Jamison press conference - Dallas-Mavs.com Forums

Tank · 08-19-2003, 11:04 AM

the paper said jamison was in today for a press conference anyone know were i can watch it? will it be shown on espnews? mabye a local channel?

Dooby · 08-19-2003, 11:25 AM

Watch it? No. I expect it will be boradcast live on the Ticket. You can listen at www.theticket.com.

denig · 08-19-2003, 11:41 AM

denig · 08-19-2003, 11:44 AM

sorry for the empty post, my password manager seems to be causing it~

cuban says the press conference will be at:
4:30 and should be on espn radio and the ticket

have you seen Jamison's website? it is excellent.

Tank · 08-19-2003, 11:44 AM

i have one of the slowest computers in the world so id never be able to hear it on the net but if its on there site it will be on there radio station right? can someone tell me the numbers to the tickets radio station

Blonde Bomber · 08-19-2003, 11:49 AM

1310 AM - The Ticket

uberfan · 08-19-2003, 12:29 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by: Tank
the paper said jamison was in today for a press conference anyone know were i can watch it? will it be shown on espnews? mabye a local channel?

It will also be on ESPN 103.3 FM. In addition, they will be having a 2 hour Mavs review tonight beginning at 7:00 PM, I think it was.

Jamison and Fortson will be there. It is reported that Mills will NOT be there, if anything can be inferred from that.

AdamAMMP · 08-19-2003, 01:40 PM

If you have NBATV they will most likely air it on there. At least they better, they intrupted the 1999 WCF to air the stupid Sac/Miller press conference.

OutletPass · 08-19-2003, 05:02 PM

Jamison, Welsch and even Fortson are saying all the right things...the press conference is still in progress...

They're all saying "Team, Team, Team..."

Mills absence is being explained as a "scheduling conflict"...

u2sarajevo · 08-19-2003, 05:03 PM

Press conference is on the Ticket right now..... Just an FYI

The Ticket. Click on Listen

Ummmmm Ok · 08-19-2003, 05:04 PM

give us a recap OP!

u2sarajevo · 08-19-2003, 05:07 PM

Hasn't the 24 hour period for trading Mills expired now? If not, it would have to be minutes away.....

Tawn spoke about his defense and he thinks he is a good defender a the 3...

Fah Q · 08-19-2003, 05:13 PM

Fortson was talkin about wanting to get very physical next year

OutletPass · 08-19-2003, 05:27 PM

Well the recap is about what you might expect UMMMMOK...

All 3 talked about fitting in with the great team that we have, all three said they've been working hard this summer, Tawn talked about working more on his rebounding...and also the fact that he had a dream last night...of Nash leading the break, with he and Fin on the wings and Dirk trailing...Fortson talking about working hard and getting in great shape....same with jiri...

Nellie kept cracking jokes...Donnie talking about how this deal really heated up while they were in lithuania...

Just really stuff that you'd expect....nothing earth shaking...mostly stuff about "fitting in" with the guys that are already here and being role players to the Big 3.

Not much to say really...other than Fortson came off well....let's just hope that he means it...and accepts his role and works hard and sheds some weight.

Nothing about a new deal to get under the 24 hour limit with mills going elsewhere...again, they "explained" that his absence was due to "scheduling conflicts".

All of them sounded very happy to be coming to a "class organization" with a great owner and coach...that's a real contender...

Just that sort of thing, really.

Chicago JK · 08-19-2003, 05:35 PM

Talk about looking for a veteran point guard.

Doesn't look like they will get another big guy

Donnie stated that they wouldn't have done the trade if Jiri wasn't involved. They liked him last year, and tried to trade up for him. Donnie told St. Jean after the draft last year to call the Mavs if they ever wanted to move Jiri. GS was hesitant to include him in the trade. Jiri is raw and will need time to develop.

Mark said there won't be many times next year when we won't have 4 players over 6'7 not on the floor.

Ummmmm Ok · 08-19-2003, 05:36 PM

same o, same o than!

