Van Exel starting to fit in with Warriors
Associated Press

OAKLAND, Calif. (AP) _ Nick Van Exel is content being with the Golden State Warriors _ he just would have appreciated a courtesy call from Dallas owner Mark Cuban letting him know a trade was in the works.

``Cuban, during the season, he wants to call you and talk about little stuff or run little stuff by you, but that's how this business is, man,'' Van Exel said Friday, sporting his new No. 37 jersey at Warriors media day. ``You've got some real people and then you've got a lot of shady people.''

His coach, Don Nelson, called. So did Donnie Nelson, the Mavericks' president of basketball operations and an assistant to his father.

Golden State, which has missed the playoffs the last nine seasons, acquired Van Exel, guards Avery Johnson and Antoine Rigaudeau, center Evan Eschmeyer and forward Popeye Jones in August from Dallas for forward Antawn Jamison, guard Jiri Welsch and forwards Danny Fortson and Chris Mills.

Van Exel wasn't surprised to be shopped to the Warriors. Despite several outstanding performances in last season's playoffs, he was Dallas' most marketable player who wasn't a part of the franchise's three-man core: Dirk Nowitzki, Steve Nash and Michael Finley.

``We all know how Cuban is,'' Van Exel said. ``He likes the media. He has to stay in the media. Once everybody else was making deals, I think the first thing that was coming for him to get a little attention for himself, that was going to happen. Do I think it helped the team? In the short run, yes. In the long run, I don't see it.''

Van Exel figured Dallas would move him for a talented center. Most of the Mavericks thought their primary weakness was exposed during their loss to San Antonio in the Western Conference finals: Dallas still doesn't have a top-flight center to compete with Tim Duncan, Shaquille O'Neal and the Sacramento Kings' collection of big men.

Instead, the Mavs acquired Jamison, another high-scoring forward with questionable defensive skills.

``It's his team, so he can do what he wants,'' Van Exel said with a shrug.

This season will certainly be a change for Van Exel, who led the Mavericks in scoring off the bench last season and averaged 19.5 points during the playoffs.

The Warriors are beginning their second year of a major rebuilding process under coach Eric Musselman, who exceeded even his own expectations last season as a rookie NBA coach when his team went 38-44 and stayed in playoff contention until the final weeks.

The Warriors didn't hear from Van Exel until the sometimes fiery guard showed up for training camp in Honolulu. Musselman tried to reach Van Exel, who had his physical waived by the Warriors at the time of the trade.

``I read somewhere he doesn't return anyone's calls,'' Musselman said. ``He doesn't return Mark Cuban's calls. I'm on the X's and O's, so I don't worry when they're going to get there as long as they get there eventually. None of them have to return my calls if they play hard for 82 games.''

The 31-year-old Van Exel will be leading an offense that averaged 102.3 points per game last season, second only to Dallas.

Van Exel's patience certainly will be tested with his new team.

When asked if he'd be with the Warriors all season, Van Exel didn't have a solid answer.

``I don't know,'' he said. ``I would like to be, because you definitely want to be in a place where you're wanted.'' link