NBA
NBA notebook: Dallas acquires Walker as part of 5-player deal

By The Associated Press

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DALLAS — Antoine Walker is about to find out whether his team can win more if he does less.

After years of seemingly trying to do everything for the Boston Celtics, Walker was traded yesterday to the Dallas Mavericks, joining a lineup of four other players capable of scoring 30 points on any night.

No longer will Walker's offensive options be shoot or pass to Paul Pierce. In Dallas, Walker can look for Dirk Nowitzki, Steve Nash, Michael Finley or Antawn Jamison, or take advantage of opponents double-teaming them and put it up himself.

"As versatile as we are, we're going to cause a lot of mismatch problems," Walker said.

To get Walker and guard Tony Delk, Dallas gave up center Raef LaFrentz, swingman Jiri Welsch, forward Chris Mills and a 2004 first-round draft pick.

From the Mavericks' perspective, they swapped a player who wasn't living up to the $69 million, seven-year contract he signed before last season (LaFrentz), a project (Welsch) and a player likely to spend all season on the injured list (Mills) for a 27-year-old, three-time All-Star (Walker).

Walker has career averages of 20.8 points, 8.7 rebounds and 4.2 assists.

Notes

• Former rebounding champion Dennis Rodman, 42, was charged with driving under the influence of alcohol after he crashed a motorcycle while doing stunts outside a strip club, Las Vegas police said.

Rodman, who was treated Sunday for cuts on his legs, was not jailed on the misdemeanor charge. "He borrowed an employee's motorcycle and was attempting to pop wheelies when he hit a pole," police spokesman Jose Montoya said of Rodman, who last played in the league in 2000 with Dallas.

• Golden State's Nick Van Exel had arthroscopic surgery on his left knee and is expected to miss three weeks.

• Chris Webber of the Sacramento Kings and Jason Richardson of Golden State probably will be suspended for the start of the season because of their separate legal cases.

Commissioner David Stern said because Webber is injured, the suspension would be held off until the All-Star is healthy.

Webber pleaded guilty to charges of lying to a grand jury. Richardson was convicted of a misdemeanor domestic-violence charge stemming from an assault on his ex-girlfriend.

• The visiting Denver Nuggets beat Portland 101-95 in overtime in an exhibition game. Zach Randolph had 27 points and 18 rebounds for the Trail Blazers.

Nuggets rookie Carmelo Anthony scored 20 points.

• Latrell Sprewell scored 14 points in his first exhibition game with Minnesota and Kevin Garnett had 24 as the host Timberwolves defeated Milwaukee 91-86 in overtime.

Sprewell, traded from New York in the offseason, missed previous games with a sore left Achilles tendon.

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