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Seeking a Longer Deal, Daniels Won’t Be Laker

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From Times Staff and Wire Reports

The Lakers are out of the running for free-agent point guard Antonio Daniels, his agent said Tuesday.

Daniels, 30, has been one of the Lakers’ main free-agent targets, but he will sign with a team offering more years than the Lakers, said his agent, Tony Dutt. Daniels is expected to sign a five-year, $30-million deal with the Washington Wizards.

The Lakers have been reluctant to extend contract offers beyond the 2006-07 season because they want to be under the salary cap for the free-agency period in the summer of 2007.

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“We’ve talked through it a lot,” Dutt said. “It’s more so because of the years. If Antonio was earlier in his career, it would be a lot easier decision to go there, but it’s difficult because of where he’s at and the parameters they’re giving.”

Daniels would have filled a position at which the Lakers are now thin after trading Chucky Atkins last week to the Wizards.

Daniels averaged a career-best 11.2 points last season for the Seattle SuperSonics.

Other unrestricted free-agent point guards include Dan Dickau, Brevin Knight, Tyronn Lue, Jeff McInnis and Earl Watson.

-- Mike Bresnahan

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Free-agent forward Shareef Abdur-Rahim will not be joining the Clippers, instead agreeing to a five-year, $27-million to $30-million contract with New Jersey after the Nets failed to negotiate a better contract in a sign-and trade deal with the Portland Trail Blazers, the Newark Star-Ledger reported.

The contract, which cannot be announced until Friday -- pending completion of the collective bargaining agreement -- was confirmed by agent Aaron Goodwin, whose 28-year-old client is expected to start for the Nets at power forward.

The Clippers, who made an offer to Abdur-Rahim exceeding the midlevel exception, are expected to turn their attention to veteran guard Bonzi Wells. The Memphis Grizzlies hold an $8-million contract option on Wells for next season and are expected to waive him if they are unable to trade him before Friday.

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A sign-and-trade deal with Portland could have landed Abdur-Rahim a six-year, $38-million deal. Abdur-Rahim was a career 20-point, 10-rebound performer in Vancouver and Atlanta before playing a reduced role in Portland.

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Free-agent forward Donyell Marshall agreed to a four-year contract with the Cleveland Cavaliers, giving the rebuilt club another player to complement LeBron James.

Financial terms were not disclosed.

Marshall, a 32-year-old who averaged 11.5 points, 6.5 rebounds and a career-best 42% on three-point shooting with Toronto, is the third significant player signed by Cleveland. The team is expected to officially re-sign center Zydrunas Ilgauskas and sign guard Larry Hughes when the signing period begins.

The Cavaliers want outside shooting to offset teams collapsing on Ilgauskas or double- and triple-teaming James.

Meanwhile, Clipper guard Marko Jaric will meet Friday with the Cavaliers and also has drawn interest from the SuperSonics, Trail Blazers, Denver Nuggets, Miami Heat and Minnesota Timberwolves, his agent said.

“He’s a competitor,” Bill Duffy said of Jaric, a restricted free agent. “If he could put a team on his back as a point guard, he’d want that challenge.”

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Duffy said that he and Jaric met for about 90 minutes Tuesday with the Clippers, who are more interested in using Jaric as a reserve, combo guard.

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Restricted free-agent forward Kyle Korver and reserve guard Willie Green agreed to return to the Philadelphia 76ers.

Agent Noah Croom confirmed Green’s deal, a $20-million, six-year contract. Terms were not disclosed for Korver’s deal.

Korver and Green were second-round picks acquired on the night of the 2003 draft.

Staff writer Jerry Crowe contributed to this report.

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