Trade 5
Erick Dampier and Danny Fortson to Memphis for Wesley Person and Brevin Knight
Erick Dampier
Center
Golden State Warriors
Profile
2002-2003 SEASON STATISTICS
GM PPG RPG APG FG% FT%
82 8.2 6.6 0.7 .496 .698
Why the Grizz should do it: Jerry West is getting impatient. He wants to win this year and he's willing to pay the price to do it. The Grizzlies' biggest need is in the middle. Dampier isn't an all-star but he's a big, tough rebounder and shot blocker. And, he's probably the best big man available via trade. Fortson's contract is terrible, but he is one of the premier rebounders in the league and a small price to pay for adding a legit big man like Dampier. The downside? Forget about cap room for the next four or five years and start saying luxury tax.
Projected Starting Five:
PG Jason Williams
SG James Posey
SF Mike Miller
PF Pau Gasol
C Erick Dampier
Why the Warriors should do it: GM Garry St. Jean didn't take my advice last week when I implored the team to make the trades necessary to keep Gilbert Arenas. Fine. Without Arenas, the Warriors don't have a shot at making the playoffs in the West. If that's the case, why not raise the white flag now, get a couple of bad contracts off the books and start over again next summer. Person and Knight are both in the last year of their contracts. The trade would put the Warriors roughly $13 million under the cap next season and allow them to pursue a top-flight point guard via free agency. It also would put them at the bottom of the standings in the West and give them an excellent shot at the No. 1 pick in the 2004 NBA draft.
Projected Starting Five:
PG Speedy Claxton
SG Jason Richardson
SF Antawn Jamison
PF Troy Murphy
C Adonal Foyle
Around the League
The Jazz finally scored someone with all of that cap room when they traded for Keon Clark on Tuesday. It's an interesting move for the Jazz when you consider that character has always been a major issue for owner Larry Miller. Clark, as you may recall, hurt his free-agent chances last summer when police found marijuana in his car following a routine traffic stop.
Clark has an enormous amount of talent, but he's struggled to realize it during stints with the Nuggets, Raptors and Kings. Can he turn it around in a starting role with the Jazz? Clark is in the last year of a two-year contract, so he'll have the incentive.
"[He's] a kid who wants to play," GM Kevin O'Connor told the Salt Lake Tribune. "It behooves him to have a good year, and it behooves us for him to have a good year. He blocks shots, he is athletic, he has great length and he runs the floor well. His ability to defend at [center and power forward] can also help us."
Fair enough, but what about the character issues? Is this the dawn of a new era in Salt Lake? "There have been no problems, based on the past year," O'Connor said. "We did a lot of homework on him and, last year, he was not late, he had no problems with the coaches and he played in 80 games."
The Jazz still have $16 million left under the cap and are looking at two restricted free agents, Jason Terry and Stephen Jackson.
Lamar Odom left Miami without an offer sheet Tuesday night. However, the Heat are expected to tender an offer to Odom this week. The Miami Herald reported that Pat Riley will fly to L.A. today in an attempt to seal the deal. According to the Sun Sentinel, the Heat are ready to offer a deal in the six-year, $65 million range. As much as $23 million could be paid up front in an attempt to scare the Clippers from matching. However, Clips coach Mike Dunleavy believes the team will match any reasonable offer.
"He's a very talented player, and we're expecting to have him back," Dunleavy told the Sun Sentinel. "I'm going to push him to be a much better player. He can play four positions [all but center]. He's very versatile, so he gives me so many different options. We'll tap into his ability to make plays more than had been the case."
Odom has threatened to sign the one-year tender with the Clips if he didn't get a deal that averaged around $10 million per season. Odom reportedly turned down a three year, $24 million offer with the Clips previously.
Speaking of the Heat, Mavs owner Mark Cuban denied that the Mavs were close to trading for Heat forward Brian Grant. A report in the Sun Sentinel earlier this week claimed that the Mavs and Heat were talking about trade that would've sent Eduardo Najera, Avery Johnson and a re-signed Walt Williams to Miami. The trade would've given the Heat an extra $10 million in cap room next summer.
The Pacers could lock up Reggie Miller as early as today. The question is, for how much? The Pacers are about $6 million under the projected luxury tax for next season and are still interested in signing veteran guard Jon Barry as well. Miller made $12 million last season and was expected to take a big paycut to return to the Pacers this season.
According to the Rocky Mountain News, the Nuggets are talking with Serbian forward Predrag Drobjnak. Drobjnak is a restricted free agent, but the Sonics are having trouble signing him because of cap issues. "Denver is definitely near the top of Peja's list, and they're very interested in him," his agent, David Bauman, said. Atlanta, Miami, Utah and the Clippers, to a lesser extent, also are interested. "He's the best big man available (in free agency)."
