The fact that Kurt Thomas is not being mentioned in these Crawford rumors leads me to believe we're holding him for something else. The question is, are the Warriors willing to take back salaries in order to make sure they get something of value in return for losing Dampier? On the surface, a Kurt/Nazr for a re-signed Dampier and filler like Cliff Robinson or Evan Eschmeyer makes some sense for them. They already have nice depth at guard with Claxton, Van Exel, Pietrus, Richardson etc. Getting KT would give them a legit vet up front to split time with Murphy, and Nazr is a great platoon option with Foyle. That'd give them a lot of playable depth up there and replace some of Dampier's defense and rebounding.

Dampier would give us the legitimately sized C which were gonna need if we have to start dealing with Shaq. He'd get his money and go east, so he'd be happy. I'd be ok with taking on one bad contract like Eschmeyer or Robinson to get him.

And finally we'd still have the MLE to throw at Stro Swift if he's willing to take it. Etan Thomas was willing, and he has a similar profile. He'd be a great change of pace to backup a Sweetney/Dampier combo up front.

Allow me to dream it up....
C-Dampier, Swift, Mutumbo(?)
PF-Sweetney, Swift, JYD
SF-Tim Thomas, Penny, ERob
SG-Houston, Crawford
PG-Marbury, Crawford

Okay, I'll go back to my crackpipe now...

I think Memphis will offer a better package, reportedly Battier and Swift.

Dampier or Z - whichever is available. Upgrading center would be big. I'd like to go with Z, because of his offense. He'll work the pic and roll with Marbury like Doleac and Van Horn did.

Posted by Ira:

Dampier or Z - whichever is available. Upgrading center would be big. I'd like to go with Z, because of his offense. He'll work the pic and roll with Marbury like Doleac and Van Horn did.

no way. what we're missing is a low post defender and a big man that can block shots and play D. dampier is way better than Z in that aspect. Z is a better offensive player but i'd sacrifice that for the defense. that's why i would like to make it a 3 team deal and get ratliff from portland.

http://www.nj.com/sports/ledger/index.ssf?/base/sports-0/1089791425222830.xml

Houston: We need antidote

Wednesday, July 14, 2004

BY DAVE D'ALESSANDRO
Star-Ledger Staff

PLEASANTVILLE, N.Y. -- Allan Houston can read the prevailing trade winds as well as anybody. So with the balance of power tilting south toward Miami, he has a specific idea regarding what the Knicks should do in this off-season.

"With the possibility of somebody going to Miami, we're going to need somebody to bang up against him and clog up the middle," the Knicks' captain said of Miami's pending acquisition of Shaquille O'Neal.

"I'm sure Isiah will do everything he can to make that happen. That would be the biggest thing for us."

And as it just so happens, the Knicks may put their pursuit of Jamal Crawford on the back-burner as free-agent signing day arrives today, because team president Isiah Thomas may have a bigger fish on his hook.

Golden State center Erick Dampier, a free agent who has somehow slipped under the radar as other big men have been offered surprisingly large contracts, is "now a very high priority for Isiah," according to a person close to the ongoing negotiations between the Knicks and Warriors.

While it is likely that three or four teams would be involved in the sign-and-trade transaction, there is a way of getting the deal done with just the two teams, the person said. The Knicks would have to send Nazr Mohammed to Golden State plus another player with an expiring contract -- either Othella Harrington or Dikembe Mutombo -- and then reward Dampier with a seven-year deal starting at $9 million.

The 6-11, 265-pound Dampier, who one Eastern Conference GM yesterday described as "the second strongest player in the league, next to Shaq," averaged 12.3 points and 12.0 rebounds last season.

Late last night, a more convoluted deal with Dallas and Toronto was being discussed that would allow the Knicks to acquire Mavericks forward Antoine Walker.

In this three-way trade, Vince Carter would go to Dallas, and the Raptors would get multiple players that were still undetermined. The most logical candidates, however, were the Mavericks' Josh Howard, who would give the Raps a good, cheap talent, plus Dikembe Mutombo and Kurt Thomas from the Knicks to make the money add up.

There are other center possibilities Thomas is considering, notably Zydrunas Ilgauskas. As of last night, it was problematic: The Cavs center has a $14.6 million salary, so the Knicks needed to get a third team involved, but the Dallas Mavericks balked when they were offered Kurt Thomas in the swap.

And then there is Crawford. That nine-player sign-and-trade deal with the Chicago Bulls gets more complicated by the day, because the teams cannot decide what his true market value is.

The Bulls are not inclined to re-sign the four-year veteran for more than a six-year deal starting at $5 million (total: $39M), and Thomas wants to give Crawford a six-year deal starting at $7 million (total: $55M), which is closer to his market value.

