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Van Exel trade bait? Rumored deal: Dampier, point guard for Wallace
Brad Weinstein, Chronicle Staff Writer
Nick Van Exel's agent said Thursday that there was a better than 50 percent chance that the Warriors will deal the high-priced point guard before the NBA's trade deadline.
Tony Dutt put the odds at 60-40 that Van Exel, the centerpiece of the team's offseason makeover, will be moved before Feb. 19.
"My gut feeling is that they're going to try to make a deal that makes sense for Nick and makes sense for them,'' Dutt said in a telephone interview from Houston, where Van Exel has spent the week dealing with a family matter. An injured Van Exel is expected to be in the Bay Area today, but when he plays again is uncertain.
Warriors general manager Garry St. Jean did not return a call seeking comment.
As the deadline approaches, Van Exel figures to be the subject of several trade rumors. His playoff success with the Dallas Mavericks last season and reputation for hitting clutch shots make him attractive to championship contenders. Also, his hefty contract is close to expiring.
Van Exel's health, however, remains an issue. He has struggled with a knee injury all season, which has affected his production, limited him to 30 games and set back the Warriors (19-25) in their quest to reach the playoffs for the first time since 1993-94.
Van Exel, 32, has missed the last seven games because of inflammation in his left knee. He initially targeted Monday's game at Memphis for his return, but has not worked out with the team since being placed on the injured list Jan. 15. The Warriors are scheduled to practice one more time, on Saturday, before playing the Grizzlies.
Dutt said if a deal was completed, it likely would happen "really close'' to the deadline, which comes four days after the All-Star Game and at a time when teams have played about 60 percent of their season.
Without getting into specifics, Dutt said he has had "really good dialogue'' with members of the Warriors' front office.
"I think you can't discount anything right now,'' Dutt said.
On Thursday, speculation circulated that Golden State and Portland had discussed a trade involving Van Exel, Warriors center Erick Dampier and the Trail Blazers' mercurial Rasheed Wallace, 29, the talented but inconsistent forward who is being paid a reported $17 million in the final year of his contract.
The Blazers lack depth at center, and they just watched a surging Dampier burn them for 18 points and 20 rebounds in the Warriors' 105-87 victory Saturday in Portland. In addition, the Blazers need another point guard after trading Jeff McInnis to Cleveland on Jan. 21.
Dampier, whom the Warriors are pushing for All-Star consideration, can opt out of the last two years of his contract (worth about $17 million) and become a free agent after the season. He has maintained all season that he has not decided what he will do.
Van Exel also can test the market this summer. He is making $10.9 million this season, and his contract includes an $11.8 million player option for 2004- 05 and a $12.9 million team option for 2005-06.
St. Jean and Warriors President Robert Rowell are believed to have met with Blazers GM John Nash on Saturday, but the nature of their discussion is not known.
Dutt said "there is no question'' that the Blazers have talked trade with the Warriors, which is standard procedure around the league at this point in the season.
"You get so much going on at this time of the year that there is a lot of unknown yet,'' Dutt said. "Everybody is talking to everybody. It's no different than any other year. I think you can sit there and say, 'Yes, there will be some moves this year.' At the same time, at the end of the day, how many of them get done?''
Van Exel trade bait? Rumored deal: Dampier, point guard for Wallace
Brad Weinstein, Chronicle Staff Writer
Nick Van Exel's agent said Thursday that there was a better than 50 percent chance that the Warriors will deal the high-priced point guard before the NBA's trade deadline.
Tony Dutt put the odds at 60-40 that Van Exel, the centerpiece of the team's offseason makeover, will be moved before Feb. 19.
"My gut feeling is that they're going to try to make a deal that makes sense for Nick and makes sense for them,'' Dutt said in a telephone interview from Houston, where Van Exel has spent the week dealing with a family matter. An injured Van Exel is expected to be in the Bay Area today, but when he plays again is uncertain.
Warriors general manager Garry St. Jean did not return a call seeking comment.
As the deadline approaches, Van Exel figures to be the subject of several trade rumors. His playoff success with the Dallas Mavericks last season and reputation for hitting clutch shots make him attractive to championship contenders. Also, his hefty contract is close to expiring.
Van Exel's health, however, remains an issue. He has struggled with a knee injury all season, which has affected his production, limited him to 30 games and set back the Warriors (19-25) in their quest to reach the playoffs for the first time since 1993-94.
Van Exel, 32, has missed the last seven games because of inflammation in his left knee. He initially targeted Monday's game at Memphis for his return, but has not worked out with the team since being placed on the injured list Jan. 15. The Warriors are scheduled to practice one more time, on Saturday, before playing the Grizzlies.
Dutt said if a deal was completed, it likely would happen "really close'' to the deadline, which comes four days after the All-Star Game and at a time when teams have played about 60 percent of their season.
Without getting into specifics, Dutt said he has had "really good dialogue'' with members of the Warriors' front office.
"I think you can't discount anything right now,'' Dutt said.
On Thursday, speculation circulated that Golden State and Portland had discussed a trade involving Van Exel, Warriors center Erick Dampier and the Trail Blazers' mercurial Rasheed Wallace, 29, the talented but inconsistent forward who is being paid a reported $17 million in the final year of his contract.
The Blazers lack depth at center, and they just watched a surging Dampier burn them for 18 points and 20 rebounds in the Warriors' 105-87 victory Saturday in Portland. In addition, the Blazers need another point guard after trading Jeff McInnis to Cleveland on Jan. 21.
Dampier, whom the Warriors are pushing for All-Star consideration, can opt out of the last two years of his contract (worth about $17 million) and become a free agent after the season. He has maintained all season that he has not decided what he will do.
Van Exel also can test the market this summer. He is making $10.9 million this season, and his contract includes an $11.8 million player option for 2004- 05 and a $12.9 million team option for 2005-06.
St. Jean and Warriors President Robert Rowell are believed to have met with Blazers GM John Nash on Saturday, but the nature of their discussion is not known.
Dutt said "there is no question'' that the Blazers have talked trade with the Warriors, which is standard procedure around the league at this point in the season.
"You get so much going on at this time of the year that there is a lot of unknown yet,'' Dutt said. "Everybody is talking to everybody. It's no different than any other year. I think you can sit there and say, 'Yes, there will be some moves this year.' At the same time, at the end of the day, how many of them get done?''
