Dampier, Dallas, and the Bobcats?

[EricaLubarsky]

nice analysis, lonny but AJ will be with us. He isn't just waiting to find out if we will be able to clip a spot.

[EricaLubarsky]

Room For Erick?
'Cats Could Help Mavs Get Dampier
By David Lord -- DallasBasketball.com

A sign-and-trade for Erick Dampier could happen any day now, and there is circumstantial evidence that the Mavs could be in the mix.
On Monday, Charlotte dealt center Pedrag Drobnjak to Atlanta for a draft pick, opening up cap room for the Bobcats and reducing cap room for Atlanta. Charlotte now has about $7.5M remaining cap room, out of the $29.25M they are allotted, and that amount could make them a major factor as the 3rd team in a 3-way sign-and-trade involving Dampier.
By acquiring Drobnjak, Atlanta seemed to signal that they are out of the running for Dampier, since their cap room for 2004-05 is now around $6.75M. That would be less than the $7.5M or more apparently needed for the reported $40-50M offer that they had been offering the Golden State center.
Rumors that Dallas was at the center of 3-way trade talks for center Erick Dampier from Golden State, with Charlotte the other team involved, first surfaced late last week in an interview on Mike Fisher's radio show.
These rumors fit what we have been saying all along: Golden State is only interested in sign-and-trades that essentially leave their cap room and payroll intact, while sending them something of value like cash or a draft pick or a young unproven player with a cheap short contract (like Stefansson).
Dampier is expected to command a contract starting in the $7-8M a year range. For a team like the Mavs who are over the cap, to accomplish such a feat under the NBA's trade rules, they would have to send away salary that matches Dampier's within 15%, in order to acquire him via trade. Since GS does not want any salary, the solution is to find a way to send away some salary elsewhere in a 3-way transaction, by using a 3rd team with enough cap room and a willingness to take the players Dallas is required to send away.
We first wondered if Golden State might be interested in moving Evan Eschmeyer as part of such a sign-and-trade deal, and then accept even more salary back. Eschmeyer is injured, and is mediocre when healthy. But taking Eschmeyer, who still has 3 more years on his contract, seems to be too high a price for anyone.
By trading Drobnjak, Charlotte is now far enough under the cap that they could completely absorb enough contracts from Dallas to make the deal happen. In addition, Charlotte has a whole roster full of cheap unproven players and may be willing to send one or more to GS in such a transaction, as part of the compensation to GS for making the deal.
There is an interesting “however’’ here: While the move for Drobnjak appears to close the door on Atlanta's pursuit of Dampier, it does leave them enough room to compete with Charlotte to provide 3rd-team cap room in a Dampier sign-and-trade, if they so desired. (While Dampier has expressed apprehension at joining a rebuilding team like Atlanta, prospective teammate Antoine Walker is promising to try to recruit him to the Hawks. And Dampier, a native of Mississippi, already has a home in Atlanta).
Also note that since both of those teams have the needed cap room in its entirety to be that 3rd team, other teams such as Memphis, New York, and Indianapolis now can attempt to utilize the same method with one of those two teams and get Dampier.
Dallas could offer players such as Christian Laettner, who is in the final year of his contract and who was a star at Duke, and Jerry Stackhouse, who starred at North Carolina and has been an all-star in the past. Both might be desirable for a Charlotte team that could use a proven NBA talent and regional star to draw fans, or for a Hawks team needing a short-term infusion of talent. Charlotte may have passed up both of those players in the expansion draft before knowing what cap room they may have left, and Dallas may offer other compensation to make those players even more desirable.
Other players who might also fit for Charlotte could be Shawn Bradley or Calvin Booth, centers who likely would become expendable with Dallas' acquisition of Dampier.
The Mavs continue to refuse to offer any comment on questions related to Dampier. We note that because while up until recently Dallas said unfavorable things about Dampier, team officials now saying nothing marks a change that may be significant.
It should be noted that August 23rd in on the horizon, and after that date Laettner and/or Stackhouse can be traded in a multi-player deal. It has long been speculated that one or both of those players might be destined for a trade at such a date, since neither player has yet to come to Dallas or to be introduced here in a press conference since their acquisition on June 24 during the NBA draft. NBA rules require the Mavs to keep each player for 60 days before trading them elsewhere if they are traded away with other players.

[fin4life]

I am really getting the feeling that he will be a mav next year.

NY can only give him 5 mil
Memphis cant give GS cap room
Atlanta cant give him the big money

[Maringa]

If we do give him big money, hopefully it's not for more than 3 years....A 6 year contract would be awfull!!!

[lonny22]

I agree Avery will be with Dallas. I finally finished the roster when I had Laettner and TAW going to Milwaukee for Van Horn.

Either we trade with the Warriors, get Esch, and buy him out or we make the trade with them and buy nobody out. I hope that's the case and in my books would qualify the Mavs leadership for Executive of the Year. This is my proposed changes:

Out from 2003 In for 2004
Nash Terry
Walker Dampier
Jamison Dale Davis
Fortson Mbenga-Ilunga
Bradley Booth
Abdul-Wahad Van Horn
Best Harris
Williams Podkolzin
Delk Avery

Don't forget about a resigned Marquis Daniels. I like almost all the replacements more than their predecessors.

[fin4life]

Dale davis isnt going anywhere. I dont know why you keep posting that. They cant lose Esh, Dale Davis, and Dampier. Come on. He has an expiring contract that will be more valuble to them. Also TAW and L8 for van horn is a pipe dream.

