[dalmations202]

Originally posted by: Poindexter Einstein
DALM ...good questions.

You are ready to take "any Dampier we can get" - but I am reluctant. I just think there will be a better deal, if not now then in the summer. I am leery of the 80M commitment or so it will take to retain Dampier long term, after this season.

Specific other places I would look, hoping for a better deal. Ostertag as a FA. Rebraca. Maybe Divacs. Chicago young big men (Davis - Curry combo gives you a young kid with question marks, but also gives a proven vet. And you arent forced to make a call on paying big bucks to Curry for another few years - thats far different from the Dampier situation.) Kwame Brown? After all that was looked at, maybe Dampier is the way to go, but it seems to me there would be something in all of that thats better, and safer.

I am not really ready for "any Dampier". I just don't think their will be a better deal. The 80M committment may or may not have to be made. Could it be closer to say 48M over 4 years? I don't know. I would still want Ostertag for the MLE even if I do make this trade. Vlade isn't coming here, and is over the hill, I don't think you get as much talent out of Davis/Curry, just a bigger pricetag to keep. Kwame maybe, but he will come with a big pricetag as well, when/if he came. I have looked over every player listed, and cannot find one BIG man that I think is better than Damp; that has the possibility to come here. Damps biggest problems in this league has been that he has hands of stone. It makes it hard for him on the Offensive end of the floor. His offense is the least of the Mavs worries. Bradley can't guard the post. Ostertag gets killed by quicker Centers. With Dampier and Ostertag we could bang, rebound, block, and have a chance at winning it all every year for the next few. Oh yea, are you willing to invest 80M in Walker, he can opt out at the end of the year as well. Or are you going to pay him the 14M instead of what you will have to pay Damp?

I do understand taking the "safer" route. But I don't think safer wins Championships. LA gambled what 180 mill on Shaq, and he rewarded with 3 championships.

I still don't think this will happen. I will even change my opinion and go the safer route, if you will show me the person that we are waiting on to put us over the top. But if not, then lets hope that Mark, Nellie, and Donnie will make this happen.
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The guy I would really like to have is Bosh. A Center rotation of Bosh, Bradley, and Ostertag (I think we will get him with the MLE) would allow you to guard about any Centers on any team in the league. Either that or a healthy Camby instead of Bosh, but then you still need TAG for the banging.