European Stars and Stripes (Newspaper) - June 30, 1994, Darmstadt, Hesse                                Pago 34 the stars and stripes sports thursday Jine 30,1994 nets put Beard at Helm East Rutherford . Apr even Butch Beard realizes a it of people Are asking Why. The new Jersey nets have placed the future of their Young talented team in his hands. The 47-year-old Beard has no Aba head coaching experience and his Only head coaching Job came during the last four years at Howard University where he compiled a 45-69 record with Only one winning season. Nets general manager Willis Reed looked be Beard Pond the drawbacks tuesday and named Beard to replace coaching great Chuck Daly who resigned last month after new Jersey was Climi rated from the playoffs in the first round for the third straight year. A the has All the making of a coach and wants to be a coach a Reed said in explaining the Choice of his former assistant coach. A the has been willing to pay the Price. A i have people who Call me All the time who want a Job handed to them a Reed said. A the went to Howard because he wanted to be a  Beard who led Howard to an Mcaa tournament berth in 1992, admitted he was surprised he was offered an Aba head coaching Job so soon. A there is noway Butch Beard or anyone can replace Chuck Daly a Beard said. A my goal is to try to put my personality on this club 1 want a team that works hard has fun and wins. My biggest Challenge is to try to find out what makes 12 or 13 men tick. All they have to do is find out what Butch Beard wants from  Beard and Reed termed the coach s contract As a multiyear a although sources close to the team indicated it was Only two years in length. In getting the Job Beard beat out four other candidates including Dalys top two assistants Brendan Suhr and Paul Silas. Indiana assistant coach Bill Blair and Orlando assistant Bob Hill were the other finalists. Barkley coming a for another season by Walter Berry Phoenix a Charles Barkley has never been one to shy away from challenges. That a Why he announced tuesday that he is committed to rehabilitating his ailing Back and returning for at least one More season with the Phoenix suns. Barkley who was out of shape and collapsed during training Camp last year hinted All last season that he might retire. He said tuesday there were two occasions last season when he almost quit because he was a playing bad and playing  Barkley said he was ready to officially announce his retirement until teammate Danny Ainge talked him out of it last weekend when they played in a Golf tournament in Toronto. Quot up until the last 48 hours i was definitely going to retire a Barkley said at a news conference at America wrist Arena. A i want to thank Ainge for staying on my Case. He was very persistent and just kept challenging me. A the kept telling me a if you do everything you re supposed to do you can be Good  i wanted to change my mind about retiring but i  do it myself. I wanted somebody to talk me into coming  Barkley 31, was diagnosed last october with a bulging disc in his lower spine As Well As a thickening of tissue around the nerve of the spine. The pressure on that nerve causes weakness and numbness in the legs of the 6-foot-5, 250-Pound Barkley who was the a bad a map in 1993, his first year with Phoenix. Barkley also hampered last year by knee and Groin injuries consulted with several Back specialists last month and ruled out surgery. A a a a he said he will go to California next month to Start on a two hour a Day eight week rehabilitation program developed by a California Back specialist recommended by golfing great Jack Nick Laus. A my body needs a Complete overhaul a Barkley said. A i done to think ill Ever be pain free again. But the Bottom line is in a going to do the work it takes. I know i can do it. I can do whatever i put my mind to. This is a big Challenge for me a Challenge to my Pride a and in be never backed Down from a Challenge a Barkley has never been known for his Diligence in the of season or in the training room before however. A up until the 1992 olympics 1 never touched a basketball during the summer. 1 done to believe in playing basketball during the summer. I done to believe in work. A a a Charles Barkley says suns teammate Danny Ainge talked him out of retiring. Ing out during the summer a Barkley said. A if you be been through an Aba season you get physically and mentally exhausted. A but 1 Wasny to Happy with the Way last season ended. I done to want to be remembered limping around. That a Why i want to play again. I want my last season to be  Barkley said he could not put a timetable on How Many More years he wants to play if his Back holds up. A i got to think positive a he said. A a in a not going to 100 percent. If my legs done to go numb like last season and take All my Power away i think ill be of next year. I done to want to think too far into the  a Charles is committed to rehab a suns president Jerry Colangelo said. A if he can do that he can continue his career. There a no time limit on  if Barkley had retired the suns would have had half of his salary Slot a about $3.3 million a to lure a free agent. Teams can begin negotiating with free agents on Friday two Days after the Aba draft. Phoenix had the 23rd and 29th picks in wednesdays draft. The suns also have two More picks late in the second round. The suns who made the Aba finals for Only the second time in their 26-year history in 1993, were eliminated in seven games by the Houston rockets in the second round of this years playoffs. A i think we re Stilt one of the Best five teams in the league a Barkley said. A we can be title contenders again. If we can stay healthy and make a couple of Subtle changes Well be right there at the  will become restricted free agent Oakland Calif a Golden state Forward Chris Webber the top pick in last years Aba draft and the leagues Rookie of the year has exercised a contract option that will make him a restricted free agent july i webbers 15-year, $74.4 million contract contains a clause that allowed him 4 to become a restricted free agent. After exercising the option which was announced tub by be May Field offers from other teams beginning Friday. Under league rules the warriors have 15 Days to match any such offer and re sign the Power Forward. The move on the eve of the draft came As a blow to warriors coach and general manager Don Nelson who landed Webber in a stunning draft Day Trade with the Orlando magic. During the season Webber reportedly was unhappy playing for Nelson even though the 6-foot-10, 260-Pounder was averaging 17.5 Points a game and leading the team in rebounding. Webber s agent Bill Strickland said it was a highly probable that Webber would re sign with the warriors who now have More Money available under the salary Cap. A a we re anticipating being Able to negotiate a contract based on Chris real value absent a salary Cap Slot a Strickland said. A the warriors Are in a position to sign him for More Money than anyone else in the league a warriors president Dan Finnane said the warriors want to keep Webber. A we Are committed to re signing Chris Webber and will be in Contact with his agent a Finnane said. A when Chris signed with us last october his contract gave him the right to become a restricted free agent this  the leagues youngest player Webber was an instant Success As a pro leading All rookies in rebounding 9.1 per gatefold goal percentage .552 and blocks the magic made Webber who led Michigan to two appearances in the Mcaa championship game the first pick of the 1993 draft As a Sophomore. The warriors then dealt the rights to anger Nee Hardaway and three future first round picks to Orlando for webbers rights