Hearing Date Set on Joe Smith Deal

M I N N E A P O L I S, Nov. 29, 2000 -- An NBA hearing to determine who was involvedin the illegal secret agreement with former Minnesota Timberwolvesforward Joe Smith is set for Dec. 12-13 in New York.

Arbitrator Kenneth Dam is expected to hear testimony from theTimberwolves to determine their roles in the salary-capcircumvention case.

Taylor Takes the Rap

NBA commissioner David Stern can suspend anyone involved for upto a year.

Owner Glen Taylor already has admitted to signing the documentand said he takes responsibility for the agreement.

Smith signed a free-agent contract with Minnesota in 1999, alongwith a secret promise of $86 million over seven years, a deal thatviolated the salary cap. The NBA punished the Timberwolves bytaking away their next five first-round draft picks and fining them$3.5 million, a league record.

Stern also voided Smith’s contract for this season and theprevious two seasons, taking away the so-called Larry Bird rightsthat would have allowed the Wolves to sign Smith to amultimillion-dollar contract next season.

Earlier this month, Smith signed a one-year, $2.25 million dealwith the Detroit Pistons.