PORTLAND — Less than two weeks after signing with the team, Blazers center Fabricio Oberto retired Thursday due to recurrent palpitations related to a previous heart condition.
Oberto was dizzy and lightheaded during the first half of Tuesday’s game at Milwaukee.
“I made this decision to put my health and my family in front of basketball,” Oberto said in a press release. “It was a tough decision to make after playing for so many years, but it was the right one.”
The 35-year-old Argentine averaged 1.4 points, 1.4 rebounds and nine minutes in his five games with Portland. Previously, he was part of the San Antonio Spurs 2007 championship team.
Said Blazers coach Nate McMillan of Oberto’s retirement: “We support that … Now his wife and his little girl get his time. But he was deeply sad about not being able to continue.”
The Blazers are down to three big men, and from a business perspective, Portland must now think about “what now?”
McMillan has, although he hasn’t reached any conclusions. Center Joel Przybilla isn’t expected back until Nov. 26, and the team doesn’t want to rush just to fill a depleted position.
So for now, McMillan said the organization will peruse the list of available players and make a decision from there.
Oberto joins Greg Oden, Przybilla and Jeff Pendergraph as centers out (or waived) due to health problems.
McMillan said on multiple occasions that he dislikes discussing injuries, and when asked how he felt Thursday, he responded: “My phone is on mute.”
Williams out for year, Fernandez for game
Blazers rookie guard Elliot Williams will likely miss the remainder of the season to surgically repair a right patella he dislocated in conditioning drills Wednesday. Williams said he hurt the knee coming off of a pick in a one-on-one drill, adding that he’s experienced this type of injury before. In fact, that’s why he didn’t play any summer league games.
Williams also said that the injury generally takes about two or three weeks to heal, but that surgery is required to diminish the risk of future knee problems.
Williams was the Blazers’ 22nd pick in last summer’s draft but hadn’t played in the regular season.
Blazers guard Rudy Fernandez, meanwhile, missed Thursday’s game with a back problem.
Steve Nash, politician?
A fictitious article recently appeared on the Phoenix New Times Web site claiming that Steve Nash was going to quit the Suns to run for Prime Minister of Canada.
When McMillan was asked about this, he responded stone-faced: “Soon, I hope.”
