GOLDEN OPPORTUNITY: Free-agent center Erick Dampier is scheduled to visit with Knicks president Isiah Thomas this week in New York, perhaps as early as tomorrow. Several teams, including Memphis and Indiana, have expressed interest in Dampier but have been unable to work out a sign-and-trade with the Golden State Warriors, who have not ruled out re-signing him. The Knicks are offering Kurt Thomas and Othella Harrington to Golden State. If a trade cannot be worked out, the Knicks will try to convince Dampier to take their mid-level exception, which starts at $5 million. However, the Atlanta Hawks, who are trying to sign Dampier, can offer him more money. As for free-agent guard Jamal Crawford, Isiah Thomas is mulling a counter-proposal presented to him yesterday by Bulls GM John Paxson. The Knicks would be getting Crawford plus Jerome Williams and trading to Chicago a group of players all entering the final year of their contracts: Harrington, Dikembe Mutombo, Frank Williams and Cezary Trybanski. link
I just hope something happens soon that way we all know what the roster will look like. Besides we all are running out of things to discuss. Let's hope for a blockbuster
Atlanta will lose a bit of cash with the reported Walker-Terry trade, about $2-3 million. Atlanta's offer to Damp is significant (at least length, though not per-year), though, and is still on the table.
Is it a good idea to take on expiring contracts for players we don't need if it guarantees Dampier stays out of the West? What do you guys think? I say just let Dampier walk. I don't even care if he plays in our own conference. Plus, It's more entertaining to keep Isiah Thomas' hopes up and having the NY Post keep on proving themselves as idiots when it comes to reporting news.
Here's basically the same article that talks about him being a Knick for one year. Dampier meets with Knicks August 4, 2004 NEW YORK (AP) -- Free agent center Erick Dampier visited the New York Knicks on Wednesday, a team he said would go farther in the playoffs with him on the roster. But he's still shopping. The 6-foot-11 veteran has spent the last seven seasons with Golden State and has talked to a few other NBA clubs the past several weeks. ADVERTISEMENT Dampier met with Knicks coach Lenny Wilkens, toured the practice facility with Madison Square Garden and was expected to meet later Wednesday with general manager Isiah Thomas. The Knicks lost in the first round of the playoffs last season. ``I think with the addition of me, it would definitely make this team better,'' Dampier said. Dampier averaged 12 rebounds, fourth in the league, and 12.3 points last season. He has also met with the Atlanta Hawks, and said they put an offer on the table. ``We're talking with a few teams,'' Dampier said. ``At this point I don't really know how this situation is going to pan out. It's been a very interesting situation for me over the last couple of weeks just wondering where I'm going to be.'' Dampier said he may be ready to consider a one-year, mid-level contract. ``You get to a certain point in your life where the money's not a factor and you just want to win,'' he said. ``I'm not getting any younger and I want to be in the playoffs so I have a chance to compete for a championship.'' For the Knicks, the addition of Dampier in the post would give them another big man for the new big man in the conference -- Shaquille O'Neal of the Miami Heat. Dampier said he has had success against O'Neal in the past. The key, he said, is to keep O'Neal from settling in down low. ``I just try to go out and play him hard. Meet him early every time down the floor and not let him get to the position he's most comfortable in,'' Dampier said. <font color="#1a5cad">http://sports.yahoo.com/nba/news?slug=ap-k...dampier&prov=ap</font>
Good luck Damp. I can respect him for playing for a team for less money just because you want to win. I think he could have done that here though. I guess he was ready for a change.
Mind you, he's just playing for the MLE because other teams won't offer him the max deal. If I were Damp and be in this situation I would have said thesame thing in the press...big deal!
If that were the case, he would play for ATL. No, they did not offer him the max, but they did offer him the largest contract. We also offered him a 2 year extension, on top of his 2 years remaining for 9-10m per year.
Atlanta I believe offered him a 40 million 4 year deal, If he turns that down for the MLE just because he wants to win then I guess that proves he isn't all about getting paid as many people thought. With that said I expect the Knicks and GS to sort out a sign and trade where Damp will get 67 million which is what NY has offered him.
I just don't see the Warriors working out a sign and trade with the Knicks. What can they offer us? I would like to believe Mullin is not that stupid.
The whole NY sign and trade for Dampier and what they're offering is equivalent to me saying to you, "if you go out and buy a battery for your casio watch so that it works and then give the watch to it me, i'll give you a heaping pile of dog doo doo in return. After a couple days the doo doo dries up and stops smelling, so it works out for you and it works out for me. At least you'll be getting something for him rather than nothing". Bottom Line: Unless they're giving us players that immediately expire after this year in addition to future draft picks or cash, or rookies with trade value like Cezary Trybanski and they take our bad contracts, then no thanks. Knicks GM better try harder if they want Damp first before anyone else does. Because we save money and we have a better chance of signing any of our core to extensions, especially in sign and trade deals during the season. Jrich for Paul Pierce might just come up and be a possibility if Boston fails to live up to the hype. You never know with Celtics GM Danny Ainge, you know?
