Mavs/Warriors trade.........

[sunsfn]

Posted on Fri, Aug. 15, 2003

Mavs trade Van Exel, 3 others, to Golden State
Warriors send 4 players, including Antawn Jamison
By Art Garcia
Star-Telegram Staff Writer

Antawn Jamison and Nick Van Exel are the kingpins in an eight-player trade between the Mavericks and the Golden State Warriors that was agreed on Friday night, the Star-Telegram learned.

The trade can't be approved until Monday when the NBA offices open.


In addition to Jamison, the Warriors' leading scorer the last season, the Mavericks also receive power forward Danny Fortson, small forward Chris Mills and guard Jiri Welsch. Along with Van Exel, the Mavs send Avery Johnson, Evan Eschmeyer and Popeye Jones to Golden State.


Jamison, who averaged 22.2 points and 7.0 rebounds per game last season, his fifth in the NBA, and immediately becomes the Mavs' starting small forward. Jamison, 27, will be joined in the starting lineup by Steve Nash, Dirk Nowitzki, Michael Finley and Raef LaFrentz.


Fortson adds toughness and rebounding off the bench. Despite playing only 17 games last season because of injury, the six-year veteran has averaged at least 11 rebounds three times in his career.


Welsch, a 6-7 guard, was a first-round draft pick last year and played in only 37 games as a rookie. Mills played in only 21 games last season, his 10th in the league.


Van Exel was the Mavs' leading scorer off the bench and second-leading scorer in the playoffs last season at 19.5 points per game. He spent the last 1 ½ seasons of a 10-year career with Dallas. The Warriors are his fourth team.


Johnson, who spent the 1993-94 season with Golden State, Eschmeyer and Jones were each role players. Jones, a free agent, wasn't expected back this season.


http://www.dfw.com/mld/dfw/sports/basketball/6543831.htm

 

[SirStefan32]

Makes sense for both teams.

Mavs get tougher, and the Warriors trade one of their many forwards and acquire an elite point guard.

Stefan

 

[sly fly]

Advantage: Dallas.

Adding Jamison means they can keep Nash on the court. Getting Fortson gives them some needed beef down low.

Van Exel was a nice luxury for Dallas to have. And, he pretty much carried Dallas throughout the playoffs. But, they still keep Nash and ADD a young prospect in Jiri Welsch.

Jamison, Nowitzki, and Finley are a scary offensive trio.

Golden St. does get their PG, but losing Arenas was a big blow to their future. How soon will Van Exel start the griping?

 

[SunsCat]

WOW!!! Thanks much, sunsfn. This is a HUGE boon!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Dallas now has a starting line-up not much unlike our Suns:

Nash at the 1, Finley at the 2, Jamison at the 3, Nowitzki at the 4 & either Bradley or LaFrentz at the 5.

<I>Jesus wept!</I>

<B>- Stephen King, 1989</B>

 

[SirStefan32]

Another thing to consider is that GSW got rid of Fortson's terrible contract.

 

[elindholm]

For Fortson's talent, his contract isn't that bad. It's long, but he's reasonably paid. I think a lot of teams would like to have him if not for his attitude problem.

To me this trade seems very good for Dallas. What does Golden State want with any of the players they got besides Van Exel?

 

[Joe Mama]

Danny Fortson is a good rebounder. That's it. He doesn't do much of anything on offense, and his defense is terrible.

Once the Dallas Mavericks extend Steve Nash's contract they will have a starting lineup making a combined $60-70 million per season.

I agree that the trade probably helps the Mavericks, but Nick Van Exel was far and away the best player for the Dallas Mavericks in last season's playoffs. He is the reason they made it out of the first round. That's said, their new frontcourt is going to be very difficult to match up with. Dirk Nowitzki and Jamison can play either forward position.

This can't be the only deal for Golden State. Nick Van Exel will replace Arenas, but the only frontcourt player they got in return is Evan Eschmeyer a center. As far as I can tell the only small forward left on their roster is Mike Dunleavy Jr.. In fact he and Troy Murphy will be their only forwards under contract. Is that right?

Joe Mama

 

[SunsCat]

Joe, at the very least, GS has the extremely versatile Bobby Sura waiting in the wings, a player that's as strong & versatile enough to play 1-3 in a pinch.

I like the move in that it'll give GS' other big men room to operate, not only in easing the big man log jam, but increasing the scoring capacity of the backcourt (Van Exel/Richardson).

And again, making room in the frontcourt for Troy Murphy & his breaking out at the 4........................

 

[Joe Mama]

Bob Sura at small forward??? Surely you jest. He is only listed at 6-5, 200 lbs., and that's debatable.

As I see it Golden State now has...

6 guards (Nick Van Exel, Bob Sura, Avery Johnson, Speedy Claxton, Jason Richardson, and Michael Peatrus)

3 centers (Adonal Foyle, Erick Dampier, and Evan Eschmeyer)

2 forwards (Troy Murphy and Mike Dunleavy Jr.)

