Erick Dampier to Pacers, Lakers, Heat or Memphis?

[ducks]

Erick Dampier to Pacers, Lakers, Heat or Memphis?

Had the Pacers been able to trade up to secure the Bulls' No. 3 pick they would've happily exchanged Al Harrington and assumed Eddie Robinson's two-year guaranteed burden for the privilege of calling Ben Gordon their very own. Mount Vernon's second coming of Gus Williams figures to be an immediate star; he gets any shot he wants . . . and makes 'em. Not a prototype point, but if put in pick-and-roll situations, a la Mark Price, he's not going to be easy to stop.

Offered No. 7 at the same rate of exchange, the Pacers declined, preferring to trade Harrington for someone of immediate consequence and save cap space for next summer's free-agent crop. Erick Dampier is their top priority; I hear Jermaine O'Neal is recruiting him heavily. Many teams figure to join the chase when the Warriors center opts out of his remaining two-year, $16.9M pact within the next few days despite a four-year extension offer (121/2 percent yearly hikes) from Golden State.

As mentioned previously in this space, the Lakers will be all over Dampier should Shaq be shorn. The Heat also are prepared to make a proposal: Brian Grant and Caron Butler. But the Grizzlies feel they're solidly positioned to obtain Dampier's dominant shot blocking/defensive rebounding services because they have someone (Shane Battier? James Posey?) Chris Mullin loves.

www.nypost.com/sports/23901.htm

[Pooh]

Dampier was originally drafted by the Pacers back in '96, so who knows? Maybe he will come back.

[pacersrule03]

I've heard a lot of pacer fans say that they don't want him. I don't see why. Maybe because they think an upgrade at SG is a more important priority. But I would love to see Dampier back in a pacers jersey. We'd have one of the best front courts in the NBA.

[ducks]

some spur fans do not want him

think he just put up good numbers because it was his contract year