Warriors Center Erick Dampier could be a hot commodity in this summer's free agent market. Not only is he having the best season of his career, but he will also have the opportunity to opt out of the final two years, $17 million of his contract.

Dampier, second in the NBA in offensive rebounds per game (4.5), fifth in field goal percentage (.516) and sixth in double-doubles (31), is not showing his hand about what he wants to do after this season. But it's clear he's going to look around.

"I'm going to make that decision sometime this summer," said Dampier. "Right now, my goal is to finish the season strong and see what happens."

MINNEAPOLIS (AP) Golden State point guard Speedy Claxton will be sidelined for at least three weeks with a broken bone in his right hand.

Claxton injured his hand in the opening minutes of the Warriors' game Wednesday at Memphis. Despite the injury, he scored a career-high 28 points and had seven assists in 37 minutes in the Warriors' 99-92 victory.

The team said Claxton will be re-examined by the medical staff when the Warriors return from their four-game road trip on Sunday.

Claxton is averaging 11 points and four assists a game. He has started the last 29 games for the Warriors.

OAKLAND, Calif. (AP) Warriors guard Speedy Claxton is questionable for Tuesday's game at Indiana with a sprained right thumb.

Claxton, who has started Golden State's last 17 games, was injured in the second quarter of the Warriors' 94-92 victory over Seattle on Saturday night. He has missed just one game this season while averaging 10.2 points and 4.3 assists _ both career highs for the third-year pro.

Forward Mike Dunleavy returned to practice Monday after missing seven of the last nine games with a sprained left ankle. Dunleavy, averaging 12.1 points and 6.3 rebounds, could return against Indiana.

``He looks like a guy who's coming off that type of injury,'' Warriors coach Eric Musselman said. ``It's slow. He wants to suit up, so we'll see.''

Brian Cardinal is expected to keep Dunleavy's old starting spot. Cardinal has started the Warriors' last seven games, averaging 17 points and 7.6 rebounds in the first starts of his NBA career.

Thomas, who has been active since taking over Dec. 22, was in talks last night with the Warriors about a possible deal that would bring center Erick Dampier and guard Nick Van Exel to New York for Kurt Thomas, Dikembe Mutombo and Shandon Anderson.

Van Exel would serve as insurance for Allan Houston and would be a backup to point guard Stephon Marbury. Dampier would replace Mutombo as the Knicks' starting center. Thomas' wheeling and dealing has to stop today, when the trading deadline arrives at 3 p.m.

When reporters were let into practice yesterday, Thomas could be seen in his office, talking on the phone. But he declined several interview requests, saying through a spokesman that he would talk only after the deadline passes. But Thomas did find time for a 20-minute radio interview, leaving it to Lenny Wilkens to handle all questions regarding possible trades.

"I don't think we're banging peoples' doors down, saying: 'We want to make a deal,' " the Knicks coach said. "But you have to hear."

OAKLAND, Calif. (AP) Los Angeles Lakers guard Gary Payton and Golden State Warriors guard Speedy Claxton were ejected for fighting in the third quarter Wednesday night.

After Claxton was called for a foul while trying to make a steal, Payton elbowed him in the chest. Claxton angrily shoved away Payton's arm, and Payton wrapped his arms around Claxton while driving him into the scorers' table.

Coaches, teammates and officials intervened, with referee Tony Brothers tackling Payton to the floor.

Claxton had 18 points and four assists, soundly outplaying Payton before the ejections. Payton, an Oakland native, had family members in attendance who booed when the ejections were announced.

LOS ANGELES (AP) Indiana's Fred Jones won the NBA dunk contest practically by default on Saturday night, dethroning two-time champion Jason Richardson when both missed their final jams.

It was hardly a Hollywood ending for Jones, a Pacers reserve competing in his first dunk contest after initially declining an invitation because he wanted a vacation on All-Star weekend instead.

Jones made two impressive dunks earlier in the contest, including a cool one-handed reverse after throwing a bounce pass to himself from the 3-point line. But two misses on his clever final attempt _ on a pass from a friend in the stands _ should have made it easy for Golden State's Richardson to become the contest's first three-time champion.

But Richardson also missed his final dunk, handing the title to Jones.

