http://www.oregonlive.com/blazers/oregonian/index.ssf?/base/sports/ 1061322665194880.xml 08/15/03 JASON QUICK The Trail Blazers terminated the contract of Arvydas Sabonis on Thursday, ending the possibility of a trade, and created a scenario that could push Rasheed Wallace into more playing time at center. After learning Monday that Sabonis did not want to return to the NBA, the Blazers had hoped he would be an attractive trade to teams that could waive his $7 million salary. That trade would have had to have been executed by the end of today, when Sabonis' contract was no longer guaranteed. "We had a myriad of conversations with teams about his contract, but none were going anywhere," general manager John Nash said. The Blazers remain alarmingly thin at center. Dale Davis, a natural power forward, has started the past two seasons at center, but he is 34 and admittedly playing out of position. The only other center is Ruben Boumtje Boumtje, who has played in 35 games the past two seasons, including just two games last year. The free-agent market has 12 centers remaining, none of whom were starters last season. Nash said he has found very few centers on the trading block. With no logical relief in the free- agent market, and a trade for a center looking unlikely, Nash said the Blazers are considering Wallace at center next season. Wallace, a 6-foot-11 power forward who has led the Blazers in scoring the past four seasons, played center two or three times last season, against the Los Angeles Lakers and against Dallas. "And that was kind of successful," coach Maurice Cheeks said. "And if push came to shove, we will do it again, but it's not ideal." Cheeks said the Blazers looked at Denver's Marcus Camby earlier this summer, but that is on the "back burner" because the team was leery of Camby's injury problems and his contract. Cheeks also said he recently looked at New York's Kurt Thomas, even though he is not a prototypical center. Nash, meanwhile, said the Blazers could have traded for Golden State center Erick Dampier earlier this summer, but they turned it down, in part because he has three years left on his contract. Hearing of the 12 remaining free-agent centers, two caught Cheeks' attention: Miami's Vladimir Stepania and Seattle's Predrag Drobnjak. Stepania (7-1, 216 pounds) averaged 5.6 points and seven rebounds last season in 20.2 minutes. Drobnjak (6-11, 211 pounds) averaged 8.3 points and 3.7 rebounds in 21.6 minutes last season. "Stepania's not bad," Cheeks said. "And Drobnjak would be a better center than Rasheed." Wells impresses: Bonzi Wells has stood out in recent workouts at Tim Grgurich's big-man's camp in Las Vegas, according to Nash and Cheeks. "Bonzi's body is unbelievable," Cheeks said. "He's thinner and more defined." Cheeks predicts that Wells will become a leader on next year's team, and Nash said he expects a breakout season. "Based on the reports from Las Vegas, Bonzi is going to have a monster year," Na sh said. 25-point policy: Cheeks said the Blazers' 25-point pledge to its fans will be a point of emphasis when he addresses the team before training camp. "They need to look at it and realize they don't have to do anything special, they just have to be a good person," Cheeks said. "We can talk about how the guys are getting their bodies in order this summer, but we've got to get our minds in order. If their minds are still screwed up, we will still be screwed up." Jason Quick: 503-221-4372; [email protected] --

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