Dooby · 08-19-2003, 05:48 PM

Was Nellie actually there or was he hooked up via conference call? And if he was hooked up via conference call, could you hear island music (or Willie Nelson) playing in the background?

denig · 08-19-2003, 05:51 PM

Nellie was there. Part of it was on ESPN TV.

OutletPass · 08-19-2003, 08:53 PM

Jamison already dreaming big in Dallas
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Associated Press
DALLAS (AP) _ Antawn Jamison doesn't anticipate any problems fitting in with his new teammates in Dallas. He's already dreaming big about what he hopes to be able to do with the Mavericks' trio of NBA All-Stars.

``I had a dream last night, Nash running the point, me and Finley on the wings and Dirk trailing us. This is an ideal situation for me,'' Jamison said Tuesday, a day after the nine-player deal with Golden State that brought him to Dallas was approved by the league.

``For me to come from a situation as far as the Warriors to the situation I'm in now, to have the opportunity to win a championship, it's like a dream come true,'' he said. ``I'm still trying to slap myself and make sure this is really happening.''

When asked how his dream turned out, he held up his left hand revealing a ring he recently got. He then held up his bare right hand and envisioned a championship ring there.

Coach Don Nelson just smiled. The Mavericks, who made it to the Western Conference finals for only the second time last season, share the same dream.

Dallas made its first major offseason move with the acquisition of Jamison, guard Jiri Welsch and forwards Danny Fortson and Chris Mills. The Mavericks sent guards Nick Van Exel, Avery Johnson and Antoine Rigaudeau, center Evan Eschmeyer and forward Popeye Jones to Golden State.

While it was difficult to give up Van Exel, who backed up Steve Nash, shared the floor at times with the starting point guard and was a key motivator during the playoffs, this was a deal the Mavericks couldn't pass up.

``When you make a good trade, you have to give up good players,'' Nelson said. ``This trade made us bigger, gave us more inside presence and we're a little younger. It should be a positive for us.''

Plus, Dallas didn't have to mess with the trio of Nash, Dirk Nowitzki and Michael Finley.

The 6-foot-9 Jamison has averaged 20.2 points in five NBA seasons, and was the Warriors' top scorer the past four seasons. He is going into only the second year of his $80 million, seven-year contract.

While he won't always be the first option for Dallas like he was in Golden State, that's OK with Jamison, the fourth player selected in the 1998 NBA draft out of North Carolina.

``My rebounding should go up a lot,'' he said. ``I'm not in a situation that I have to carry the load as far as scoring a lot. This is the best situation.''

With Jamison at small forward, Finley will be able to play shooting guard.

Still, Nelson believes that Fortson could be ``the key to the trade'' if the 6-8, 260-pound forward provides the inside force he has been in parts of six NBA seasons.

Fortson has averaged 17.5 rebounds per 48 minutes played in his career, and was fourth in the league with 11.7 rebounds a game two seasons ago. Fortson missed part of camp last fall after his father died, then played just 17 games after he returned because of injuries and conditioning problems, and what he called just a bad situation with the Warriors.

``I'm really motivated,'' said Fortson, going into the fourth year of a $38 million, seven-year deal. ``I might just explode the first game. I look forward to getting out there and playing again.''

Welsch was the Warriors' first-round pick in 2002, preventing the Mavs from then getting the 6-7 player from the Czech Republic. Donnie Nelson, the team's president of basketball operations, said the deal wouldn't have been completed without Welsch.

But the Mavericks still have to add some depth at point guard. Don Nelson said the team is searching for a veteran to back up Nash.

``We have some really good players. If Nash stayed healthy, we could probably cover ourselves with what we have,'' he said. ``If Steve went down for any length of time, we would need a veteran to step in there. So we're looking to fill that void.''

Note: The following stories are the most recent wire transmissions from SportsTicker and other ESPN.com sources. Versions of some of these stories appear elsewhere on the service.

MavsFanFinley · 08-19-2003, 09:12 PM

I hope Fortson stays true to his word. Can you imagine having another monster rebounder on the team? Up off the bench at that. I just need to be convinced before I jump on the bandwagon.