``It was an honor to be out here, because Jason Richardson is one of the greatest dunkers ever,'' Jones said. ``I was just trying to be creative and do something different.''

Boston's Ricky Davis and Denver's Chris Andersen were eliminated in the first round. Davis made only one dunk, and Andersen got more cheers for his elaborately spiked hair than his jams.

Jones is a longtime fan of the dunk contest who admired Michael Jordan and Dominique Wilkins before he was tall enough to slam. He was ready for his first crack at the contest: He got a 50 for his first dunk _ a long bounce pass finished off with a hard slam _ and another 50 on his one-handed reverse in the finals.

And in the second round, he brought the crowd to its feet with a leaning, one-handed reverse following a similar pass. Jones rattled the champ, who needed three false starts before making a lackluster 360-degree slam.

Jones needed only a 46 to win, but he went for a difficult original dunk. He passed the ball into the stands to a friend, who threw a high-arching bounce pass toward the basket.

It was a beautiful, unique idea for a slam _ except Jones missed it twice, fumbling good passes. Jones shook his head, while his friends howled their disapproval.

But Richardson missed another unimpressive attempt, and Jones won the contest while sitting on the bench.

``Nobody could really get a grip on the ball,'' Richardson said. ``I'm not even sad about it. I'm happy just winning twice.''

It was the 20th anniversary of the NBA's revival of the contest, which was a cult favorite in the ABA in the 1970s. Phoenix's Larry Nance won the first contest in 1984.

A panel of Lakers greats judged the contest: Norm Nixon, Jamaal Wilkes, James Worthy, Kareem Abdul-Jabbar and Magic Johnson. The crowd didn't care much for their idols' judgments, booing several scores.

Richardson hesitated before agreeing to a second defense of his title. Though he has improved his shooting and defense in each of his three seasons with the Warriors, he was worried about joining Harold Miner, Kenny Walker, Terence Stansbury and others who were labeled pure dunkers without all-around games.

His first dunk was a nondescript one-handed windmill, but Richardson brought down the house with his second dunk of the first round: After a soft toss off the backboard, he leaped to catch the ball with his left hand, passed it between his legs and threw down an impossibly graceful right-handed slam.

All five judges rose with their ``10'' cards in hand, and the crowd stood and cheered.

Andersen was eliminated in the first round despite an impressive two-handed slam following a pass off the backboard. He was the tallest dunker in the competition, and the Nuggets' utility player drew the attention of Lakers superfan Jack Nicholson with his heavy gel and spiked hair.

LOS ANGELES (AP) Fred Jones figures he has seen every slam dunk contest since the NBA revived the event in 1984. The Indiana guard is a dunking aficionado _ and yet he wavered when asked to take on two-time champion Jason Richardson on Saturday.

``I said no at first,'' said Jones, who will participate in his first dunk contest during All-Star weekend. ``I didn't know if I was ready to do it justice. I'm a basketball junkie. I know a lot about all the great champions in this event. I wanted to make sure I could measure up.''

Jones also was looking forward to a weekend vacation from the NBA grind. His friends and family were looking for a break of their own, however: They persuaded Jones to enter the contest so they could get a free trip to Los Angeles.

Jones will join Golden State's Richardson, Boston's Ricky Davis and Denver's Chris Andersen in a slimmed-down version of the event. LeBron James declined an invitation to participate.

Though Michael Jordan will always be Jones' favorite dunker, he ranks Richardson among the best in the event's history. Jones is particularly enamored with Richardson's signature dunk: leaping to catch a high bounce from the floor, then passing the ball between his legs for a one-handed slam.

``People don't understand how tough that is,'' Jones said. ``I could maybe (make that dunk) in college, but I was lighter then. I've been lifting weights too much.''

Andersen is unknown to most casual basketball fans, but the Nuggets' 6-foot-10 utility player has an athleticism that catches everybody's eye. He has a 34-inch vertical leap to go with his height _ and he also has a healthy appreciation for Richardson's work.

``I'm going to try to use some of his stuff against him,'' Andersen said. ``He has a few favorite moves that I think I can put a spin on. I'm a one-footed jumper, and he's a two-footer. Maybe I can use that.''

