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Oakland Tribune: Dampier could be next Warrior to head for exit
By Dave Del Grande, STAFF WRITER
OAKLAND -- Erick Dampier hopes a big crowd shows up at the Arena tonight to celebrate former teammate Gilbert Arenas' homecoming.
Of course he does. And no doubt he envisions the same sometime next season when he very well could be a guest of honor.
Like Arenas a year earlier, Dampier appears to have one foot out the door as he plays out the final three weeks of a playoff-less season. He can opt out of the final two years of his Warriors contract in June, making himself an unrestricted free agent this off-season.
Will he do it? Even as he interviews agents capable of "taking (him) to the next level," he's not saying.
But he is saying this: Arenas made a wise choice when he grabbed for the big bucks last summer.
"It's a no-brainer," Dampier said of the young point guard's decision to reject a Warriors offer that was seriously hamstrung by the salary cap. "If the Warriors can only pay $38, $39, $40 million and another team can pay you $55, you'd be stupid not to take it. Obviously he made the right decision."
Actually, it was $64 million, but who's counting?
Presumably, Arenas is. He's sure not counting too many wins by his new club this season.
The Washington Wizards bring the league's fourth-worst record (23-48) into Oakland. Arenas, suffering from a sprained right ankle, returned to the lineup Thursday in a win over the Clippers. The team's leading scorer (20.1) and assist man (5.4) had made it clear he would be healthy enough to play against his old mates tonight.
One of those old chums, Dampier, will have the opportunity to tear up $16.8 million in guaranteed money over the next two seasons this summer. And if indeed he chooses to pursue an Arenas-type deal, he assures it won't be just for those twice-a-month paychecks.
Clearly, he shares Arenas' vision in a change of scenery -- at least two time zones -- being important toward accomplishing both personal and team goals.
"I wouldn't say he (Arenas) did it just for the money," Dampier insisted. "They (the Wizards) have some pretty good pieces -- Gilbert, Larry Hughes, Etan Thomas, Kwame Brown ... They're going to have to learn to win.
"And they're in the (Eastern Conference). You win 38 games, you make the playoffs.
"It's not all about money. It's about winning for me. Money doesn't take care of everything. It's about being happy, playing on a team that can win games and win championships.
"The West is not the easiest conference to play in. For me, every night there is a good center to go against. You take us and put us in the East, of course we'd be a playoff-caliber team. That just shows how much tougher the West is."
At this point, only three Eastern teams -- Atlanta, Detroit and the expansion Charlotte club -- are in a position of offering Dampier a raise over the $8.1 million he would earn as a Warrior next season under his current deal. At least four Western teams -- Denver, Utah, Phoenix and the Los Angeles Clippers -- are other potential bidders.
A sign-and-trade, where the Warriors would get equal financial value in return from a team not able to play the free-agent game, also is a possibility.
Either way, the Warriors would see a big-time talent disappear out the exit. Again.
The Warriors' headache of the present had a phone conversation with their headache of the past last week. The main topic of discussion: tonight's reunion.
"(Arenas) likes it where he's at," Dampier said. "He said he's coming to town looking to have a good game. My response was, 'If you're coming to town, I'm looking to have a good game.'"
Dampier has enjoyed many this season. The opt-out clause couldn't come at a better time as he currently ranks fourth in the NBA in rebounding (11.6) and fifth in both shooting percentage (53.3) and double-doubles (39).
Suffice it to say, he's having a much better year than Raef LaFrentz, Antonio Davis, Greg Ostertag and Dikembe Mutombo, a quartet who earned an average of $10.5 million this season. Dampier pulled down $7.8 million.
Doesn't he deserve at least as much as Dale Davis ($9.0 million), Theo Ratliff ($10.9), Brian Grant ($13.3) or Zydrunas Ilgauskas ($14.6) next year?
Now you understand why, for the second consecutive season, the Warriors stand to lose their most valuable player without compensation.
"I will weigh my options," Dampier said, assuring he'll have a pretty good idea what the market will bear well before he must exercise the opt-out clause between June 15-30. "I don't think it'll be a very difficult decision."
Dampier believes Arenas wanted to stay, but the dollar differential was too much to overlook. He knows the Warriors will not have those same constraints if they choose to pursue him this off-season.
As a way of saying thank you for giving him a chance as a second-round pick, Arenas gave the Warriors last licks in the negotiations last summer before choosing the Wizards' offer.
Dampier, a seven-year member of the organization, doesn't believe he owes his current employer any such favor.
"Loyalty has nothing to do with it," he claimed. "I've been taken care of here, and I've tried to come out and play hard every night, even when I was hurt.
"My money was back-loaded, so I didn't make as much my first four years (when his numbers weren't as good as they are today). I feel I've earned my money."
A strong finish by the Warriors could improve their chances of retaining their leading rebounder and third-leading scorer. He'd like to feel more confident about the team's future before agreeing to come back.
If only more opponents were like the Wizards, with or without Arenas.
"We're definitely better than them," Dampier said.
