Newz Forum: BASKETBALL: Van Exel traded to Portland for Dickau and Davis

Blazers trade Davis and Dickau for Van Exel

Tuesday, July 20, 2004

by JASON QUICK

Update: The Trail Blazers have acquired Golden State guard Nick
Van Exel in a trade sending veteran center Dale Davis and reserve guard Dan Dickau to the Warriors.

While Blazers general manager John Nash on Tuesday morning said no deal had been completed and that he would not comment, Dickau told The Oregonian Tuesday afternoon that he had been traded to the Warriors. Both teams have signed off on the deal, which awaits only the formality of league approval.

Earlier report: The Trail Blazers are close to acquiring Golden State guard Nick Van Exel in a trade that would send veteran center Dale Davis and reserve guard Dan Dickau to the Warriors.

"It is very close," said Chubby Wells, the agent for Davis.

Blazers general manager John Nash on Tuesday morning said no deal had been completed and that he would not comment on speculation.

"We could make a trade today ... we could make a trade in six months," Nash said. "Like always, when we make a trade, we will announce it."

Van Exel, 32, is coming off an injury-plagued season in which he played only 39 games because of his left knee, which was operated on in October. He missed the final 24 games and averaged 12.6 points and 5.3 assists in 32.2 minutes a game. In one of his worst seasons as a professional, the Van Exel shot 39 percent from the field and 30.7 percent from three-point range.

Van Exel's outside shooting was one of the deciding factors in Dallas' first-round victory in seven games against Portland in the 2003 playoffs. In seven games, all off the bench, Van Exel averaged 15.3 points, 5.0 assists and 2.1 rebounds in 27.9 minutes, while shooting 47.2 percent (42 of 89) from the field and 33.3 percent (10 of 30) from three-point range. He scored 26 points in the Mavericks' 107-95 victory over the Blazers in Game 7.

Van Exel, who is 6-foot-1, can play both point guard and shooting guard, and would be expected to back up both Damon Stoudamire and Derek Anderson. He is set to make $11.821 million this season, which in theory is the last year on his contract. His contract includes a non-guaranteed year for the 2005-2006 season.

Davis, 34, is in the last year of his contract, which will pay him $10 million. He became unhappy with his role on the Blazers last season after Theo Ratliff was acquired in a February trade, relegating Davis to the bench. Davis played four seasons in Portland, averaging 7.1 points and 7.2 rebounds after being acquired in a trade with Indiana. In Indiana, Davis was teammates with Golden State general manager Chris Mullin for three seasons. A 13-year veteran, Davis had his worst season as a professional last year, averaging 4.4 points and 5.2 rebounds.

Dickau, who is from Vancouver, Wash., played in 20 games for the Blazers last season after being acquired from Atlanta in the trade for Rasheed Wallace. Dickau, 25, averaged 2.3 points for the Blazers.

Source: The Oregonian

[Edited on 20/7/04 by TRD]

I've always thought Van Excel was a good player, it's a shome he's been shipped around so many times in his career.