Golden State Morons - Horrible Trade
 

there is a reason there are franchises in every sport that exist in a perpetual stage of suckage.

Van Exel, 3 others traded to Golden State
Mavericks to get Antawn Jamison in 8-player swap

By Art Garcia
Star-Telegram Staff Writer

After a season of relative inactivity and an off-season void of a major free-agent signing, the Mavericks solidified their starting lineup by trading their most productive player off the bench.

Antawn Jamison and Nick Van Exel highlight a blockbuster eight-player trade that the Mavericks and the Golden State Warriors agreed to on Friday night, sources told the `Star-Telegram.' The NBA cannot approve the trade until league offices open Monday.


Mavs president of basketball operations Donnie Nelson did not confirm the deal, but said: "Things are getting interesting. There are a couple situations that are moving along nicely."


Nelson said earlier in the week that no Maverick was untouchable if the right deal came along.


"To get better you have to trade significant pieces to get significant pieces, usually," he said. "In some form or fashion, everyone's name gets thrown into a scenario. That's the way the game is played.


"Of course our preference is to keep the core together. But it's not like that's going to prevent us from making a deal that makes sense."


In addition to Jamison, the Warriors' leading scorer the past four seasons, the Mavericks receive power forward Danny Fortson, small forward Chris Mills and guard Jiri Welsch. Along with Van Exel, the Mavs will send reserve point guard Avery Johnson, reserve center Evan Eschmeyer and free-agent forward Popeye Jones to Golden State.


Though the Mavericks lose Van Exel, their leading scorer off the bench and second-leading scorer during the 2003 playoffs, Jamison adds another offensive and defensive dimension to the starting lineup.


The 27-year-old small forward from North Carolina, in the midst of a six-year, $79 million contract, averaged 22.2 points (13th in the league) and 7.0 rebounds per game last season. During his five-year career, he has averaged 20.2 points and 7.5 boards.


At 6-foot-9 and 223 pounds, Jamison is athletic and tall, traits the Mavs haven't had at small forward the past several seasons. He'll be joined in the starting lineup by power forward Dirk Nowitzki, shooting guard Michael Finley and point guard Steve Nash. Raef LaFrentz will likely start at center.


Nowitzki, Finley and Nash combined to average 62.1 points per game last season.


"It would be an unbelievable starting lineup of Nash, Finley, Nowitzki, maybe LaFrentz and me," Jamison told the `San Francisco Chronicle' on Friday night. "Offensively, that's a nightmare."


Defensively, the Mavs bring in another solid rebounder to take pressure off Nowitzki, LaFrentz and Shawn Bradley. Fortson also adds to that mix. The rugged power forward played in only 17 games last season due to injuries, personal reasons and a team suspension.


However, Fortson (6-8, 260) has proven to be one of the league's top rebounders when healthy and focused. Two seasons ago, he averaged 11.7 rebounds and 11.2 points in 77 games, including 76 starts. He also averaged 11.6 rebounds for Denver in 1998-99.


Welsch, a 6-7 guard, was a first-round draft pick last year and played in only 37 games as a rookie. The Mavericks plan to look at Welsch, only the second Czech-born player to reach the NBA, at backup point guard.


Mills, in the last year of his contract, 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 past 1 ½ seasons of a 10-year career with Dallas. The Warriors are his fourth team. Van Exel, scheduled to make more than $11 million next season, was widely considered the Mavs' most valuable asset in a potential trade.


Johnson, the Warriors' starting point guard for the 1993-94 season, Eschmeyer and Jones each played minimal on-court roles with the Mavs last season. Johnson, however, was a solid influence in the locker room and joined the coaching staff for the playoffs. Jones, a free agent who is being signed to make the deal work from a financial end, wasn't expected to return.


The trade marks the Mavs' first major move since the seven-player deal with Denver that landed Van Exel, LaFrentz, Johnson and Tariq Abdul-Wahad on Feb. 21, 2002. The Mavericks stood pat at the trading deadline last season and were shut out in their bid to land several notable free agents, including Alonzo Mourning and Brad Miller, this off-season.


The other top Western Conference contenders -- the San Antonio Spurs, Los Angeles Lakers, Sacramento Kings and Minnesota Timberwolves -- have made notable roster changes since the end of the season.


Despite determined efforts, the Mavs had been on the outside looking in when it came to upgrading their roster. That is, they hope, until now.