*Arvydas Sabonis back with Trail Blazers*
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PORTLAND, Oregon (Ticker) - After a one-year hiatus, center
Arvydas Sabonis is back with the Portland Trail Blazers.

Sabonis, who will turn 38 in December, on Friday signed a
multi-year contract at undisclosed terms.  After six years with
the Trail Blazers, he spent last year with his family in Spain,
where he played prior to entering the NBA in 1995.

"We are very excited to have Arvydas back in the Blazers
family," Blazers president Bob Whitsitt said.  "Sabas has been a
big part of our success in the past and we are looking forward
to having him back on the court."

A native of Lithuania, the 7-3 Sabonis was the starting center
on the Portland teams that reached the Western Conference finals
in 1999 and 2000.  He gave the Blazers a legitimate body to
match up with center Shaquille O'Neal of the Pacific Division
rival Los Angeles Lakers.

Sabonis averaged 10.1 points and 5.4 rebounds in 61 games in the
2000-01 season, when Portland was eliminated in the first
round.  During that season, temperamental teammate Rasheed
Wallace threw a towel in Sabonis' face during a nationally
televised game.

Sabonis was not with the team last season, Maurice Cheeks' first
as coach.  Portland won 49 games but without a true center was
no match for O'Neal and Los Angeles in the first round of the
playoffs.

"His skills and experience make him a great addition to our
team," Cheeks said.  "I have seen him play over the years and I
am excited to have the opportunity to work with him."

With excellent passing skills and uncommon shooting range for a
big man, Sabonis was considered the best foreign player in the
world in the 1980s.  He led Russia to the gold medal at the 1988
Olympics.

The Blazers used a 1986 first-round pick on Sabonis but he did
not join the team until nine years later.  In 392 games, all
with Portland, he has averaged 13.1 points and 7.9 rebounds per
game.

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