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The Indiana Pacers signed forward Jermaine O'Neal to a seven-year contract Wednesday, saying they expect him to be the team's cornerstone for years to come.
O'Neal, a two-time NBA All-Star, was one of the league's premier free agents this summer, but decided to stay with the Pacers.
O'Neal said he was focused on winning a championship with Indiana, which lost in the first round of the playoffs in each of O'Neal's three seasons with the Pacers.
"I don't want to play 82 practice games and then play four or five games and go home,'' he said. "You want the best players on the team. I want the best players who are going to fight. I don't want players who are going to give up.''
The contract is for the maximum allowed under the league's salary cap, which would make O'Neal's deal worth about $120 million.
O'Neal was a little-used reserve with Portland before the Pacers acquired him in a trade for Dale Davis.
The 6-foot-11 O'Neal has blossomed into one of the league's top big men with the Pacers, averaging 20.8 points and 10.3 rebounds a game last season.
The Pacers have two other key free agents still on the market: All-Star center Brad Miller and guard Reggie Miller.
O'Neal, a two-time NBA All-Star, was one of the league's premier free agents this summer, but decided to stay with the Pacers.
O'Neal said he was focused on winning a championship with Indiana, which lost in the first round of the playoffs in each of O'Neal's three seasons with the Pacers.
"I don't want to play 82 practice games and then play four or five games and go home,'' he said. "You want the best players on the team. I want the best players who are going to fight. I don't want players who are going to give up.''
The contract is for the maximum allowed under the league's salary cap, which would make O'Neal's deal worth about $120 million.
O'Neal was a little-used reserve with Portland before the Pacers acquired him in a trade for Dale Davis.
The 6-foot-11 O'Neal has blossomed into one of the league's top big men with the Pacers, averaging 20.8 points and 10.3 rebounds a game last season.
The Pacers have two other key free agents still on the market: All-Star center Brad Miller and guard Reggie Miller.