Kemp to Portland, Grant to Miami in 3-Team Deal

Portland, Cleveland and Miami completed a five-player deal Wednesday, with the Trail Blazers sending power forward Brian Grant to the Heat and getting Shawn Kemp.

Under terms of the deal, which has been known for weeks but finally met league approval, Grant signed a seven-year, $86-million deal with the Trail Blazers. In exchange for Grant, the Heat sent Chris Gatling and Clarence Weatherspoon, along with a first-round draft choice and cash, to the Cavaliers.

Cleveland also gets Portland’s 36-year-old backup point guard, Gary Grant, who almost certainly will be cut.

Kemp’s weight problems, big contract and attitude made him unwelcome in Cleveland. Kemp, who played for Seattle when Trail Blazer General Manager Bob Whitsitt was there, is due to make $71 million in the next four seasons.

“He’s had a great career and still has good games in him,” Whitsitt said. “He’ll do what is needed of him to win. He’s not a statistics guy. He’s done that.

“He’s done everything a guy can do in the NBA, but win a championship. He’s hungry for it.”

Brian Grant was slowed by knee and foot injuries last season when he averaged career lows of 21 minutes, 7.3 points and 5.5 rebounds. He also was frustrated by giving up the spotlight to Rasheed Wallace.

“Brian wanted to make sure he was playing for a team that had a chance to win a championship, a team where he would play a major role and he would be the starting power forward, with a great coach and a terrific city,” said his agent, Mark Bartelstein. “Miami has all that covered and more.

“He’s got a lot to prove, and he’s looking forward to proving it. He’s got a lot of pride, and it hurt him to go through what he went through last season.”

Grant had been courted by the New York Knicks and Cleveland, but Miami could offer the kind of raise he wants. He made about $7.7 million with the Trail Blazers last season. The Lakers also were interested, but the most they could afford was the $2.25-million exception.

When Miami traded its power forward, P.J. Brown, to Charlotte for Eddie Jones, it opened the door for Grant. Bartelstein also represents Brown.

Kemp, who reported to training camp 50 pounds overweight the last two seasons, signed a seven-year, $98-million contract after going to the Cleveland in a three-way trade in 1997. He finished last season averaging 17.8 points--his lowest total since 1992-93.

“Whenever you’re considering trading, every factor comes into it,” Cavalier General Manager Jim Paxson said. “To say strictly [this was] done for financial reasons, no. . . .

“Because of the back end of his contract, the flexibility of being able to do anything to improve this team was greatly limited. So in the short term we have depth, we have a lot of players fighting for time and positions, and in the long term we have some flexibility.”