[lonny22]

I've said all along that Henderson goes for Davis. Both of them are in the last year of their contract, but Hendu could get insurance money and save the Warriors a lot. If we take Esch, we probably give them Bradley. I really don't know which way the trade will go whether it's draft picks or Esch, but I'm leaning towards Esch.

My personal wishes are that we could get Davis and Dampier without Esch and then trade Bradley to Utah or somebody else who wants him. I don't think Booth leaves.

As far as the Davis part goes:

1. It makes sense to me for both teams to be interested.
2. Lang Whitaker talked about it on the radio.
3. Chef Ed told me that Tom House mentioned it.

[fin4life]

I still dont see the Davis or Van Horn deals happening.

[lonny22]

Ok, I change on the fly.

The Warrior fans are saying the same deal is going down. We still have Stackhouse if that's true. I don't see him going in a Davis or Van Horn deal, so if he is traded, it would have to be for Peja or a backup PF and a SF.

[fin4life]

once again i disagree with you.... i think now that KVH is possible. And i do see stackhouse being a part of that deal.

[grndmstr_c]

Why would you say you don't see Stack going in a KVH deal, but could see him going in a backup PF/SF deal? KVH is precisely a backup PF/SF.

[nowitzki_prophecy]

Where is all this Warriors fans?Does anybody have a site i could look in to?

[chumdawg]

Would Bradley and Stackhouse net you KVH? If Dampier comes to town, I would imagine that Bradley is on the way out.

[fin4life]

Dallas trades: SF Jerry Stackhouse (13.9 ppg, 3.6 rpg, 4.0 apg in 29.8 minutes)
SF Jon Stefansson (13.9 ppg, 3.6 rpg, 4.0 apg in 29.8 minutes)
PF Alan Henderson (4.0 ppg, 3.5 rpg, 0.3 apg in 11.3 minutes)
Dallas receives: SF Keith Van Horn (16.1 ppg, 7.0 rpg, 1.7 apg in 32.5 minutes)
Change in team outlook: -1.8 ppg, -0.1 rpg, and -2.6 apg.

Milwaukee trades: SF Keith Van Horn (16.1 ppg, 7.0 rpg, 1.7 apg in 32.5 minutes)
Milwaukee receives: SF Jerry Stackhouse (13.9 ppg, 3.6 rpg, 4.0 apg in 26 games)
SF Jon Stefansson (13.9 ppg, 3.6 rpg, 4.0 apg in 26 games)
PF Alan Henderson (4.0 ppg, 3.5 rpg, 0.3 apg in 6 games)
Change in team outlook: +1.8 ppg, +0.1 rpg, and +2.6 apg.

TRADE ACCEPTED

if van horn is brought here... this is a likely deal. Another likely deal is the same but replacing hendu with Booth. Also, steff can be taken out.

[vinnieponte]

Originally posted by: chumdawg
Would Bradley and Stackhouse net you KVH? If Dampier comes to town, I would imagine that Bradley is on the way out.

That's the best thing I've heard all day

[fin4life]

Originally posted by: chumdawg
Would Bradley and Stackhouse net you KVH? If Dampier comes to town, I would imagine that Bradley is on the way out.

we would need another 3mil in salary... nobody on the mavs makes that much (since najera left and Esch cant be traded for a while).
That is why i think booth/Stack/Steff isnt too bad.

[chumdawg]

Don't we have some sort of TE in our pocket?

[Pongo]

I *think* we aquired a 3.1 Million TE from atlanta

[lonny22]

I say Stackhouse is better than Van Horn. I was trying to say he would be a part of a deal for a SF better than Van Horn or could draw the Mavs a backup PF and a SF.

I was only mentioning Van Horn if we were using Stack to get Dampier. They might as well try to work a deal to pry Peja to Dallas if they still have Stackhouse.

I want a SF, but not if we're going to lose talent doing it.

[fin4life]

Originally posted by: chumdawg
Don't we have some sort of TE in our pocket?

You are right... i forgot about that. Well that would work, but would the bucks bite?
The move would save the owner 6mil.

[fin4life]

Originally posted by: lonny22
I say Stackhouse is better than Van Horn. I was trying to say he would be a part of a deal for a SF better than Van Horn or could draw the Mavs a backup PF and a SF.

I was only mentioning Van Horn if we were using Stack to get Dampier. They might as well try to work a deal to pry Peja to Dallas if they still have Stackhouse.

I want a SF, but not if we're going to lose talent doing it.

I thnk that you overrate stackhouse. KVH could be much more useful on this team. He we would shore up the backup PF spot and contribute at SF. He is a nellie wet dream... a smaller dirk. I would do a stack/bradley/TE for KVH in a heartbeat.

PS- think of how that would make the jamison trade look. It would be...

Jamison/Najera/Bradely for Dampier/KVH/Devin Harris.

[lonny22]

I actually like Van Horn a lot. He's not great on defense, but he is a good backup for both positions. I don't think he's as good overall, but I will agree that he fits a need in Dallas.

I was thinking about how the Spurs always need an outside shooter and the Mavs would have to have one coming off the bench to be a title threat. That's how I started in about trading for Van Horn to start with.

The only thing about Stack going to the Bucks is that they already have Redd and Mason. That's why I never had Stack going there in a trade.

[fin4life]

well mason/stack/redd is a good 2/3 rotation. There are plenty of minutes to go around there. The bucks might have a little trouble at PF though

[lonny22]

I'll give you a trade I like.

Henderson, Stackhouse, and Abdul-Wahad for Van Horn and Joe Smith.

I can't say that Milwaukee likes it.

[fin4life]

they wouldnt. They could just as easily do Hendu/stack for van horn without burdening themselves with TAW