MavsFanFinley · 08-19-2003, 09:31 PM

Fortson eager to get on court with Mavericks
He's out to prove his reputation as a bad guy is undeserved

09:23 PM CDT on Tuesday, August 19, 2003

By CHUCK CARLTON / The Dallas Morning News

Danny Fortson might as well have been a Golden State Warrior season-ticket holder for all the playing time he saw last season.

He appeared in only 17 of 82 games, with 43 DNPs, shorthand in the NBA for did not play. That statistic is a bad thing when you play on a bad team.

So at the Tuesday news conference that introduced him, Antawn Jamison and Jiri Welsch as new members of the Mavericks, Fortson talked about making up for lost playing time.

"I tell you what, I'm really motivated," Fortson said, describing what the past season felt like. "You want to hit somebody, but you can't, watching everybody else. I just might explode the first game, you never know."

If that quote had come from, say, Alonzo Mourning, the instant reaction would have been to recognize a veteran's competitive instincts.

Because it came from Fortson, people are instantly reminded of a reputation that has stuck to Fortson since he was a All-American at Cincinnati.

"I look at it and kind of laugh and chuckle," Fortson said. "It's just the way it is. I'm not a bad person, I don't think so. I don't know where I got that reputation. Maybe college. What can you do? Once it's there, it's pretty much there."

That reputation, along with a large contract, played a role in Fortson joining Jamison, Welsch and Chris Mills in the nine-player trade Monday between the Mavericks and Warriors.

The Mavericks said they aren't worried about Fortson's reputation, which they believe is not deserved. He's had no major brushes with the law. He was suspended last season for the final four games of the regular season after missing a team flight and is an emotional player.

At least in the Mark Cuban ownership-era, the Mavericks have been able to maintain a PG reputation, even taking gambles on players. Christian Laettner was supposedly a pain in the clubhouse, and Nick Van Exel was even worse. Now Van Exel is viewed fondly as he exits for Golden State.

"I would challenge you to find someone who would say Danny Fortson is a bad guy," said Donnie Nelson, the Mavericks' president of basketball operations. "His situation is Nick-like in the sense that he's an emotional, passionate player."

That same emotion also makes Fortson valuable to the Mavericks.

"We're excited about him because our front line is in sore need of someone who can knock people down, set some picks, take a hard foul and do the dirty work," Nelson said. "That's what he is."

At 6-8 and 260 pounds, he's used his bulk to average 17.5 rebounds per 48 minutes since entering the NBA.

Two years ago, Fortson ranked fourth in the league in rebounding.

"Danny possesses some skills in areas where we really need help, and he can be a factor in those areas for us," coach Don Nelson said. "He can be a key to the trade, as far as I'm concerned."

After the 2001-02 season in Golden State, where he averaged 11.2 points and 11.7 rebounds a game, Fortson thought he had carved out his niche.

Then his father died during training camp, and Troy Murphy took advantage of Fortson's absence to win a starting spot.

"When it rains, it pours," Fortson said. "My dad died, and during the training camp I was home for two weeks taking care of my family. I got back and I found out they didn't want me to be around no more. What can you do?"

Hitman · 08-19-2003, 09:48 PM

He seems like he could be a bad motherF#$%er.

He could be just what we need.

Captain Disaster · 08-19-2003, 10:43 PM

It seems like all 3 of these players are being counted on by the coaching staff to be contributers.

MFFL · 08-19-2003, 10:45 PM

http://www.nba.com/mavericks/news/au...ranscript.html

Aug. 19 Press Conference Transcript

Don Nelson:
Well Charlie Parker asked me if it was the first time I’ve had a suit on all summer, and I said it was the first time I’ve had shoes on all summer. Anyway, I think Donnie (Nelson) and Mark (Cuban) have done a great job that makes a lot of sense for us, and we feel really good about it. There’s something exciting about making a trade and getting new players on your team and dreaming about how they are going to fit in. If we can and how we can improve the team is the kind of thing not just for fans but for coaches alike, so we are kind of in an exciting time right now. When you make a good trade you need to give a good player or good players and we did that. We lost some good players coming from us to them, and hopefully we’ve got some good players coming back. A good trade can be a good trade for both teams, and I think this is one that makes sense both ways.