Though all three challengers are worthy, Richardson is the strong favorite to become the first three-time champion in the event's 19th edition (there was no competition in 1998 or 1999).

Earlier in the week, Richardson claimed he had no special plans or trick dunks for the contest _ just more of the phenomenal slams that have been propelling Warriors fans out of their seats for three years.

``He's going to be tough to stop,'' said former Phoenix star Cedric Ceballos, who won the 1992 contest with his famed blindfold dunk. ``J-Rich has some stuff that nobody has seen before. It's going to be fun to see what he comes up with.''

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NOWITZKI ISN'T TIRED:@ Dirk Nowitzki thinks Mark Cuban worries too much.

Cuban made headlines last weekend after trading jabs with U.S. coach Larry Brown over NBA players' involvement in the Olympics and other international tournaments.

Cuban would prefer to keep his high-priced players out of international events to safeguard their health, though he hasn't yet made an ultimatum to international regulars Nowitzki of Germany, Steve Nash of Canada and Eduardo Najera of Mexico.

Nowitzki was the Most Valuable Player of the 2002 World Championships. He also participated in the European Championships last summer, and he doesn't think any of it has affected his play for the Mavericks _ quite the contrary, in fact.

``The whole thing is a little overrated,'' Nowitzki said. ``I'm 25 years old. I can take it. If I wasn't playing there, I'd be playing pickup every night. It's just not a big deal.

``When I'm in competition, I'm getting better. You can really improve your game if you're working at it all the time. I don't think it's something to worry about.''

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3-POINT CONFIDENCE:@ Peja Stojakovic will try for his third straight victory in the Long-Distance Shootout on Saturday, and the Sacramento Kings' All-Star forward might be getting a bit cocky.

``The only way I can lose is if I get in the biggest slump of my life,'' Stojakovic said with a straight face. ``Really. It's over. They should go home.''

Stojakovic then broke into a laugh before praising his competition: Detroit's Chauncey Billups, Philadelphia's Kyle Korver, Seattle's Rashard Lewis, Denver's Voshon Lenard and Houston's Cuttino Mobley.

``This is a great field, and anybody could win it,'' he said. ``I just hope it's me.''

Stojakovic, who will appear in his third All-Star game Sunday, is hoping to become the first three-time champion since Craig Hodges in 1990-92. Larry Bird won the first three editions of the event.

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T.O. THE REPORTER?:@ It was easily the most bizarre sight of the massive All-Star interview session on Friday, even stranger than seeing Allen Iverson in a Milwaukee Bucks (throwback) jersey: Terrell Owens became a member of the media.

The San Francisco 49ers' star receiver fancies himself an actor and a model, but he makes no effort to conceal his utter disdain for reporters. Owens has boycotted all media on several occasions since he became a superstar four seasons ago, and he has barely spoken to media at all over the past two years.

Yet the NFL Network enlisted Owens to participate in the All-Star weekend as a correspondent, and he provided several clever exchanges with the stars. He tried to jinx Kevin Garnett, who hasn't missed a free throw in an All-Star game, and he traded laughs with Iverson and Baron Davis.

Owens also joined 2000 slam dunk champion Vince Carter to critique the upcoming competition.

``Jason Richardson is great,'' Carter said. ``Just when you think he can't possibly pull out another stunt ...''

``Like pulling a pen out of his sock, so to speak?'' Owens replied.

``Exactly!'' Carter said.

LOS ANGELES (AP) Two-time defending champion Jason Richardson of Golden State and three other players will participate in the NBA's slam-dunk contest Saturday night.

Ricky Davis of Boston, Chris Andersen of Denver and Fred Jones of Indiana also will be part of the event a day before the All-Star game.

No player has won three slam-dunk contests. The competition began in 1984.

The Golden State Warriors set an NBA record in last night's 84-81 overtime loss to the Toronto Raptors.

They had 73-57 lead going into the fourth and then disaster struck.

"The Warriors scored only two points, which equaled an NBA record for fewest points in a period and established a record for fewest points in a fourth quarter."

"The two points had a lot to do with fatigue," Warriors coach Eric Musselman said. "But that's what happens when you have three starters not playing."