Toronto sends Jamison to Warriors for Carter, cash

Posted: Wednesday June 24, 1998 10:58 PM

ATLANTA (CNN/SI) -- A dynamic duo not far removed from complementing each
other were -- on draft day -- traded for each other.

The Toronto Raptors selected college player of the year Antawn Jamison on
Wednesday with the fourth pick of the 1998 NBA draft, only to trade him to
the Golden State Warriors for a fellow Tar Heel.

Vince Carter, who like Jamison left North Carolina after his junior season,
was picked fifth by the Golden State Warriors and shipped to Toronto along
with cash considerations for Jamison.

Carter is a 6-foot-7 swingman projected to play shooting guard in the NBA. An
outstanding shooter who made 59 percent of his field goal attempts last
season, Carter also shot 41 percent from 3-point range.

The Warriors went to great lengths to make certain Jamison would end up in a
Golden State uniform.

"[Jamison] was the man. That was our decision, we wanted him," Warriors
general manager Garry St. Jean said.

In order to get a 6-9, 223-pound player the Warriors will use at either small
forward or power forward, Golden State had to work out a deal with Toronto.
The Warriors also considered a trade with Denver as they plotted a way to get
Jamison.

"We believe that Antawn is as quick as anybody in this draft. We think he has
a very special skill level," St. Jean said. "Jamison has quicks. You don't
teach quicks. He's got them. He's going to be a heck of a forward."

Warriors coach P.J. Carlesimo said he is impressed by Jamison's versatility
and his potential to play at either forward spot.

"I think we have to see what happens over the summer with trades and what
else, and then see what happens in practice," Carlesimo said. "I'm just
excited with a guy who gives us that potential flexibility."

Golden State's talks with Denver faltered because the Warriors couldn't
promise they'd be able to select Raef LaFrentz, the player coveted by the
Nuggets, with the fifth pick.

But the talks with Toronto heated up just as the draft began, after the
Warriors learned Dallas was trying to work out a trade with Toronto for
Jamison -- who averaged 22 points and 11 rebounds a game last season.

"We stepped in between what we thought was a deal going down between Dallas
and Toronto. We got a tip on that deal," St. Jean said. "We believe they had
another deal on the table."

Ultimately, the Raptors agreed to select Jamison with the fourth pick and
then ship him to Golden State for Carter, who the Warriors agreed to take
fifth, in addition to an undisclosed amount of cash.

St. Jean said the Warriors offered the Raptors a player as part of the deal,
but Toronto preferred the cash.

The acquisition of Jamison is just the first phase of the rebuilding of the
Warriors, who went 19-63 last season. They are seeking help via free agency,
and still plan to trade Latrell Sprewell.

Sprewell, suspended until July 1 for choking Carlesimo during a practice last
December, remains property of the Warriors. There has been interest in a
trade from seven or eight clubs, most notably Miami and San Antonio.

St. Jean said he talked with a club Wednesday about a trade involving
Sprewell, but he was not willing to rush into a deal.

"We believe there's going to be a good deal. I think it's going to be
post-July 1," St. Jean said. "We're not going to do a deal for deal's sake."