This was Donnie’s first major deal by himself and I think he made a good one. I think we had a good draft and made a good trade and the next thing for me is to blend these talented players together, where we can get better as a team. Getting better as a team doesn’t necessarily mean winning more games. It means being a better team and thoses things take care of themselves. Come playoff time we can be a little stronger in areas of our game that we’ve proven to be weak. We have all season to do that, and hopefully it will head in that direction and I think it will. At this particular time I am here to tell you that the organization feels good about this trade and it should be a real positive for us.

Antawn Jamison: I am very excited for the opportunity for not only myself but for Danny, Jiri, and Chris Mills also. To come to a class organization like the Mavericks is something that I a lot of players dream of. And also to play for one of the best coaches to ever coach the game, is a big plus for all of us, it’s definitely going to improve our game. Like I said the most important thing is to go into an organization that you know what direction they are going to, a winning organization. You know we’re not here to win 60 games or like he said to win more games than we did last year. But the ultimate goal in my eyes is to win a championship. For me to come from the situation as far as the Warriors to the situation that I’m in right now and to have the opportunity to win a championship is a dream come true. I’m still trying to slap myself to make sure this is really happening. To play for the best owner in the league, the best coach ever to coach the game, and to be surrounded by all-star players that are gonna improve my play and hopefully I can improve their play also. The most important thing is to keep the team chemistry, I definitely think that we can do that, and I’m definitely excited about being here.

Jiri good decision?
Jiri Welsch: Just a few words, you have pretty much heard everything. I think that all four of us coming from the Warriors are very excited to come into a first class organization like the Dallas Mavericks. To have a chance to play for a championship is something that every basketball player wants. We are here to help and hopefully it’s gonna work out, and I think it will.

Danny Fortson: I think this is a win-win situation and I think Antawn and Jiri said it best, this is a great opportunity for all of us and I think everyone is looking forward to playing for Coach Nelson and being a part of an organization with Mark Cuban. Personally I’m really excited about coming here because of the atmosphere and it seems that everyone is ready to go to the next level. I definitely want to be a part of that.

Donnie Nelson: Unfortunately Chris Mills couldn’t be here, he had a conflict, but at this point let’s open it up to some questions.

Antawn, why is your name spelled Antawn instead of Antwan?
Antawn Jamison: You will have to ask my mom that, you know it was just one of those situations where they misspelled it on the birth certificate. She wanted to change it but I thought it was kind of unique and we stuck with it.

Don, besides the scoring punch what else does this trade do for your team?
Don Nelson: Well, the trade made us bigger for sure, more of an inside presence, which we were looking for. Rebounding and we’re a little younger, is that enough for you? Want to tell Dean Smith what you said to about me being such a great coach? See what he has to say about that.

Danny, last year was obviously a very difficult year for you. Do you look at this for you for a new lease on life and change whatever bad reputation you might have had?
Danny Fortson: I don’t really worry about that too much, I put my faith in God and wherever God is going to take me, he’s gonna take me. This is where he put me, and obviously this is gonna be a good turnaround for me, and I know that for sure. I’m gonna give it 100 percent.

Don Nelson: Let me say Danny possesses some skill in areas that we really need help in and he can be a factor in those areas for us. So, we felt that he is gonna be a part and could be the key to the trade as far as I’m concerned. Now there’s not a lot of minutes, as you know, we have a very deep team. I think there is gonna be some sacrifices from everybody, not just the guys here. Were not gonna just ask these guys to make sacrifices but guys on the squad. There is gonna be growth all different sorts of ways, and that is what is fun as a coach. To watch how that growth happens and if it’s positive. But these guys will be asked as well as the team to make changes in their game for the betterment of the team.

Nellie, does it worry you at all to that you gave up so much playoff experience and didn’t get any back?
Don Nelson: Well, after these guys are in a couple of playoff series these guys will have experience too. You know Nick was such a great player for us in the playoffs. You have to look at that situation, he was probably our best player and was right up there among the best players in the playoffs. But you know that’s what makes a trade go. Your gonna have to give good players to get good players and that’s what happened.

