<div class="quote_poster">Quote:</div><div class="quote_post">Potential teams with salary-cap room that could go after Dampier include Phoenix, San Antonio, Denver, the Clippers, Utah, Atlanta and the expansion Charlotte Bobcats. Teams expected to have interest but can only offer the mid-level exception include New York, Miami, Memphis, Boston and Indiana. One high-ranking NBA executive said that, while Dampier is an attractive free agent, teams would be more willing to give him a long-term deal in a sign-and-trade with Golden State. And Damper seems to think a sign-and-trade would be the best option, too. "There are a lot of teams showing interest," Dampier said. "A lot of teams willing to do a sign and trade." So what about the Warriors? Do they want to keep Dampier? Chris Mullin, the Warriors' new executive vice president of basketball operations, said through a team spokesman that he would not talk about Dampier's situation until he made a decision on his option. Another high-ranking NBA executive said Mullin is debating on whether or not it would be in the club's best interest to give Dampier an extension. One big question some league executives have about Dampier is whether he will continue to play like he did this past season. Dampier's two best seasons -- 1997-98 and 2003-04 -- were both contract years. Dampier has heard the critics, and he plans to answer them. "There are always going to be critics," Dampier said. "There were two seasons when I was hurt. This is a continuation of the (2002-03) season. I didn't look at this year as a breakthrough year. I just got an opportunity to show people what I can do. Am I playing for a contract? I'm playing for a winning situation. I can sign for less for a winning situation." Considering their roster, the Warriors would be wise to re-sign Dampier. Golden State has three centers in Dampier, Adonal Foyle and Evan Eschmeyer, but Foyle will be an unrestricted free agent this summer while Eschmeyer will be in the expansion draft. If Dampier and Foyle are gone, the Warriors will have to turn to free agency anyway, since there is no one in the draft that could replace either center immediately when they pick 11th. "The Warriors are willing to work with me, but they don't want to lose me for nothing," Dampier said. "Centers are hard to come by. They can't afford to lose me and Adonal. I talked to him (Foyle) a couple of days ago. He doesn't know what he wants to do, but he would like to start." In regards to new Warriors coach Mike Montgomery, Dampier spoke to him briefly at the team's training facility in passing once. But considering Dampier has played for numerous coaches in Golden State since arriving in 1996, he isn't worried about adjusting to yet another new boss. "It doesn't matter to me," Dampier said. If the Warriors think Dampier would prefer to play out the rest of his contract, they better think again. For Dampier to stay in Golden State, he believes an extension is necessary. And with that being said, it seems likely that Dampier and his new agent, Dan Fegan, are gearing up for free agency through the opt-out clause. "I'm not going to say I want out and not come back," Dampier said. "I would. It's whether they want to sign me to a long-term deal. They have the right pieces on the team. They can keep it together. They have some decisions to make." And so does Dampier. </div> http://sports.espn.go.com/nba/columns/stor...marc&id=1822015 Very interesting article. I really hope we can hang on to Dampier or atleast do a sign and trade which looks like a good posibility.
They should add the Magic on the list of teams only willing to spend the mid-level. We would love him in Orlando. It should be a fun summer, hopefully if we can't get him, then he will stay in GS.
The Warriors have a few things going for them in their bid to keep Damp: 1. There are a lot of free agent big men available this year. While Damp is the best, Okur is a close second. Beyond those two, there are a ton of second and third tier centers available: Divac, Mark Blount, Swift, Pryzbilla, Rebraca, Foyle, Tsakalidis, Wang Zhi Zhi, Keon Clark, Jarron Collins, and Etan Thomas are all either restricted or unrestricted free agents this year. 2. As the article said, there are only a handful of teams that could sign Damp outright. Here's a list of the teams that could potentially make a move for him and a rough estimate of their available cap room: -Atlanta (~30 mil) -Perhaps Charlotte -Denver (~27, but less if they resign Camby) -Detroit (but all of it will go to resigning Okur and Wallace) -LAC (but if they resign Richardson, they won't have enough for Damp) -Phoenix (~10-16 depending on whether they're able to get rid of White's contract) -SA (~16 but they need to resign Ginobili, Bowen, and Turkaglu so they probably won't have enough to sign Damp as well. Plus that would force Rasho to go to the bench) -Utah (~37 mil, but they need to resign everyone but Kirilenko and Harpring) If Damp wants to play in a winning situation, that would exclude Atlanta, Charlotte, and the Clippers. San Antonio and Detroit have enough big men already. Denver and Utah are cold weather teams and I don't see Damp signing with either of them. So that pretty much leaves Phoenix. The best thing the Warriors have going for them regarding Phoenix is the fact that the Lakers lost the championship. I never really thought Kobe would leave the Lakers, but I never thought the Lakers would lose the championship to an Eastern Conference team either. Losing the chamionship was probably enough to get Kobe to leave the Lakers. LA just looks like a mess right now. Phoenix has been targeting him all year and will probably be in persuit of him until the very end. My guess is that Damp doesn't wait around to see if the Suns will offer him a deal, especially if the Warriors offer him an extension on his current deal. Dan Fegan is notorious for sweezing all the money out of teams and he knows that if the Suns get Kobe, Damp's lost a lot of bargaining power with the Warriors and may even have to accept a pay cut in order to get a 4-5 year deal. I don't think Damp wants to leave enough to take an MLE with another team, so his only real chance of going to an Eastern Conference team and getting paid is to go to a loser or agree to a sign and trade. But the Warriors don't have to do a sign and trade if they don't want to, so they'll either get equal value for Damp or they'll force him to play a game of chicken with them to see who cracks first. The more I think about it, the more I become sure that the Warriors will either re-sign Damp or get good value for him in a sign and trade.
