From The Mercury News: All is quiet with Dampier's moving plans by Tim Kawakami Another day came and went Wednesday and Erick Dampier did not switch teams, get filthy rich or announce that he wants to retire in order to try his luck at the Tour de France. This must not be a fun time around the Dampier household, I'm guessing. Another day came and went. With no announcement, no deal, no intriguing new offers and no comment from the Warriors about their plans involving Dampier, who expected to be counting his millions as a New York Knick by now. Because the Warriors really have no other plan but the simple two-step strategy they have stuck to for 15 days, which might be about to pay off nicely: 1. Dare Dampier to sign a free-agent contract with Atlanta (the only under-the-cap team to show interest). In this scenario, the Warriors get nothing for a valuable player, but Dampier gets stuck on a bad team unwilling to pay him as much as a winner would. Lose-lose. 2. Or wait for an over-the-cap contending team such as the Knicks, Indiana Pacers or Memphis Grizzlies to offer something in a sign-and-trade that Warriors executive Chris Mullin actually wants. The only way for the Warriors to capitalize on that scenario is to wait it out and forget about pressure from New York, its media and Dampier's agent, Dan Fegan, who also represents Jason Richardson and Troy Murphy. So far, it's a no-go, and Mullin has spent his rookie off-season listening to G.M.s try to bluff him. Mullin hasn't been able to pry former teammate Jonathan Bender from Indiana or Stromile Swift, James Posey or Shane Battier from Memphis. (Just Mullin's luck: He can't make a deal with Indiana's Donnie Walsh or Memphis' Jerry West, two legendary executives, because he thinks like them. He wants the players they don't want to give up, and he doesn't want the players they're willing to dump.) Oh, and that much-reported and much-offered Knicks package of Othella Harrington and Nazr Mohammed? Warriors sources say Mullin has rejected that package every time Knicks General Manager Isiah Thomas has proposed it, believing that it is better to let Dampier walk away for nothing than to take the Knicks' expensive castoffs. The truth, Warriors sources say, is that Dampier and Fegan overestimated the player's worth right from April. That's when Dampier opted out of his remaining two years and $15.7 million and rejected three- and four-year extensions offered by Mullin, averaging $9 million to $10 million a season. SO WHAT HAPPENS NOW? A few possibilities: ? Phoenix could edge into the picture if, as expected, the Los Angeles Clippers match the Suns' offer sheet for guard Quentin Richardson today. That will give the Suns more incentive and cash to deal with the Warriors and Dampier. What player might key a sign-and-trade deal with the Suns? Remember this name: Zarko Cabarkapa. The 6-foot-11 forward, the Suns' first-round pick last year, showed incredible athleticism and energy but is stuck behind Shawn Marion. ? The Knicks could sweeten the pot by agreeing to take Evan Eschmeyer's remaining three years and $10-plus million or by adding draft picks. ? Memphis, which apparently has tried to fashion a three-way deal involving Atlanta (which would get Bonzi Wells), could amp up those talks by adding Swift or Battier. ? It's a long shot, but Dampier could return to the Warriors on a one-year deal for $5 million or $6 million and try again next off-season. That idea has been ``floated,'' said one Warriors source, though Mullin has already invested $41.6 million in center Adonal Foyle and traded for veteran Dale Davis. It's one way for Dampier to preserve a chance at big money down the road. Given the egos involved, don't expect it to happen. link
<div class="quote_poster">Quoting SanQuinn:</div><div class="quote_post"> ? It's a long shot, but Dampier could return to the Warriors on a one-year deal for $5 million or $6 million and try again next off-season. That idea has been ``floated,'' said one Warriors source, though Mullin has already invested $41.6 million in center Adonal Foyle and traded for veteran Dale Davis. </div> What do you guys think about that? Would there even be room for Damp with Foyle and Davis now signed? Not to mention trying to get Biedrin some minutes. Damp left to fill his selfish desires and should reap the consequences.
I wouldn't mind getting Damp back. All the pressure would be on him to have a great season, and if he F's up, there goes his payday. We would get him for cheap rental and add to our depth, even though it might hinder the playing time and development of Biedrens. However this is all very unrealistic, and I can't imagine Damp sharing time with the HIGHER PAID adonal foyle. He wont have the balls to accept that fact!