Obviously, with Nick’s departure what about your gap at the point guard position?
Don Nelson: Donnie is looking into that as we speak today. We think that we have some good young players but really to protect ourselves we really need to pick up a veteran point guard. If Nash stayed healthy we could probably cover ourselves with what we have. But if Nash ever went down for any length of time we would need a veteran to step in there and were looking to fill that void at this particular time.

Donnie, how long have you been working on this deal and what was the genesis?
Donnie Nelson: The initial conversation started about a year ago during the past summer. Then it percolated a little during draft time and then it got pretty close the last couple of weeks. When I was in Lithuania it got real hot and it came to a hit around Thursday or Friday of last week.

Was this a matter of you pushing or what they wanted?
No, we were under no pressure at all to do a deal. Our take was let’s enter the season and if something presents itself realistically it’s gonna be around the trade deadline. We felt real good about the squad, every year we ramped it up and we felt good about going to war with those guys. This is something that presented itself and we felt that it was too good to pass up. Conducting a trade in the NBA is a lot like fishing, you’ve got to put yourself in the right spot and be patient and when it strikes you’ve got to be ready.

Mark Cuban: To Donnie’s credit, he was very patient. He was like if it’s not the right deal there is no rush and we’re not gonna do it, let’s wait it out. Really that patience is what made this deal work. There were other deals that weren’t as good and we could’ve said yes to and that’s not what happened. It was really just waiting it out that made it all come together.

Donnie Nelson: Check’s in the mail Mark.

Mark can you talk about the history of Danny, I remember it seemed like with the Celtics there was talk between you guys?
Mark Cuban: Well, we are always interested in guys that can rebound. We looked for them and we haven’t found any lately. I have known Danny for a long time and he possesses a skill level in those areas that we can use. I think he is gonna get an opportunity to be a part of a team. He needs to find ways to blend in and swallow his ego a little bit, maybe not play as many minutes as he would like. Really when you have a good team everybody has to, not just one guy. Maybe Nowitzki won’t play quite as many minutes. Of course he wants to play 48, but so do these guys. Everybody wants to play every minute of every game but if everybody takes a hard swallow and takes a little cut in those minutes then more guys get a chance to play. Over a long series or season, you can make those things a positive.

Antawn are you just as comfortable playing the three as the four, can you talk a little about the difference?
Antawn Jamison: I’m very comfortable in either position, pretty much in college I was a back to the basket player. When I got drafted there was a transition period as far as getting to know when you’re facing the basket. You know a lot of hard work and dedication goes into being successful at both. It took me a while to kind of get used to both situations, but now it’s to the point where I feel successful with my back to the basket.

I also can create some things facing the basket as well. It’s just one of those situations where people don’t know where to put me in. Like I said it’s just working hard and dedicating myself to the game. As a player it’s helped out but there are some situations when it’s not about individual things, it’s about a team. It’s just a situation where I can be posting up or I can be on the perimeter trying to help create shots for other guys.

What do you say to those that say when it came to the fourth quarter you didn’t want the ball?
Antawn Jamison: No matter what situation you’re in, no matter what type of player you are, if you’re on a team that isn’t used to winning you’re gonna have people who accept you and have people that don’t. Rightfully so it’s supposed to be that way, it’s just one of those situations where you just have to roll with the tide. I didn’t put too much on it I just went out there and played hard, did what I could for the team. You’re gonna have critics out there whether you win or lose, that was just one situation I was just trying do my job and make the best of the situation.

So you weren’t shying away from the ball?
Antawn Jamison: No anybody knows I would never do that in that situation, I am up to the challenge and I am not one of those guys with two minutes left in the game trying to get rid of the ball.

