NBA
Notebook: Nets trade Kittles to the Clippers

By The Associated Press

Kerry Kittles

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NEWARK, N.J. — Kerry Kittles was traded to the Los Angeles Clippers for a future second-round draft pick yesterday, another step in the dismantling of the New Jersey Nets.

Kittles is the second starter to leave the Nets this month: Power forward Kenyon Martin went to the Denver Nuggets for three first-round draft choices.

To try to fill the void left by Kittles, who spent eight years with the Nets, the club signed free-agent guards Jacque Vaughn and Rodney Buford.

"We're going to try to win every game we can," Nets CEO Rod Thorn said. "We as an organization want to be monetarily responsible. When you look at our position, we can have some money and also have as good if not a better team than we were going to have the other way."

Kittles, who is in the final year of his contract, has mixed emotions about leaving New Jersey.

"I've been there my whole career, had a good run, been to the Finals twice, and had great teammates," he said. "Now changes are made, and I'm looking forward to getting on with my career."

He said his backcourt mate with the Nets, Jason Kidd, might not be pleased with the changes.

"I tend to think they're going to struggle a bit, rebuilding-wise. I think he may be pretty upset," Kittles said.

Thorn said the money saved by trading Kittles will be used to fill other needs on the roster.

"We have holes to fill," he said. "We've got to build our base back up."
 
Kittles has averaged 14.3 points, 2.6 assists and 3.9 rebounds during his career.

The fact the Nets got only a draft pick for him may give Kittles added incentive.

"I find motivation any way I can, and when a team gives you away for a draft pick, it sure sparks something in you," he said.

Defense says Bryant's accuser has received nearly $20K from fund

DENVER — Kobe Bryant's defense team says the woman accusing him of rape has received nearly $20,000 from a victims' compensation fund in what it calls a rich incentive to pursue a false claim against the Los Angeles Laker, according to a court transcript released yesterday.

The 20-year-old woman would be ineligible for at least $17,000 of that sum if she lied about the alleged rape, defense attorney Pamela Mackey argued during the June 21 hearing. She said the woman would have to reimburse the state fund if lies were discovered — even more incentive to go forward with the case.

Mackey said the compensation records should be admitted as evidence because they show the accuser had a financial interest in continuing her participation in the case.

"(The accuser) has profited to an enormous amount, $20,000, I would suspect to most people in this county is a lot of money, most of our jurors, and she has done that on the basis of a false allegation and has persisted in that false allegation," she said.

An attorney for the woman, John Clune, called Mackey's arguments "nothing more than tabloid accusations which are filled with inaccurate information." He declined to elaborate.

District Judge Terry Ruckriegle released a partial transcript of the closed-door hearing after being pressured by the Colorado Supreme Court and U.S. Supreme Court Justice Stephen Breyer to settle a First Amendment fight with the media.

Notes

• G Quentin Richardson signed a $45 million, six-year contract with the Phoenix Suns after the Clippers declined to match the offer.

• The Dallas Mavericks signed Pavel Podkolzin, a 7-foot-5 center acquired from the Utah Jazz after being selected 21st in the draft.

• Marcus Douthit, a second-round draft pick of the Los Angeles Lakers out of Providence College, was charged with taking part in an identity-theft and embezzlement scam and pocketing several thousand dollars.

The 125-count indictment unsealed by a statewide grand jury accuses Douthit with allegedly participating in a phony car accident as part of a scheme to obtain money from insurance companies.

• Washington signed G Anthony Peeler.

• Orlando signed F Michael Bradley.