<div class="quote_poster">Quoting Rudeezy:</div><div class="quote_post">What do you guys think about that? Would there even be room for Damp with Foyle and Davis now signed? Not to mention trying to get Biedrin some minutes. Damp left to fill his selfish desires and should reap the consequences.</div> It wont happen imo like stated in that quote it is a long shot. IMO he is better off if he signs with the hawks because they are a much improved team and playing in the east would offer him a chance to win. Though slim it is a chance because from what I see isiah cant offer the warriors anything that intrests them so a trade to new york seems unlikely. Possibly a trade for glenn robinson to send dampier to philly may be put out there now since both players are on the market. IDK seems to me that dampier right now is more of a player who is signed by the warriors and the warriors control were he will end up rather than a FREE agent. He cant perssue any team to get signed because all are over the cap the only one that isnt is the losing team the hawks and even then they cant offer him alot of money. So for him to really go any were he must rely on the warriors. Though eventually something may happen do to the wild card being his agent also represents j-rich if they do not make dampier happy his agent may try and convince j-rich to request or demand a trade.
<div class="quote_poster">Quoting Pure Skillz:</div><div class="quote_post">Though eventually something may happen do to the wild card being his agent also represents j-rich if they do not make dampier happy his agent may try and convince j-rich to request or demand a trade.</div>You think JRich's agent hold's that much power over him? He is in the perfect situation right now.
<div class="quote_poster">Quoting Rudeezy:</div><div class="quote_post">You think JRich's agent hold's that much power over him? He is in the perfect situation right now.</div> Agents in todays sports industry have alot of power basically they hold the players future in there hands imo. Look at TO if his agent had done what he was suppost to he wouldnt have had to go through all that trouble to become an eagle. Look at carters agent if he didnt mess up and picked up carters option to stay with the heat his cliant would have made more money and his agency wouldnt have had to pay carter back some money. Agents in todays market have lots of power I dont think j-riches agent could do this I am just saying it is a possibility because j-rich is so young he can make mistakes and believe other people about stuff that he trusts. Also j-rich is in the perfect situation, but he was rumored to be traded earlier this off season so he may be a little bitter about that still.
That would be funny if he came back, but how would that locker room feel? I dont know if I would want to play with him.
<div class="quote_poster">Quoting Pure Skillz:</div><div class="quote_post">Also j-rich is in the perfect situation, but he was rumored to be traded earlier this off season so he may be a little bitter about that still.</div>They were just that, rumors. I'm sure Monty or Mullin has told JRich that he is their future and I'm pretty sure JRich is not bitter...that would be foolish.
I wouldn't mind having Dampier back. Because we can always trade him to a team for a draft pick or a rookie or something if some team needs him by the deadline.
<div class="quote_poster">Quoting custodianrules2:</div><div class="quote_post">I wouldn't mind having Dampier back. Because we can always trade him to a team for a draft pick or a rookie or something if some team needs him by the deadline.</div>Is that risk worth screwing up the team chemistry and locker room atmosphere? I would say no. They guy doesn't want to be here and I'm sure the players wouldn't want him back.
Damp isn't that vocal when he complains. I've only heard that one incident where he called Musselman a Musclehead and that was pretty much true. I mean Musclehead takes out Dampier in favor of Cliff Robinson at center. This was where Damp was the only player that had actually scored in the entire quarter and prevented the other team from driving the lane and getting second chance points. He wasn't in foul trouble and he got yanked. Yeah that was Damp's two points off of free throws in that Toronto game. ugh.
Its not about Damp verbally complaining, its about him choosing money over the team. I'm sure other players can understand that but he also gave up on this team when he said he wanted to go to a playoff team. If he guy quits on me and my teamates, I don't welcome him back with open arms when he has no where else to go.
True, but from an organization's standpoint you're really using him for trade bait and trying to get something that won't cost us anything in return. And that's fine by me. Just put him on IR or something.
Would Damp really want to sacrifice his stats? It's a contract year again! I think he would play his a$$ off, and that's why I think the risk is low. And like custodian said, if things don;t pan out we can always ship him off to a desperate Eastern Conference team (They will be looking for an answer to Shaq...to bad their is no answer).
I think we got have 2 dollars and fiddy five cents left after giving max-contacts to Derek Fisher and Adonal Foyle. I don't know how much MLE we have left.
If Damp walks, it won't really affect us that much. We are pretty much set (with the exception of depth at SF). I hope we do have some money left to sign a SF if Damp leaves for nothing. It would have to be someone pretty cheap though. Do you guys know some veteran SF's we can get for cheap?
Cliff Robinson can play small forward and so can Pietrus or Richardson. Maybe we don't need a full time backup small forward. How about Donny Marshall or Joaquin Hawkins? Those guys aren't in the league but they are good role players.
