Fortson for Del Negro? I hope Not!

["Josh Farber" <nbaj2k@home.com>]

I really hope we can do better than this.

Josh F

>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>
3-Way Deal Only Path To Fortson For Warriors
Sign-and-trade lone option under rules
Brad Weinstein, Chronicle Staff Writer
Wednesday, July 26, 2000
©2000 San Francisco Chronicle

URL:
http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?file=/chronicle/archive/2000/07/26
/SP105584.DTL


The Warriors are willing to jump through hoops to track down free- agent
power forward Danny Fortson, but can they clear the hurdles laid down by the
NBA's collective bargaining agreement?

It turns out that the only feasible way the Warriors can get Fortson is
through a three-way sign-and-trade deal. According to a highly placed
source, one scenario being discussed would send Fortson to the Warriors, who
would send Vinny Del Negro to the Celtics. The Warriors then would deal
Terry Cummings and a draft pick to the Bulls to complete the exchange.

However the situation plays out, the Warriors' pursuit of Fortson
underscores the complexities inherent in the collective bargaining agreement
(CBA). It involves arcane salary-cap restrictions, baffling rules on how
players can be signed, bizarre compensation requirements when certain
players switch teams, and bewildering exemptions to all of the above.

Fortson is serious about playing for Golden State. His agent, Raymond
Brothers, said earlier this week that Fortson ``fell in love'' with Warriors
general manager Garry St. Jean -- as well as assistant Gary Fitzsimmons and
team owner Chris Cohan -- during last week's visit to the Bay Area.

The Warriors' sell job worked so well that, despite attractive feelers from
three title favorites/contenders -- the Los Angeles Lakers, New York Knicks
and Orlando Magic -- Brothers said, ``Danny likes Golden State, and we're
optimistic we can come to some common ground.''

Common ground? The Warriors might have to make the Earth move for Fortson to
wear their colors next season. This is not a simple case of ironing out the
details of a contract.

Fortson, 24, who earned $1.7 million from Boston last season in the final
year of a rookie-scale contract, wants to be compensated handsomely and have
a chance to compete for a starting spot. Brothers confirmed this week that
his client will not sign for the $2.25 million salary-cap exception, the
most the Warriors can offer directly, and is eyeing a seven-year deal. It is
believed that Fortson could command a contract similar to that of former
Warriors power forward Jason Caffey, whom Golden State locked up for seven
years and $35 million before the 1998-99 season.

The 6-foot-7, 260-pound Fortson could land a big-money contract by re-upping
with the Celtics, who are allowed to go over the salary cap to pay him. But
Boston just drafted UCLA forward Jerome Moiso in the first round and has
Antoine Walker -- a power forward who is being mentioned in trade rumors --
which precludes Fortson from securing the 30 minutes per game he desires; he
already has turned down a long- term pact from Boston and would prefer not
to return.

The two teams with the most room under the salary cap are the Bulls and
Clippers. However, the Bulls have co-Rookie of the Year Elton Brand
entrenched at power forward and also drafted forward Marcus Fizer, while the
Clippers do not appear to interest Fortson.

Thus, Fortson can be rewarded with both minutes and money only through a
sign-and-trade deal with Boston and his suitor. Because the teams that covet
Fortson are capped out, the deal would have to involve a third team, so the
team taking Fortson can absorb his contract under their cap.

The Bulls or Clippers could be part of such a deal (or perhaps the Raptors,
who are a few million under the cap), but they must find at least one
Warriors player that fits into their rebuilding plans. Both teams are
unlikely to trade for veterans with several years remaining on their
contracts because that would eat up cap room required to lure next year's
crop of marquee free agents.

Chicago possesses several open roster spots, and St. Jean has a history of
working with Bulls general manager Jerry Krause. The Warriors obtained
Caffey from Chicago in the middle of the 1997-98 season and nabbed guard
Larry Hughes from Philadelphia last February only after dragging the Bulls
into the three-way trade by dangling a conditional first-round pick.

As a last resort, the Warriors could seek assistance from Indiana. The
Pacers own a $4.5 million trade exception inherited when they dealt Antonio
Davis to Toronto on Aug. 1, 1999. (The Houston Rockets have a similar
exception worth slightly more than $4 million.) The sum enables Indiana to
trade a player making $3 million for another player earning as much as $7.5
million. Indiana's exception expires Tuesday, the first day player signings
and trades can be announced.

The Warriors are linked to Indiana by the first-round pick the Pacers
relinquished as part of last year's draft-day trade that included Golden
State point guard Vonteego Cummings. The selection is available for the next
four years, though it is lottery-protected the next two and protected for
the first 10 picks in 2003. Hypothetically, the Warriors could entice
Indiana into a three- way Fortson deal by offering a return of the draft
choice, along with a player.

One more hitch will be triggered by the complicated base-year compensation
rules. For example, if Fortson signs a seven-year contract that begins at $4
million, the Celtics can take back a player who makes no more than $2.4
million. The only Warriors on the books who meet that threshold are Vonteego
Cummings, who is not going to be traded, Terry Cummings (two-year, $4.2
million contract expires after next season), and Del Negro (two years, $4
million remaining on a four-year contract), a Springfield, Mass., native.

The Warriors might find all this worth their trouble in order to add Fortson
to a youthful nucleus of Larry Hughes, Antawn Jamison and Vonteego Cummings.
Fortson might not be the ideal height for a power forward, but his numbers
suggest that he thrives when the opportunity arises.

Although he logged just 15.6 minutes per game and averaged 7.6 points and
6.7 rebounds with the Celtics last season, Fortson did post 13.7 points and
11.8 rebounds in the 13 games he played at least 20 minutes. With the Denver
Nuggets in 1998-99, Fortson filled in at center for the injured Raef
LaFrentz and was the league's fourth-best rebounder at 11.6 per game. And
among players who have appeared in a minimum of 150 games during the past
three seasons, Fortson ranks second to Atlanta Hawks center Dikembe Mutombo
in rebounds per 48 minutes (16.4).

The Warriors see those statistics and project even more production from
Fortson. Whether they will see it up close for the next several years
depends on their ability to leap high and scale the myriad obstacles. NOTES:
Mark Bartelstein, the agent for free-agent power forwards Aaron Williams and
Corie Blount, said St. Jean has contacted him about both players. With
Fortson angling for more than the $2.25 million exception, the Warriors
could snag either Williams, 29, or Blount, 31, with that kind of money, or
perhaps with their $1.2 million exception.

Bartelstein indicated that discussions with the Warriors have been more
exploratory than serious.