<p>The Portland Trail Blazers formally ushered in the post-Raheed Wallace era on Wednesday.</p><p>Former Hawks forward Shareef Abdur-Rahim, center Theo Ratliff and guard Dan Dickau arrived at the Rose Garden for physical exams. Then they met a few of their new Portland teammates, including guard Damon Stoudamire.</p><p>The trio is expected to be in uniform Thursday night when the Blazers host the Denver Nuggets.</p><p>The Blazers had already bid farewell to Wallace, sent to Atlanta along with reserve Wesley Person in a trade Monday night.</p><p>I think youll see a quick integration of these guys in the locker room, Portland general manager John Nash said, because theyre good guys.</p><p>Former All-Star Abdur-Rahim was averaging 20.7 points and 8.4 rebounds this season for Atlanta, 21 games back of leader Indiana in the Eastern Conference.</p><p>Ratliff is averaging 8.3 points and 7.2 rebounds, and leads the league with 3.1 blocked shots a game. Dickau is averaging 2.1 points.</p><p>I was watched the (Portland) game last night and I was looking at the amount of talent this team already has _ without myself, Theo and Dan being there. Just having an opportunity to play with those guys is an honor, Abdur-Rahim said.</p><p>Dickau, who is from Vancouver, Wash., near Portland, was a first-round pick of the Sacramento Kings in 2002 traded to the Hawks on draft day.</p><p>Not only is it a fresh start with a new basketball team _ Im coming home, Dickau said.</p><p>Nash joked that when the baby-faced Dickau showed up at the Rose Garden, the receptionist called to say the new intern is here.</p><p>The Blazers stressed both the talent _ and the character _ of their newest players. Character became a key issue with the Blazers after last season, which was marked by several player arrests, team infighting and other discord.</p><p>Wallace, in his eighth year in Portland, had become a trade target because of his turbulent past _ despite his popularity among his teammates.</p><p>Last season, he was suspended by the league for seven games for threatening an official on the loading dock at the Rose Garden Arena after a game. It was the longest suspension ever handed down by the NBA that did not involve physical contact or substance abuse.</p><p>He was also cited with Stoudamire on marijuana charges, which were later resolved.</p><p>Wallace drew the ire of NBA commissioner David Stern this season when he told The Oregonian newspaper that the leagues white establishment is exploiting young black athletes to enrich itself. He later issued an apology.</p><p>The Wallace trade capped a flurry of changes made by the Blazers this season. In December, they traded guard Bonzi Wells to the Memphis Grizzlies for Person. A trade last month brought in young forward Darius Miles from Cleveland.</p><p>Its tough for me to leave my guys in Atlanta behind, just like its tough for them to see Rasheed is gone, Ratliff said about his new teammates. But hopefully we can come in and earn their trust and earn their friendship the same way he did, by going out, playing hard and backing them up.</p>
