounds a game last season. Smith, first selection in the 1995 draft out of the University of Maryland, has averaged 14.5 points and 7.5 rebounds in his career.

Smith has played under two one-year contracts for the Timberwolves, who cannot exceed the salary cap to re-sign him until Smith has been there for three seasons to earn his so-called “Bird rights.”

Taylor and Smith’s former agent, Eric Fleisher, agreed in writing that Smith would receive a lucrative long-term deal beginning with the 2001-02 season.

The league has long suspected that such secret agreements exist, but no team had been caught red-handed like the Timberwolves.

*

Indiana Coach Isiah Thomas, a former Raptor part-owner and general manager, was booed each time he appeared on the scoreboard in the Pacers’ 91-80 exhibition loss at Toronto.

Thomas was in Toronto for the first time since leaving the team in 1997.