In a move that isn't exactly sending shock-waves through the NBA, the Atlanta Hawks agreed to guarantee Erick Dampier's contract through the end of the season:
#Hawks officially re-sign C Erick Dampier for rest of season.
— Michael Cunningham (@ajchawks) March 1, 2012
Dampier, after spending the first two months of the NBA's lockout-compressed regular season "staying in shape", was signed by Atlanta team desperate for size with Al Horford until at least the playoffs and Jason Collins still down for 2-4 more weeks.
While playing under two ten-day contracts signed over the course of February, the 36-year old center has averaged 0 points and 1.8 rebounds in 6 games.
But despite his meager production, he's a 15-year NBA veteran who hasn't shrunk from his listed mark of 6'11 265. If Atlanta were to face Orlando in the playoffs, Dampier would be one of the only Hawks strong enough from preventing Dwight Howard from pushing him under the basket and dunking on him.
A starter on the Dallas Mavericks' 2006 NBA Finals team, Dampier is best known for dubbing himself "the NBA's second-best center" behind Shaq in the middle of the decade and Shaq's subsequent declaration after a poor showing in a 2005 playoff game that he was "playing like Erick Dampier".