PONTIAC, Mich. -- Greg Kelser failed a physical exam by the Seattle SuperSonics Wednesday, nullifying his trade from Detroit and putting him back on the Pistons' roster, Pistons' General Manager Jack McCloskey said.
Kelser, hampered by tendinitis of the knee, is still in line to be traded, McCloskey said.
Kelser, who followed Michigan State teammate Earvin Johnson into the NBA as the fourth pick in the 1979 college draft, was traded to Seattle Tuesday from Detroit for a 1983 first-round draft choice.
But the trade was conditional on Kelser's passing the physical, and he flew to Seattle earlier Wednesday for the examination.
McCloskey said he received a telephone call Wednesday night -- with two minutes left in Detroit's game with the New York Knicks -- from Seattle President Zollie Volchok, who told him the deal was off.
'Greg is still on our roster,' McCloskey said. 'He was rejected by Seattle's team physicians, and he immediately returns to our roster.'
Asked whether he would attempt to again jettison Kelser, McCloskey said: 'It could be ticklish, but Greg is a man that can handle any situation.'
Kelser, a 6-foot-8 forward, averaged 14.2 points per game in 50 games last season and has averaged 12.3 points this season.
He led MSU in both scoring and rebounding each of his last three seasons and became nationally known when he teamed with Johnson to lead the Spartans to the 1979 NCAA championship.