------------------------------------
Peep Show
By Terry Brown
NBA Insider
Wednesday, August 6
Updated: August 6
8:20 AM ET
Milwaukee Bucks: After 17 years on the floor for several teams and one on the bench for the Sacramento Kings, Terry Porter is finally returning home to coach the Bucks. "He's a terrific person, and he's done a terrific job here," said Geoff Petrie, the Kings' president of basketball operations, in the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel. "It's a general rule of thumb: If it's an upward move, no one wants to stand in the way. We'd be sad to see him go, but happy for him." Porter was chosen over Atlanta Hawks interim coach Terry Stotts, Detroit Pistons assistant Mike Woodson and Phoenix Suns assistant Marc Iavaroni. "I was born and raised there, so it means a lot to me," Porter said.
Washington Wizards: Gilbert Arenas pleaded not guilty to misdemeanor gun and vehicle charges, reports the San Francisco Chronicle. Arenas, who has signed an offer sheet with Washington Wizards that the Golden State Warriors are not expected to match, was stopped by police in South San Francisco on June 4 and found to be driving without a license. He did have a 40-caliber handgun in the backseat with a clip in the glove compartment. If convicted, Arenas could face six months in jail. The trial is expected to begin Oct. 14.
New York Knicks: Ron Artest may have just found out about the trade that sent Keith Van Horn to the Knicks but the Big Apple native is all for it. "I think he plays his game," Artest told the N.Y. Times. "He stays within the context of his game. He has so much talent that he could do much more if he just let it out a little bit. But he always plays his same type of game. Bottom line, he's effective. He hits open shots. He makes his layups. He'll dunk it on you if he has to. He rebounds the ball. He plays his game, and he's been playing the same way since he's been in the league. But he does have a lot of talent and if he'd just give it a little bit more, he'd be really unstoppable."
Utah Jazz: Karl Malone is throwing a party at the Delta Center this Friday and all of his fans are invited. "To leave here is sad," Malone said in the Salt Lake Tribune. "But I also leave here a little excited. . . . We've all got to stay healthy. We've got to jell together as a team. And we've got to stay humble. But if we do that, if we come together as a team and do what we're supposed to do, we've got a great shot." But he also mentioned that the Jazz would have a hard time replacing himself and John Stockton because NBA players are reluctant to come to Utah. "I don't think it's a perception now," he said. "I think it's a fact. When Andre [Miller] didn't sign, that wasn't a good sign."
Erick Dampier and Danny Fortson to Memphis for Wesley Person and Brevin Knight
Erick Dampier
Center
Golden State Warriors
Profile
2002-2003 SEASON STATISTICS
GM PPG RPG APG FG% FT%
82 8.2 6.6 0.7 .496 .698
Why the Grizz should do it: Jerry West is getting impatient. He wants to win this year and he's willing to pay the price to do it. The Grizzlies' biggest need is in the middle. Dampier isn't an all-star but he's a big, tough rebounder and shot blocker. And, he's probably the best big man available via trade. Fortson's contract is terrible, but he is one of the premier rebounders in the league and a small price to pay for adding a legit big man like Dampier. The downside? Forget about cap room for the next four or five years and start saying luxury tax.
Projected Starting Five:
PG Jason Williams
SG James Posey
SF Mike Miller
PF Pau Gasol
C Erick Dampier
Why the Warriors should do it: GM Garry St. Jean didn't take my advice last week when I implored the team to make the trades necessary to keep Gilbert Arenas. Fine. Without Arenas, the Warriors don't have a shot at making the playoffs in the West. If that's the case, why not raise the white flag now, get a couple of bad contracts off the books and start over again next summer. Person and Knight are both in the last year of their contracts. The trade would put the Warriors roughly $13 million under the cap next season and allow them to pursue a top-flight point guard via free agency. It also would put them at the bottom of the standings in the West and give them an excellent shot at the No. 1 pick in the 2004 NBA draft.
Projected Starting Five:
PG Speedy Claxton
SG Jason Richardson
SF Antawn Jamison
PF Troy Murphy
C Adonal Foyle
Around the League
The Jazz finally scored someone with all of that cap room when they traded for Keon Clark on Tuesday. It's an interesting move for the Jazz when you consider that character has always been a major issue for owner Larry Miller. Clark, as you may recall, hurt his free-agent chances last summer when police found marijuana in his car following a routine traffic stop.
Clark has an enormous amount of talent, but he's struggled to realize it during stints with the Nuggets, Raptors and Kings. Can he turn it around in a starting role with the Jazz? Clark is in the last year of a two-year contract, so he'll have the incentive.
"[He's] a kid who wants to play," GM Kevin O'Connor told the Salt Lake Tribune. "It behooves him to have a good year, and it behooves us for him to have a good year. He blocks shots, he is athletic, he has great length and he runs the floor well. His ability to defend at [center and power forward] can also help us."
