We blew this offseason...BAD!

[George O'Brien]

you wrote this in another thread as well, but everything I've read suggests the Warriors will lose both of them. I think it has less to do with money than Erick Dampier and Foyle are sick of the Golden State Warriors. You are literally the only person I've seen so far he thinks that Foyle will be in Golden State next year.

Joe Mama

Here you go:

Posted on Sat, Jun. 26, 2004





Draft is over; now comes the difficult part

By Matt Steinmetz

CONTRA COSTA TIMES


OAKLAND - Warriors executive vice president of basketball operations Chris Mullin just completed a hectic few weeks, working the phones and working out potential draft candidates. The result was the selection of Andris Biedrins, a 6-foot-11, 240-pound power forward from Latvia, with the No. 11 pick in Thursday's NBA draft.

Now, it's time to get back to work.

When Mullin takes a look at the Warriors roster, he sees 15 names. If he glances at it next week at this time, he'll see only nine. Six players -- including starting center Erick Dampier -- will become free agents July 1.

It's at center where the Warriors face the most uncertainty this offseason. Dampier's agent, Dan Fegan, said earlier this week that his client will exercise an opt-out clause and test the free agent market. Dampier's backup, Adonal Foyle, also is a free agent. Evan Eschmeyer, the team's No. 3 center, didn't play a game last season because of injury.

While the selection of Biedrins gives the Warriors another big body up front, it's impossible to forecast how much an 18-year-old can help in his rookie season, if at all. At some point this offseason, Mullin likely will have to address the center spot.

It all starts with Dampier, who will walk away from a guaranteed $17 million over the next two seasons in the hope of getting a bigger and longer contract. That leaves the Warriors three options: allow Dampier to leave without compensation, try to work a sign-and-trade with another team, or sign him to an extension.

Of those three choices, Nos. 2 and 3 will prove challenging. Any sign-and-trade with Dampier probably would have to satisfy a number of conditions, both with Dampier and the Warriors.

Starting with the trade of Antawn Jamison to the Dallas Mavericks last season, the Warriors have sought to gain long-term salary cap flexibility. A sign-and-trade involving Dampier that would get the Warriors a player or players with several years remaining on their contracts would jeopardize that plan -- unless, of course, Mullin believes said player or players would become part of the team's core. Also, Dampier would have to agree to be traded to that team.

It seems unlikely the Warriors would offer Dampier a long-term contract extension because doing so would also put a crimp in their salary cap structure. Hence, it's likely the player who averaged 12.3 points and 12.0 rebounds per game for the Warriors last season will walk away for nothing.

And yet, that might not be the devastating prospect it seems because it would mean Dampier's contract coming off the Warriors' books two years earlier than expected, giving them unforeseen flexibility. If you parlay Dampier's opting out without compensation and Nick Van Exel's contract expiring after 2004-05, it's possible the Warriors could further tinker and become a player in the free-agent market next offseason.

Don't be surprised if Mullin, already knowing Dampier is gone, turns his attention to Foyle.

Foyle, coming off an injury plagued 2003-04, said earlier this week that "the Warriors are definitely in the mix" regarding where he'll play next season. And why not? Foyle could become a full-time starter for the first time since the Warriors drafted him in 1997. And, from the Warriors' end, Foyle would come much cheaper than a re-signed Dampier.

Under that scenario, Mullin then would likely search for a backup to Foyle, and there seem to be plenty of serviceable candidates -- Mark Blount, Michael Doleac, Greg Ostertag, Zeljko Rebraca and Sean Rooks, to name a few. Although the Warriors are over the salary cap, they do have the mid-level exception to use, expected to be approximately $5 million.

Of their remaining free agents -- Brian Cardinal, Calbert Cheaney, Popeye Jones and Avery Johnson -- only Cardinal seems to be any kind of priority. The Warriors probably would like to have Cardinal back at the right price. But after Cardinal's breakthrough season in 2003-04, it's possible the Warriors will face some competition to re-sign him.

Notes: The Warriors announced they will hold a public news conference to introduce Biedrins on Tuesday at 12:30 p.m. at City Center in downtown Oakland. ... Biedrins is scheduled to participate in the Southern California Summer Pro League in Long Beach from July 10-24.

 

[zett]

Sorry my Bad! I ment Dampier not foyle