Dampier: Leave money or stay

Would Damp ever play for Utah?
Or maybe Denver?

Which teams can afford to give him a long term contract with more than he's getting now and be able to win? Miami? Maybe New Orleans if they can move Mashburn. That'd be great if we got Mashburn for a sign and trade deal with Dampier.

Of course I'm not serious! Mashburn is overrated IMO. This team doesn't need more scoring with Murphy, Richardson, and Dunleavy and Claxton. The team needs to worry about the defensive end, good ball movement, rebounding and second chance points.

 

How about Charlotte? Sure, it seems like the Cats won't be able to win right off the bat, but if they get Dampier, another big FA, the #4 pick, and some great players from the expansion draft... they can make the playoffs. Afterall, it's the East. On Charlotte Dampier could be an All-Star caliber player. Not only would he be one of their top offensive options, he'd have less competition at Center in the East. It seems like a perfect fit to me.

 

<div class="quote_poster">Quoting Wave:</div><div class="quote_post">How about Charlotte? Sure, it seems like the Cats won't be able to win right off the bat, but if they get Dampier, another big FA, the #4 pick, and some great players from the expansion draft... they can make the playoffs. Afterall, it's the East. On Charlotte Dampier could be an All-Star caliber player. Not only would he be one of their top offensive options, he'd have less competition at Center in the East. It seems like a perfect fit to me.</div>
Charlotte sounds like a possibility, but can't Charlotte just pick him in the expansion draft? Teams can't protect unrestricted FA's, or can they? Correct me if I'm wrong anywhere.

 

Charlotte can't get him, they won't be able to give enough money and I don't think he's looking to go and help a team decelop right now.

Dallas, Phoenix, New York, Utah and Denver are possibilities, relly every team without a good center is watching him somewhat.

 

<div class="quote_poster">Quoting Trip:</div><div class="quote_post">Charlotte sounds like a possibility, but can't Charlotte just pick him in the expansion draft? Teams can't protect unrestricted FA's, or can they? Correct me if I'm wrong anywhere.</div>

Damp is not a free agent, yet. He has a clause in his contract to become an unrestricted free agent, or keep the remaining 2 years on his contract. And no a team can not protect a free agent...

 

Damp is supposed to get 8.1 mil next year with the Warriors. Let's put that in perspective given the financial climate of the NBA. Brad Miller will only be making 7.8 mil next year. Miller has been healthier and more consistent over the past three years than Damp even though they put up similar numbers this year.

There is almost no chance that Damp will get a contract offer for more per year than he's making now.

I can't see Damp going to Charlotte because there would be no benefit to the Warriors unless they were to get the #4. The only reason for teams to trade with Charlotte is to get cap relief. If Damp opts out the Warriors get that cap relief.

There are only a handful of teams Damp could sign with as a free agent: Atlanta, Denver, Utah, and Phoenix. With revenue down this year, it is very unlikely the salary cap will go up. There are also going to be a lot of teams in salary dumping mode if the league says there will be a luxury tax next year.

Basically all this means that Damp is unlikely to go anywhere unless it is going to be in a sign and trade, and I doubt the Warriors will do any sign and trade unless they're getting an all star or young big man. They'll keep their asking price really high because they can afford to do so. Come this offseason, if Damp opts out, the Warriors will be holding all the cards.

My guess is that Damp opts out to test the market, but eventually resigns with the Warriors for approximately what he's making now, but probably for 4-5 years.

 

How would you think about trading Damp for Rashard Lewis if Damp was re-signed for same amount for 4-5 years.

 

I am still praying Damp sees a future in Oakland and Mullin can persuade him to stay.

 

i think damp should stay in oakland simply because the warriors have treated him so well.

 

<div class="quote_poster">Quoting custodianrules2:</div><div class="quote_post">How would you think about trading Damp for Rashard Lewis if Damp was re-signed for same amount for 4-5 years.</div>

I think Rashard Lewis is a very talented player and could definately become an all star caliber player in the next few years. He's probaby a better player than Damp, but given the make up of the team, I'd rather keep Damp.