Fair enough, but what about the character issues? Is this the dawn of a new era in Salt Lake? "There have been no problems, based on the past year," O'Connor said. "We did a lot of homework on him and, last year, he was not late, he had no problems with the coaches and he played in 80 games."
The Jazz still have $16 million left under the cap and are looking at two restricted free agents, Jason Terry and Stephen Jackson.
Lamar Odom left Miami without an offer sheet Tuesday night. However, the Heat are expected to tender an offer to Odom this week. The Miami Herald reported that Pat Riley will fly to L.A. today in an attempt to seal the deal. According to the Sun Sentinel, the Heat are ready to offer a deal in the six-year, $65 million range. As much as $23 million could be paid up front in an attempt to scare the Clippers from matching. However, Clips coach Mike Dunleavy believes the team will match any reasonable offer.
"He's a very talented player, and we're expecting to have him back," Dunleavy told the Sun Sentinel. "I'm going to push him to be a much better player. He can play four positions [all but center]. He's very versatile, so he gives me so many different options. We'll tap into his ability to make plays more than had been the case."
Odom has threatened to sign the one-year tender with the Clips if he didn't get a deal that averaged around $10 million per season. Odom reportedly turned down a three year, $24 million offer with the Clips previously.
Speaking of the Heat, Mavs owner Mark Cuban denied that the Mavs were close to trading for Heat forward Brian Grant. A report in the Sun Sentinel earlier this week claimed that the Mavs and Heat were talking about trade that would've sent Eduardo Najera, Avery Johnson and a re-signed Walt Williams to Miami. The trade would've given the Heat an extra $10 million in cap room next summer.
The Pacers could lock up Reggie Miller as early as today. The question is, for how much? The Pacers are about $6 million under the projected luxury tax for next season and are still interested in signing veteran guard Jon Barry as well. Miller made $12 million last season and was expected to take a big paycut to return to the Pacers this season.
According to the Rocky Mountain News, the Nuggets are talking with Serbian forward Predrag Drobjnak. Drobjnak is a restricted free agent, but the Sonics are having trouble signing him because of cap issues. "Denver is definitely near the top of Peja's list, and they're very interested in him," his agent, David Bauman, said. Atlanta, Miami, Utah and the Clippers, to a lesser extent, also are interested. "He's the best big man available (in free agency)."
------------------------------------
Peep Show
By Terry Brown
NBA Insider
Wednesday, August 6
Updated: August 6
8:20 AM ET
Milwaukee Bucks: After 17 years on the floor for several teams and one on the bench for the Sacramento Kings, Terry Porter is finally returning home to coach the Bucks. "He's a terrific person, and he's done a terrific job here," said Geoff Petrie, the Kings' president of basketball operations, in the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel. "It's a general rule of thumb: If it's an upward move, no one wants to stand in the way. We'd be sad to see him go, but happy for him." Porter was chosen over Atlanta Hawks interim coach Terry Stotts, Detroit Pistons assistant Mike Woodson and Phoenix Suns assistant Marc Iavaroni. "I was born and raised there, so it means a lot to me," Porter said.
Washington Wizards: Gilbert Arenas pleaded not guilty to misdemeanor gun and vehicle charges, reports the San Francisco Chronicle. Arenas, who has signed an offer sheet with Washington Wizards that the Golden State Warriors are not expected to match, was stopped by police in South San Francisco on June 4 and found to be driving without a license. He did have a 40-caliber handgun in the backseat with a clip in the glove compartment. If convicted, Arenas could face six months in jail. The trial is expected to begin Oct. 14.
New York Knicks: Ron Artest may have just found out about the trade that sent Keith Van Horn to the Knicks but the Big Apple native is all for it. "I think he plays his game," Artest told the N.Y. Times. "He stays within the context of his game. He has so much talent that he could do much more if he just let it out a little bit. But he always plays his same type of game. Bottom line, he's effective. He hits open shots. He makes his layups. He'll dunk it on you if he has to. He rebounds the ball. He plays his game, and he's been playing the same way since he's been in the league. But he does have a lot of talent and if he'd just give it a little bit more, he'd be really unstoppable."
Utah Jazz: Karl Malone is throwing a party at the Delta Center this Friday and all of his fans are invited. "To leave here is sad," Malone said in the Salt Lake Tribune. "But I also leave here a little excited. . . . We've all got to stay healthy. We've got to jell together as a team. And we've got to stay humble. But if we do that, if we come together as a team and do what we're supposed to do, we've got a great shot." But he also mentioned that the Jazz would have a hard time replacing himself and John Stockton because NBA players are reluctant to come to Utah. "I don't think it's a perception now," he said. "I think it's a fact. When Andre [Miller] didn't sign, that wasn't a good sign."
