ATLANTA (AP) The last time the Atlanta Hawks traded for a notorious malcontent _ from the Portland Trail Blazers, no less _ the results were less than acceptable.

Maybe things will work out better with Rasheed Wallace.

Wallace, a volatile forward who was suspended for seven games last season for threatening an official, and reserve Wesley Person were sent to the Hawks late Monday night for Shareef Abdur-Rahim and two other players.

In the 2000-01 season, Wallace set the NBA record with 41 technical fouls. He is earning $17 million in the final year of his contract, and already indicated that he did not want to re-sign with Portland.

His former teammates are going to miss him.

``'Sheed was probably one of the most underrated defensive players in this league, and he came to work every day,'' Portland center Dale Davis said Tuesday. ``He was a fun guy to be around and a fun guy to play with.''

The same probably can't be said about Isaiah Rider.

Four years ago, the enigmatic guard was traded to the Hawks after wearing out his welcome in Portland. Rider came to the Hawks with a reputation for causing trouble. He feuded with coaches and was convicted for marijuana possession and assault.

In Atlanta, he didn't even make it through one season with the Hawks, who released him for repeatedly showing up late for games and practices.

Then-general manager Pete Babcock, who was fired last April, said acquiring Rider was the biggest mistake of his 13-year run with the Hawks. They gave up respected guard Steve Smith in the deal.

``I didn't have any false illusions that (Rider) was going to change personalities and become a different person,'' Babcock said Tuesday. ``We needed the cap room. We rolled the dice and gambled with him, and we lost.''

Billy Knight, Babcock's replacement and the man responsible for the Wallace deal, understands the position he's in. Abdur-Rahim is very active in the community, and his projects include an annual Thanksgiving Day food drive for the needy.

``Anybody who has a daughter can understand this, Shareef is the kind of young man you'd be proud for your daughter to marry,'' Knight said. ``Shareef is such a tough deal because he's such a good guy, he is everything you want in a player.

``But I had to put aside my personal feelings and do what's best for the organization.''

Financially strapped Atlanta needed some relief from the salary cap. With Abdur-Rahim, center Theo Ratliff and little-used guard Dan Dickau _ the other players going to Portland _ the Hawks would have been right at the cap figure next season with only eight players.

Adding draft picks and others to fill out the roster would have pushed them over the limit, triggering a luxury tax.

Wallace and Anderson will be free agents after this season, and the Hawks gain additional help when Terrell Brandon's salary comes off the books, too. He retired with knee problems.

Knight is not worried about Wallace's behavior.

``What you do in this situation is very clear, you start with a clean slate,'' Knight said. ``You judge people on the way they are with you. I'm not going to go on what someone else said.''