Sad news out of Portland today as former Wizards forward Fabricio Oberto had to announce his retirement due to a recurring heart condition. Oberto was known as a great teammate throughout the league, and his services were sought after by front offices looking to add that one last glue guy to a team in contention. Now on his way out the door, Oberto has decided to do one last solid by returning all the money due to him by the Portland Trailblazers. As reported by Ken Berger:
↵↵↵When a player suffers a season- or career-ending medical condition, he's entitled to receive every dollar he's due. But Oberto, 35, didn't go that route. In fact, after discussing his medical issues with Blazers officials, doctors and his agent, Oberto agreed to sign an addendum to his contract converting it from guaranteed to non-guaranteed.
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This allows the Trailblazers to audition other big men, which they desperately need due to the losses of Greg Oden, Joel Przybilla, and Oberto. It also flies in the face of conventional NBA behavior, where an injured player can keep plugging up the payroll for years despite never suiting up for the team. Fabricio was truly a class act during his tenure in the NBA and I wish him the best as he embarks on his post-NBA career.
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