Can Miami afford him? Brian Grant is gone and they need a real good C in order to compete in the league, Dampier may just be that C. I personally prefer the sound of him going to a team like the Pacers, Jazz, Suns and Spurs. Foster is a great C mind you, but he could really to the team offensively. He's way aggressive in comparison. The Spurs and Jazz could make the best use of him though if you ask me, Rasho isn't all that great and Kirilenko, Arroyo and Harpring need some serious help in the size, strength and overall game department, Dampier may not be the best, but he has all of that and more. They could really benefit from him being there, since both are quite defensive orientated. How about becoming the PF of the Rockets?
<div class="quote_poster">Quoting Magic Johnson:</div><div class="quote_post">Can Miami afford him? Brian Grant is gone and they need a real good C in order to compete in the league, Dampier may just be that C. I personally prefer the sound of him going to a team like the Pacers, Jazz, Suns and Spurs. Foster is a great C mind you, but he could really to the team offensively. He's way aggressive in comparison. The Spurs and Jazz could make the best use of him though if you ask me, Rasho isn't all that great and Kirilenko, Arroyo and Harpring need some serious help in the size, strength and overall game department, Dampier may not be the best, but he has all of that and more. They could really benefit from him being there, since both are quite defensive orientated. How about becoming the PF of the Rockets?</div> What do you mean Grant is gone? According to Hoopshype.com, he still has three more years of guaranteed salary. The Spurs are making a run for Kobe as well. My guess is that Damp won't wait around to see where Kobe lands. Besides, the Spurs more pressing needs are at sf and sg if Ginobili, Turkaglu, and Bowen leave. Utah would be a possibility, but I just don't see Damp signing with them. He's a southerner who reportedly doesn't like cold weather. And in order to play for Houston or Indiana, the teams would have to either agree to a sign and trade or Damp would have to sign for the MLE. I don't think there's anyone on Houston's roster that is a good fit in Golden State. As for Indian, it would probably take a combination of Harrington and Bender (with some filler like Pollard) for Damp and one of their young core to get a deal done, and I just don't see that happening.
<div class="quote_poster">Quoting wtwalker77:</div><div class="quote_post">What do you mean Grant is gone? According to Hoopshype.com, he still has three more years of guaranteed salary. The Spurs are making a run for Kobe as well. My guess is that Damp won't wait around to see where Kobe lands. Besides, the Spurs more pressing needs are at sf and sg if Ginobili, Turkaglu, and Bowen leave. </div> Yup Brian Grant's contract is long. I think the spurs will try to keep turkaglu and Bowen some how as they happen to be excellent role players. I think the scenario that will happen though will be that the spurs will first try to make a run at Kobe, if they don't, they'll try to get Stephen Jackson back. Either way they'll keep at least Bowen. I am not sure where Turkaglu will go to. Probably some team that's looking for size and versatility. I'm hoping he goes to the Warriors actually <div class="quote_poster">Quoting wtwalker77:</div><div class="quote_post"> Utah would be a possibility, but I just don't see Damp signing with them. He's a southerner who reportedly doesn't like cold weather. .</div> A bet Damp would love to go to an Eastern team because he knows he has the best chance of being an allstar and dominating other centers in that conference. <div class="quote_poster">Quoting wtwalker77:</div><div class="quote_post"> And in order to play for Houston or Indiana, the teams would have to either agree to a sign and trade or Damp would have to sign for the MLE. I don't think there's anyone on Houston's roster that is a good fit in Golden State. As for Indian, it would probably take a combination of Harrington and Bender (with some filler like Pollard) for Damp and one of their young core to get a deal done, and I just don't see that happening.</div> Houston trade would be garbage unless its for Yao Ming hehehe. Kelvin Cato would be all right, but he's got worse hands than Dampier does and he's not as vaulable straight up. Indiana could be a better possibility because they need a center and Dampier said being in the East would allow him to get better allstar recognition as mentioned above (Yao and Shaq will always be locks in the West whereas in the East it always changes). I don't think the Pacers will ever trade Bender. He's still so young and he makes an impact with his size and ability. He's a rare player. I wouldn't mind having Pollard at least. Throw in Tinsley maybe?. I'm not big on Tinsley because of his shooting, but he's got size and he's a pure point guard.
Not if the deal ain't great. Plus you can't trust Jerry West. He'll always get the better end of the deal. He's the logo.