Joe Mama

 

[elindholm]

The played Dampier and Foyle alongside one another for short stretches last year, so maybe that's part of their plan if they don't make another move.

They have three new point guards now. That's really weird. Maybe they're counting on Avery Johnson to retire in the last year of his contract. Is this season fully guaranteed for him?

And don't they look fairly stupid now for sigining Claxton to a big enough deal to warrant starter's minutes -- then acquiring a former All-Star that Claxton will, presumably, have to play behind?

 

[SirStefan32]

I think they have another deal in mind.

 

[Chris_Sanders]

I would hope so or these moves reek of panic for Golden State.

 

[PhiLLmattiC]

First its the Nuggets, now its the Warriors. I can't blame Van Exel for cursing these teams. All he wants is a championship and he keeps getting screwed. They should send him to the Knicks. Even though we're almost never contenders we always feel like we are.

 

[PhxGametime]

Pietrus could play SF?

 

[jbeecham]

Claxton got screwed big time. One of the main reasons he went to the Warriors was to get the opportunity to be a starting PG. If Speedy had known they might trade for another starting PG then I doubt he signs with them. He would have been better off in S.A. behind inconsistent Tony Parker.

Pietrus does have the height to play SF, but it just depends on how quickly he can adapt his game to the NBA.

Dallas made out really well in this deal, although I think not having a decent backup PG/SG (Van Exel) will hurt them a little.

 

[Chaplin]

Big win for the Mavs. Joe is correct, NVE did single-handedly allow for Dallas to advance in the playoffs, but don't underestimate Antawn Jamison's presence, especially at the SF position.

 

[thegrahamcrackr]

How does Gary St. Jean still have a job????

On another note, what the hell is with the west tops teams getting much better on paper without loosing anything? I mean SA and LA got their upgrades for nothing at all, and now dallas adds both the tough PF and a prolific scorer while not loosing any starters......

 

[slinslin]

Jamison at SF?

He is soft, he is bad defensively and an average-good rebounder... What exactly does he add to the Mavs? Scoring?!?

Danny Fortson tough? He can rebound but he can't defend. The Mavs weren't bad rebounding team. Anyway Dirk Nowitzki will be on the biggest german sports show tonight maybe they will ask him about that.

Maybe the Mavs will ship Finley now.

 

[elindholm]

On another note, what the hell is with the west tops teams getting much better on paper without loosing anything?

Going into any offseason, various teams are in better shape than others to improve.

The Lakers will always be in good shape, because everyone wants to play with O'Neal and Bryant.

The Mavericks will always be in good shape, because they are willing to spend. Jamison's contract has a whopping $70 million left on it over the next five seasons, but Cuban doesn't mind.

The Spurs lucked out with the departure of Robinson, among other salary-cap windfalls. It also helps that the league MVP is making a relatively modest $12.7 million this season -- less than either Marbury or Hardaway, for instance, and barely among the top 30 in the league.

The Suns are stuck behind their four max contracts and (so far) mediocre record. They'll be in a difficult situation for at least one more season -- and, realistically, longer than that: until Hardaway's contract expires or they find some other way to get rid of it.

 

[elindholm]

Maybe the Mavs will ship Finley now.

I doubt it. Don't they still have plenty of room for him at SG? The starting lineup should be LaFrentz/Nowitzki/Jamison/Finley/Nash. For their small lineup, they can put Najera in for LaFrentz and move Nowitzki over.

 

[fordronken]

Originally posted by elindholm
The Spurs lucked out with the departure of Robinson, among other salary-cap windfalls. It also helps that the league MVP is making a relatively modest $12.7 million this season -- less than either Marbury or Hardaway, for instance, and barely among the top 30 in the league.

You make it sound as if the Spurs didn't orchestrate their contract negotiations so that the right players would come off the books at the right time. I'm sure there was some luck involved, but they didn't simply fall backwards into the offseason.

 

[elindholm]

You make it sound as if the Spurs didn't orchestrate their contract negotiations so that the right players would come off the books at the right time.

Yeah, that was just a careless oversimplification. There was indeed skill involved.

 

[slinslin]

Originally posted by elindholm
Maybe the Mavs will ship Finley now.

I doubt it. Don't they still have plenty of room for him at SG? The starting lineup should be LaFrentz/Nowitzki/Jamison/Finley/Nash. For their small lineup, they can put Najera in for LaFrentz and move Nowitzki over.

Yeah but a team can get only so and so many shots per game.

They are still soft and can't defend.

 

[elindholm]

They are still soft and can't defend.

Finley is probably their toughest player and best defender. Who do you see Dallas trading him for?

 

[SirStefan32]

Originally posted by elindholm
The Suns are stuck behind their four max contracts and (so far) mediocre record. They'll be in a difficult situation for at least one more season -- and, realistically, longer than that: until Hardaway's contract expires or they find some other way to get rid of it.

... and then they have to extend Marbury's contract, they have to max out Stoudemire.

JJ and Jake will want new contracts too.