Trail Blazers agree to sign Fabricio Oberto, will move Pendergraph

The Trail Blazers on Friday bolstered their depleted center position by agreeing to sign free agent center Fabricio Oberto to a one-year contract, a high-ranking source told The Oregonian. The move will result in the departure of injured center Jeff Pendergraph, who will either be waived or traded by Monday.

Oberto, a 6-foot-10, 208-pound center, is a five-year NBA veteran who has played for San Antonio and Washington. Last season with the Wizards, he played in 57 games, including 20 starts, and averaged 1.5 points and 1.8 rebounds in 11.4 minutes.

Oberto on Friday was in Argentina when the Blazers agreed to sign him. The 35-year-old will arrive in Portland on Monday. The Blazers open the regular season on Tuesday at home against Phoenix.

The move came after coach Nate McMillan was apprehensive about opening the regular season with one healthy center, Marcus Camby, a veteran who has battled injuries throughout his career and throughout this preseason. The Blazers are awaiting the return of rehabilitating centers Joel Przybilla and Greg Oden, with Przybilla predicting a mid-November return. The team has not forecasted a return date for Oden.

Pendergraph is a second-year player who blew out his right knee in the Blazers' second preseason game. The injury will sideline him for the season. According to a source, the Blazers are engaged in trade discussions and will keep Pendergraph as an asset that could help make a trade work financially. The Blazers have until 3 p.m. Monday to finalize their roster. If they are unable to make a deal, Pendergraph will be waived.

The Blazers' trade discussions do not include the disgruntled Rudy Fernandez, however, because Fernandez has played so well in the preseason. Fernandez made 20 three-pointers in the preseason, tops in the NBA.

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