Deke Signs c Knicks

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ESPN.com news services

NEW YORK -- Dikembe Mutombo signed a contract with the New York Knicks on Thursday, two days after he accepted a buyout and was waived by the New Jersey Nets.

Terms of the deal were not disclosed.

"Adding a shot blocker and rebounder of Dikembe's caliber to our team dramatically improves key areas that we were looking to upgrade," Knicks president and GM Scott Layden said on Thursday. "His basketball resume is so impressive that having the chance to add him to our club was something we were not going to pass up. In addition to his superior skills on the court, Dikembe is a role model that all of young players will look up to and learn from."

The Knicks were the worst shot-blocking team in the NBA last season when they missed the playoffs for the second straight season.

Kurt Thomas, a natural power forward, has been the Knicks' starting center for most of the past two seasons.

Mutombo played in only 24 games last season because of a wrist injury that required surgery around Thanksgiving. The 37-year-old did not return to action until late in the regular season and was sitting on the bench for most of the playoffs.

Mutombo, 7-2, 261-pounds, is the NBA's sixth all-time shot blocker with 2,873 rejections and is the only player in history to be named the NBA Defensive Player of the Year four-times (1995, 1997, 1998, 2001). He was named to the All-NBA second team in 2001 and the third team in 1998 and 2002. A three-time NBA All-Defensive first team selection and three-time second team selection, Mutombo ranks first in blocked shots among active players.

"I know Dikembe very well through the years and there is no question he'll fit right into our system and thrive," coach Don Chaney said. "There aren't many players in NBA history that can change the course of a game as much as he does."

The Nets, currently for sale, cited financial concerns in announcing the buyout of the final two years of Mutombo's contract, which had $37 million remaining on it. Mutombo's chances of playing more this season diminished with Jason Collins and Aaron Williams returning and Alonzo Mourning, Mutombo's teammate at Georgetown, signing with New Jersey as a free agent.

Mourning criticized the move Sunday, saying it showed the two-time defending Eastern Conference champions were more interested in money than in winning a championship.

Mutombo averaged 5.8 points, 6.4 rebounds and 1.54 blocks last season. He appeared in 10 playoff games, including six NBA Finals games versus the San Antonio Spurs, to average 10.3 minutes and record totals of 10 points and 17 rebounds.

Information from The Associated Press was used in this report.