SACRAMENTO, Calif. -- Doug Christie returned to the
Sacramento Kings with enthusiasm and grace.
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He said Wednesday that he hoped Chris Webber would follow his lead -- and Webber confirmed hours later that he will also re-sign with the Kings.
Christie, the Kings' starting shooting guard and a defensive specialist, re-signed with Sacramento on Wednesday, agreeing to a seven-year contract worth more than $48 million.
The Kings fought off an aggressive recruitment pitch for
Christie's services by the San Antonio Spurs, who offered a
six-year, $45 million deal and a likely starting spot on the
Midwest Division champions.
But Christie said the decision to return to Sacramento, which acquired him last September in a trade with Toronto, was an easy one.
"Last year, I had the most fun I've had playing basketball
since I was a kid," said Christie, a nine-year NBA veteran who has
played with four teams. "Being in this organization for a year and
seeing the strides we're trying to make, this was a really
comfortable place for us."
Christie averaged 12.3 points, 4.4 rebounds and 3.6 assists
while starting 81 games and shooting 89.7 percent from the free
throw line. Christie also led a defensive revival for the Kings,
who had the NBA's fourth-best record at 55-27.
Christie proved to have a knack for thriving in tough
matchups with Kobe Bryant, Jason Kidd and other star players.
Christie was selected to the NBA's All-Defensive second team -- the
first player to be so honored since the franchise moved to
Sacramento in 1985.
Next season, Christie will team with new point guard Mike Bibby
in the Kings' backcourt.
"He very quickly became an important part of our core last
season," said Geoff Petrie, the Kings' vice president of
basketball operations. "Our preference this year has always been
to keep our core group intact and add to that."
In choosing a return to Sacramento over a spot with the Spurs,
Christie said Webber's return to the Kings would make them one of
the NBA's elite teams next season. Webber, the NBA's sixth-leading
scorer last season and an unrestricted free agent, was heavily wooed by several teams before deciding to return to the Kings.
"He puts us back in the upper echelon of all the teams out
there," Christie said. "If he doesn't come back, we'll have to
find other ways. We can do that, but I really think he would be
best off coming back here and winning a championship with us."
Christie is a family man who says he has no taste for the nightlife and diversions of larger cities than California's capital.
"If your lifestyle is partying, New York might be best for you," Christie said. "For me, it's Sacramento."
Re-signing both Christie and Webber could push the Kings' payroll high enough to force them to pay the league's new luxury tax, but team owners Joe and Gavin Maloof said the deals were worth making.
"We've spent a lot of money, but now we've got a team that can
contend for the championship," Joe Maloof said. "It's the kind of
move that you might sometimes have to make if you want to bring a
winner to your fans."
Christie's agent, Brad Marshall, said he respected his client
for choosing the winning atmosphere and comfort of Sacramento, even
though the Spurs offered more money.
"Doug wanted to do the right thing," Marshall said. "With
what Doug did last year and what he's done over the course of his
career, this is a fair contract."
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