I think Lewis and Dunleavy are too similar for that trade to make sense.

 

Well if Damp wants to stay I'll be happy, but I get the impression he doesn't really want to be a part of the team anymore.

 

I get the same impression. But I think Damp will eventually realize that from an economic standpoint his best option will be to play for the Warriors. I also think that every change the Warriors have made since this time last year has made this a better environment for Damp. They got rid of players that didn't involve him (Arenas and Jamison), brought in players who did (NVE, Johnson, and Robinson), will most likely not resign Foyle so the playing time is there, and they got rid of Musselman, who I don't think Damp ever really got along with.

If Mullin can sell Damp on his version of the future and that this will be a 45-50 win team in the next couple of years. Damp should see that the Warriors have as good or better a chance to be a winning team than any other team with cap space this offseason.

 

I get the same impression. But I think Damp will eventually realize that from an economic standpoint his best option will be to play for the Warriors. I also think that every change the Warriors have made since this time last year has made this a better environment for Damp. They got rid of players that didn't involve him (Arenas and Jamison), brought in players who did (NVE, Johnson, and Robinson), will most likely not resign Foyle so the playing time is there, and they got rid of Musselman, who I don't think Damp ever really got along with.

If Mullin can sell Damp on his version of the future and that this will be a 45-50 win team in the next couple of years. Damp should see that the Warriors have as good or better a chance to be a winning team than any other team with cap space this offseason.

 

Musselman got the official pink slip?

 

<div class="quote_poster">Quoting wtwalker77:</div><div class="quote_post">I think Rashard Lewis is a very talented player and could definately become an all star caliber player in the next few years. He's probaby a better player than Damp, but given the make up of the team, I'd rather keep Damp.

I think Lewis and Dunleavy are too similar for that trade to make sense.</div>

Too bad he's really inconsistent, you'd need coaches like Stan Van Gundy, Hubie Brown and Sloan to fix someone like that. Either them or Frank or Bzedelik. But he'd be an invaluable asset to any team. Personally I'd love to see him on the Grizzlies, maybe he could compensate for Miller's lack of courage even though he obviously has the range.

 

I think if Damp wants to win, he should stick around for the rest of this contract for these few reasons.

1. With Mullin taking over there are going to be some serious changes and if the Warriors do make it to the playoffs, they are going to need Damp to match up with the other centers in the West which he has done a great job at.

2. He wont get that much of a pay raise AND get on a winning team, it is one or the other. If he wants both, he needs to stay on the Warriors.

 

<div class="quote_poster">Quoting custodianrules2:</div><div class="quote_post">Musselman got the official pink slip?</div>

No, It's just that the more I think of it, the more I'm sure Musselman will be gone. Just the mere fact that Musselman wasn't at Mullin's press conference tells me that the writing is on the wall for Musselman.

 

<div class="quote_poster">Quoting wtwalker77:</div><div class="quote_post">No, It's just that the more I think of it, the more I'm sure Musselman will be gone. Just the mere fact that Musselman wasn't at Mullin's press conference tells me that the writing is on the wall for Musselman.</div>Yea, I got the same impression. I am just curious on when they will make it official. I know Musselman will land another job and I will be rooting for him wherever he goes...unless its the Lakers.

 

By the way, apparently the thinking in Detroit right now seems to strongly be with resigning Rasheed instead of Okur. I'd take Okur over Blount and probably over Foyle if I had my choice of the three and couldn't resign Damp.

I also wouldn't put too much effort into chasing Blount. I think a Blount/O'brien reunion in Philly is pretty much a done deal, although I don't know if that would push Dalembert or Thomas to the bench. They could go big with Thomas playing sf.

 

I also like Okur. He is very versitile and is a hard working team player. My only concern with him would be his size. How would he match up with the big men in the West?