Damn Dampier make up your mind!

[Plainview1981]

Tired of waiting! Are you gunna come here or sign somewhere

else for the mid level. Make a choice! Just had to get that

off my chest.

[Blunt91]

You aren't by yourself Man. We will probably know something by tommorrow. Just a good guess.

[Wretch]

If he signs. Great. If he doesn't and takes less money to play somewhere else, then more power to him. Personally, I'm not going to get worked up while we get used like step ladders in everybody else's million dollar schemes. We'll get better, the tables will turn, and scrubs like him will be winding down their careers BEGGING to sign with us (or a team like us) for the change in our wallent. *lol*

I'm not sweatin' it.

[KB21]

I believe that Billy Knight has told Dampier that the 3 year deal is all the Hawks are going to offer. I also believe that Dampier will not sign for the mid-level exception elsewhere. If he does that, then he should outright fire Dan Feagan as his agent and get back with Bus Cook.

If Dampier decides to sign a deal, he will sign with the Hawks, IMO. I believe Billy Knight has told them that he will eventually move Dampier to Memphis or Indiana, whichever team feels they need him the most come trade deadline time. Both of those teams have players that Billy Knight would love to get and build around. Stromile Swift and Jonathan Bender. Billy could also be working on brokering a three way deal as we speak as well.

[Inside_Man]

We know that if damp had an offer he liked, he'd ink it.

We know that our offer is low, so he musn't like it much.

The more time passes, the more likely it is that we get him.

[sturt]

While I agree w/ the premise that no news is good news, I wouldn't agree that every passing minute makes it more likely that he'll become a Hawk... rather, every passing minute for now means that he knows what the Hawks have on the table, and he's waiting to see if somehow the Knicks, Pacers, or Griz can figure out something more ingenious than they've already been able to do to convince Chris Mullin to snt. Particularly with news that his agent was meeting w/ Isiah just today, that option can't completely be discounted just yet.

[KB21]

IMO, the only thing the Hawks have to worry about is Golden State's stupidity. If GS is smart, they hold out for Swift or Bender while Dampier signs with the Hawks. If they continue to be stupid, then they will make a deal for New York's trash and continue to make that franchise the worst in professional basketball.

[Weez]

like previously stated, I won't cry if we dont' get Damp...what will annoy me, at least to the extent of my hopes against BK's talent/managerial abilities...is that if we don't get Damp and botch going after Swift.

I've previously posted against going after Swift with big dollars...but now that the pot in dwindling...and how perfectly he fits with the team that's been assembled...that's now who I want.

My vote: *$%@ Damp, sign Swift (or attempt, taht's all I'm asking), and resign Pryz...

we'd be set.

[Diesel]

On the 28th, LAC will either match or release QRich. I believe they might release him.

If they match... Damp will be a Sun.

If they release... Damp will have to choose between us and a paycut. I don't think he will take a paycut unless in the long run it pays more than us.

Moneywise:

We may be offering: 3 yr 26.2 million.

The Suns (who are the most desperate) could offer 6 yr 33 million.

The question is... How many years does Damp believe he have left in him. His agent knows that if we excepts our deal, the earlier he could get out of it is 2 yrs from now. His agent also knows that if he comes here, that we are a team that would shop him in Dec. What his agent ought to do is find a trade for Damp that would get us what we want in Jan to a team that will give him an extension... He would need a three way trade come dec to the Knicks... The Knicks would give him an extension but nobody wants the Knicks stuff. Fegan will have to earn his money.

If we sign Damp... Damp for matrix begins to make a lot of sense. i would even give them Diaw and a Pick (2007, Philly) to make it work better if they give us one of their Cs (Voskuhl).

So we have damp over a barrell unless LAC matches.

LAC also becomes a player, but I don't think they want Damp. But if they did...I would offer Diaw/1st (2007, Phi) for Kaman.

[Packfill]

Diesel is right. Phoenix is a legitimate option if the Clips match QRich. Maybe the Hawks could do what the Horneys did with the Clips - take some young players off their hands to free up additional monies to sign Damp. Suns have some interesting young players - Lampe, Barbosa, Zarko.

[AHF]

How much $$ can Phoenix offer when LAC matches (and they almost surely will)?

[Packfill]

I am not sure but I assume at least as much as they offered QRich. That is why they may want to clear and additional $500k to $1 mil to up the offer to Damp.

If they did get Damp, that is a very strong team:

Nash, Johnson, Matrix, Stoudamire, Damp

with Jacobson, Barbosa, Zarko, Lampe, Vouskul and Vrooman of the bench.

[jaywalker72]

Well, this is exactly what I wrote in the latest roundup...seen here:

http://hawks.realgm.com/showarticle.php?artid=464

and here:

http://www.hawksquawk.net/forums/showflat....b=5&o=2&fpart=1

Yes, I think that, as soon as PHX becomes a player in the Dampier bidding, things will start to shake loose. And that either way, we could come out ahead in this thing.

[Packfill]

I guess great minds think alike!

P.S. What is Hanens contract status? Has he officially been signed for next year? I haven't seen any of the summer league games but from your write ups and the box scores seems like his shot is coming around.

[RLHawk]

What could we do with the Suns. I would love to get something like Lampe/Voskhul for a 2nd rounder. That should give Pheonix enough money to offer Damp a deal starting at 8M for 5-6 years.

JT/Ivey

JChild/Hansen/D.Smith

Albert/Diaw/J. Smith

Lampe/CC/Hendu

Pryz/Collier/Voskhul

Now that team has a lot of potential, but would probably only win about 15-20 games. We need a good young player at the 4/5. (Swift - but I cant see how) We need some veteran winner. (Lindsey Hunter would be really good)

I have a feeling we will get left out of any substance in this thing. Kind of like the Clippers in the Kobe thing. Maybe we can find a way to get a couple quality veterans to keep us going (Hunter/Sura/Willis) and save ou money till next year. I still hold out hope for both Damp and Swift.

[sturt]

...to fill Q-Rich's slot, and it could prove to have double the benefit.

And perhaps (?) there's some added room for discussion if Toronto and VC are brought to the table as well.

[jaywalker72]

The Hawks have until Aug. 15th to pick up his 680,000 or so contract for next year.

As Traceman noted earlier this week, Billy is likely waiting until the last minute to make sure that he isn't going to need that extra cap space to bring in a bigger player.

Both Billy and Travis said that things will be worked out, and I do expect Travis to be here next season as he will be a cheap, somewhat productive player in his second season.

But chalk this up to Billy doing the right thing and maximizing his options until the last second, as he should do.

[cyman3]

yea, i think KNIGHT just wants to keep his OPTIONS open and keep that 680,000 open...

but after all is said and done, i see HANSEN bein back w/ us next year.