Bulls GM Jim Paxson wants Crawford to come in cheaper, just so he wouldn't have to take extraneous contracts -- such as the one belonging to Moochie Norris -- to make the numbers add up. And naturally, agent Aaron Goodwin is telling both teams that nothing less than market value will make his client happy, whether he plays in Chicago or New York.

According to officials on both sides, the Knicks are the only other team in play for Chicago's leading scorer, so the negotiations might drag on. If Crawford does come to New York, the man who occupies his position has no problem with it.

"I suspect what Isiah sees is a nice three-guard rotation for us," Houston said. "You've got to have depth to win championships. When you get deep (into the playoffs) , everybody has to go into the last five or six minutes fresh. That would be something I would assume that he's looking at."

Houston himself looked fresh and excited about the future as he addressed scores of children attending a Knicks basketball camp at Pace University. He has been working out five times a week, and he insists that the left knee that kept him sidelined for 40 percent of the schedule last season is making strong progress.

"My goal is to go all-out by next month," Houston said. "And at the (rate) I'm doing, it's realistic. I've done everything I could to strengthen it.

"Your body just needs time to do its thing, to heal and take time. If I had to guess, yeah, I'll be ready by September."

Note: Houston will join MSG's coverage of the July 24 Liberty-Detroit Shock game -- the first telecast of a team sporting event at Radio City Music Hall in Manhattan.

Copyright 2004 NJ.com. All Rights Reserved.

I'm not too sure about this Dampier guy. It would be an upgrade but I rather deal with someone who is willing to learn and play hard "ALL OF THE TIME". With Dampier its going to be a wait and see. Will he play hard after getting a fat guaranteed contract or will he just sit back and just have someone cut him a check? We just have to wait and see. One thing for sure, I hate WAITING!!!

http://www.nypost.com/sports/knicks/18001.htm

KNICKS SET SIGHTS ON DAMPIER

By MARC BERMAN

July 15, 2004 -- Knick president Isiah Thomas is Oakland-bound for a recruiting visit with Warrior free-agent center Erick Dampier, The Post has learned.

Thomas has spoken on the phone with Dampier and has plans to visit the unrestricted free agent, as Thomas sets his sights beyond the Bulls' Jamal Crawford.

Thomas is in Long Beach, Calif., with the Knicks' summer-league team, where he began the California journey visiting Kobe Bryant.

With the Heat finally landing Shaquille O'Neal yesterday, Thomas would love to add the 7-foot-1 Dampier, a center he tried to acquire at last February's trading deadline.

With the Crawford talks stuck in neutral, Thomas has shifted his focus, and remains squarely in the hunt for Dampier in a sign-and-trade with Golden State.

He's also chasing Maverick power forward Antoine Walker, who Dallas owner Mark Cuban has shopped after leaving unprotected in the expansion draft.

Thomas' initial bid at Dampier when the July 1 courting period began was deemed as a longshot, with Memphis the favorite. Once the Warriors signed center Adonal Foyle to a six-year, $40 million deal, Warrior GM Chris Mullin no longer had interest in re-signing Dampier for anything more than the $4.9 million mid-level exception.

Meanwhile, interest from teams under the cap began drying up, with Atlanta now seen as the only candidate. Hence, Dan Fegan, Dampier's agent who convinced his client to opt out of the final two years and $17 million of his contract, has tried to broker a sign-and-trade with the Knicks and Warriors. But they could need a third or fourth team.

The Warriors would need a backup center in the package, and have interest in center Nazr Mohammed. But the Warriors would have to take back another contract to make the math work, possibly Dikembe Mutombo.

It's unclear if Thomas wants to part with Mohammed, since Mohammed was the "key to the deal" in the Keith Van Horn trade. Thomas prefers trading Kurt Thomas, but the Warriors have no interest since they are deep at power forward.

Isiah Thomas would like to get Dampier without using up his pawns needed in a deal for Crawford, whose chances of winding up a Knick have fallen to 50-50. Crawford's been offered a contract by the Bulls that he's turned down, according to agent Aaron Goodwin. It's believed the contract offer was in the six-year, $38 million range. The Knicks were willing to pay Crawford six years, $55 million in a sign-and-trade.

Goodwin still believes there's room for compromise.

Warriors would be practically giving away Dampier for just Mutumbo and other expiring contracts.

Now it becomes clear why Thomas wanted the Mutumbo contract so badly, to make a big splash and land both Dampier AND Crawford.

The writer also reports the Crawford deal was originally 6 yrs., $55 million while most newspapers had it at 7 yrs., $70 million.

Looks like Crawford wants to play here, and I really can't fathom an offseason getting Dampier and Crawford and giving up all the expiring contracts, Frank Williams, Mohammed, and Shandon Anderson.

I agree we should try to get these things off the books at the same time. 7 years is ridiculous for a 30 year old player...I don't mind the money, but the length is killer. a 4 year 40 mil deal seems more than fair for Dampier.