The Associated Press

The Dallas Mavericks bulked up an already strong offense Monday, acquiring All-Star Antoine Walker from the Boston Celtics in a five-player trade.

The Celtics agreed to take center Raef LaFrentz and the four years remaining on a $69 million, five-year contract signed before last season.

The Celtics also get Jiri Welsch and Chris Mills, players the Mavericks got in an offseason trade that also brought Antawn Jamison from Golden State, and Dallas' first-round pick in 2004. The Mavs also will get another former Kentucky Wildcat, guard Tony Delk, from Boston.

Walker, a three-time All-Star who averaged 17.3 points and 8.7 rebounds last season, goes from playing alongside one high scorer in Paul Pierce to being joined by four: Dallas' nucleus of Dirk Nowitzki, Steve Nash and Michael Finley, plus Jamison, who was added in August.

Donnie Nelson said Nowitzki will get more minutes at center. Shawn Bradley and Danny Fortson, also acquired in the Golden State trade, will help man the position. Eduardo Najera could play there, too.

WARRIORS: Guard Nick Van Exel will miss the first two weeks of the season after having surgery on his left knee.

The former Cincinnati Bearcats star will need three weeks to recover from the arthroscopic procedure, which was performed Monday in Dallas, the Warriors said. Golden State opens the regular season Oct. 29 against the Dallas Mavericks, Van Exel's former team. Van Exel injured his knee during practice last week and has sat out two preseason games.

Van Exel, an All-Star in 1998, has averaged 15.5 points, 7.2 assists and 3.0 rebounds a game during 10 NBA seasons.

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

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

Richardson was convicted of a misdemeanor domestic violence charge stemming from an assault on his ex-girlfriend.

RODMAN CHARGED: Dennis Rodman was charged with driving under the influence of alcohol after he crashed a motorcycle while doing stunts outside a Las Vegas strip club, police said.

Rodman was not jailed on the misdemeanor charge.