Mutombo Re-Sign With Rockets

JOHANNESBURG, SOUTH AFRICA — It has taken nearly four months to get the agony of the Game 7 playoff loss to Utah out of his head. But Dikembe Mutombo is ready to look forward to one final NBA season with the Rockets.

"I will probably sign," Mutombo said Wednesday night at a reception for Basketball Without Borders, the NBA outreach program that is in its fifth year of assembling the top 100 African prospects. "I just need one more phone call. (Rockets owner) Les (Alexander) and I need to squeeze out one or two more things."

The Rockets made the 41-year-old Mutombo a veteran's minimum offer of $1.2 million in July and likely have upped that to $1.9 million, the most they would have available under the NBA salary cap.

"I will probably play one more year," Mutombo said. "Not half or part of a year. If I sign, I will be there on Oct. 1.

"They can only offer me a little contract, pay me only so much at this point. I know the Rockets are in that position. My mistake is that I didn't get into a position to sign a contract earlier in the summer. I let myself get pushed to the back, and that's what makes me a little mad.
"But I understand. They must look at the overall franchise and the future and where they are going and do what is best for them in the future. I'm just an old guy looking to play one more year."

The 7-2 center was productive last season, his 16th NBA campaign. Mutombo started 33 games during the stretch when Yao Ming was sidelined with a broken leg and finished the season averaging 3.1 points, 6.5 rebounds and 1.01 blocked shots. New Rockets coach Rick Adelman wants the security of a veteran defensive force behind Yao for a potential playoff run.

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source : chron.com