But are they as generous? We'll see this summer.
By Dave Del Grande, STAFF WRITER
OAKLAND -- Erick Dampier hopes a big crowd shows up at the Arena tonight to celebrate former teammate Gilbert Arenas' homecoming.
Of course he does. And no doubt he envisions the same sometime next season when he very well could be a guest of honor.
Like Arenas a year earlier, Dampier appears to have one foot out the door as he plays out the final three weeks of a playoff-less season. He can opt out of the final two years of his Warriors contract in June, making himself an unrestricted free agent this off-season.
Will he do it? Even as he interviews agents capable of "taking (him) to the next level," he's not saying.
But he is saying this: Arenas made a wise choice when he grabbed for the big bucks last summer.
"It's a no-brainer," Dampier said of the young point guard's decision to reject a Warriors offer that was seriously hamstrung by the salary cap. "If the Warriors can only pay $38, $39, $40 million and another team can pay you $55, you'd be stupid not to take it. Obviously he made the right decision."
Actually, it was $64 million, but who's counting?
Presumably, Arenas is. He's sure not counting too many wins by his new club this season.
The Washington Wizards bring the league's fourth-worst record (23-48) into Oakland. Arenas, suffering from a sprained right ankle, returned to the lineup Thursday in a win over the Clippers. The team's leading scorer (20.1) and assist man (5.4) had made it clear he would be healthy enough to play against his old mates tonight.
One of those old chums, Dampier, will have the opportunity to tear up $16.8 million in guaranteed money over the next two seasons this summer. And if indeed he chooses to pursue an Arenas-type deal, he assures it won't be just for those twice-a-month paychecks.
Clearly, he shares Arenas' vision in a change of scenery -- at least two time zones -- being important toward accomplishing both personal and team goals.
"I wouldn't say he (Arenas) did it just for the money," Dampier insisted. "They (the Wizards) have some pretty good pieces -- Gilbert, Larry Hughes, Etan Thomas, Kwame Brown ... They're going to have to learn to win.
"And they're in the (Eastern Conference). You win 38 games, you make the playoffs.
"It's not all about money. It's about winning for me. Money doesn't take care of everything. It's about being happy, playing on a team that can win games and win championships.
"The West is not the easiest conference to play in. For me, every night there is a good center to go against. You take us and put us in the East, of course we'd be a playoff-caliber team. That just shows how much tougher the West is."
At this point, only three Eastern teams -- Atlanta, Detroit and the expansion Charlotte club -- are in a position of offering Dampier a raise over the $8.1 million he would earn as a Warrior next season under his current deal. At least four Western teams -- Denver, Utah, Phoenix and the Los Angeles Clippers -- are other potential bidders.
A sign-and-trade, where the Warriors would get equal financial value in return from a team not able to play the free-agent game, also is a possibility.
Either way, the Warriors would see a big-time talent disappear out the exit. Again.
The Warriors' headache of the present had a phone conversation with their headache of the past last week. The main topic of discussion: tonight's reunion.
"(Arenas) likes it where he's at," Dampier said. "He said he's coming to town looking to have a good game. My response was, 'If you're coming to town, I'm looking to have a good game.'"
Dampier has enjoyed many this season. The opt-out clause couldn't come at a better time as he currently ranks fourth in the NBA in rebounding (11.6) and fifth in both shooting percentage (53.3) and double-doubles (39).
Suffice it to say, he's having a much better year than Raef LaFrentz, Antonio Davis, Greg Ostertag and Dikembe Mutombo, a quartet who earned an average of $10.5 million this season. Dampier pulled down $7.8 million.
Doesn't he deserve at least as much as Dale Davis ($9.0 million), Theo Ratliff ($10.9), Brian Grant ($13.3) or Zydrunas Ilgauskas ($14.6) next year?
Now you understand why, for the second consecutive season, the Warriors stand to lose their most valuable player without compensation.
"I will weigh my options," Dampier said, assuring he'll have a pretty good idea what the market will bear well before he must exercise the opt-out clause between June 15-30. "I don't think it'll be a very difficult decision."
Dampier believes Arenas wanted to stay, but the dollar differential was too much to overlook. He knows the Warriors will not have those same constraints if they choose to pursue him this off-season.
As a way of saying thank you for giving him a chance as a second-round pick, Arenas gave the Warriors last licks in the negotiations last summer before choosing the Wizards' offer.
Dampier, a seven-year member of the organization, doesn't believe he owes his current employer any such favor.
"Loyalty has nothing to do with it," he claimed. "I've been taken care of here, and I've tried to come out and play hard every night, even when I was hurt.
"My money was back-loaded, so I didn't make as much my first four years (when his numbers weren't as good as they are today). I feel I've earned my money."
A strong finish by the Warriors could improve their chances of retaining their leading rebounder and third-leading scorer. He'd like to feel more confident about the team's future before agreeing to come back.
If only more opponents were like the Wizards, with or without Arenas.
"We're definitely better than them," Dampier said.
But are they as generous? We'll see this summer.