Talk about mixing in with this big city?
Antawn Jamison: No it’s a dream come true. I had a dream last night, Nash was at the point with me and Finley on the wings with Dirk trailing. This is an ideal situation for me. I think in the situation where I need to have a load as far as scoring. Coach is definitely gonna put me in the right situations to help out this team defensively or offensively, whether it’s rebounding or helping out everyone else on the court. This is a great feeling, I can’t wait to go out there and do the things that I’ve been doing like working hard during the offseason, trying to be a role model and just going out there and doing whatever it takes and whatever the coaching staff asks me to do.

Don Nelson: How did that dream end up?

Antawn Jamison: I just got one of these a long time ago (points to his wedding band), and I ended up with something on this finger (points to empty finger on right hand). So it was a good dream.

Don Nelson (to the media): He is having a lot of different dreams than you guys.

Captain Disaster · 08-19-2003, 10:45 PM

From this picture, doesn't it look like Jamison is shorter than both Welsh & Fortson? If he is really only 6'7" instead of 6'9", how will he be any more effective at the 3 than Finley who is the same height?

Captain Disaster · 08-19-2003, 10:46 PM

Has anyone seen Jamison play? What other player is he most like?

Drbio · 08-19-2003, 10:50 PM

Thanks MFFL!

FilthyFinMavs · 08-19-2003, 10:57 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by: Captain Disaster
From this picture, doesn't it look like Jamison is shorter than both Welsh & Fortson? If he is really only 6'7" instead of 6'9", how will he be any more effective at the 3 than Finley who is the same height?

Well for one Jamison is alot longer than Fin is. I don't even think Fin is really 6'7. I see him more as in the 6'5 or 6'6 range. All the heights in the NBA are screwed up. you can never tell till' you see them on court.

MFFL · 08-19-2003, 10:58 PM

A couple of quick points

This was Donnie’s first major deal by himself

The GM in training.

Now there’s not a lot of minutes, as you know, we have a very deep team. I think there is gonna be some sacrifices from everybody, not just the guys here. Were not gonna just ask these guys to make sacrifices but guys on the squad.

Iron Mike might only be getting 35 or so minutes. Will probably do him some good.

Don Nelson: Donnie is looking into that as we speak today. We think that we have some good young players but really to protect ourselves we really need to pick up a veteran point guard. If Nash stayed healthy we could probably cover ourselves with what we have. But if Nash ever went down for any length of time we would need a veteran to step in there and were looking to fill that void at this particular time.

Welsch might be the long term answer but not the short term

Mandyahl · 08-19-2003, 10:59 PM

ok, all i want to know is who asked the question about why he spells his name antawn?? who cares? i could come up with better questions than that.

MavsFanFinley · 08-19-2003, 11:00 PM

Quote:

Has anyone seen Jamison play? What other player is he most like?

Wow.

I've seen him play lots, but I'm not sure who to compare him to. Maybe OP can chime in on that one.

FilthyFinMavs · 08-19-2003, 11:04 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by: Mandyahl
ok, all i want to know is who asked the question about why he spells his name antawn?? who cares? i could come up with better questions than that.

LoL, I was thinking the same thing. Rather than ask how he feels about the trade or has he been playing basketball this summer or even ask Fortson why he didn't get any PT, they ask Antawn why is his name spelled like that. I imagine they already knew the answer because I can't imagine asking that question. Thats like asking Dirk why does he have a K in his name.

MFFL · 08-19-2003, 11:04 PM

I kinda of compare him to James Worthy before the knee injury. Really quick around the basket.

Drbio · 08-19-2003, 11:34 PM

To be honest, I haven't really watched Antawn play since his college days. I have no idea who to compare him to. The Worthy comparison is very promising though.

Mavs Rule · 08-20-2003, 12:19 AM

Quote:

Maybe Nowitzki won’t play quite as many minutes.

I hope he was just trying to make a point with this statement, instead of being literal. [img]i/expressions/sun.gif[/img]

Big Boy Laroux · 08-20-2003, 09:44 AM

jamison seemed to post up a lot in college, but i believe his game has evolved a lot since then.

also, like someone said, this trade will reduce fin's minutes, and extend his career.

also, how big do you think nellie's head was after this press conference? "the greatest coach ever?"

[img]i/expressions/face-icon-small-smile.gif[/img]