ESPN have reported Ron Artest has been traded to the Rockets for Bobby Jackson, Donte Green and a 2009 number 1 Draft pick. Artest was a guy that to this day I feel the Warriors should have pursued more heavily especially when he was available before the trade deadline but sadly was ignored as the common mistake of sititng lazily and the webber acqusition meant the Warriors would have ahard time getting back to the Playoffs. Throw in the addition of Brent Barry to spread the floor and Houston, if healthy, might be a top three team in the West meaning it will be another team the Warriors will find it difficult to beat.
Since being promoted to head GM in May of 2007,the Rockets GM Darly Morely hired Rick Adelman as coach, traded second round pick Sasha Kaun for second rounder Carl Landry, traded Vassilis Spanoulis and a future second rounder for Luis Scola, signed Dikembe Mutombo, extended Luther Head, signed Brent Barry and traded for ron Artest while giving away Donte Green who will turn out to be a decent player whilst adding 2 million in salary cap.
Even though this has been a C+ offseason it seems the Houston Rockets are now one of the teams the Warriors could learn from when trying to rebuild for a better future
Fortunately even after all the speculation about a possible move to Russia Biedrins was locked up to a long term deal at 6 years 63 million according to ESPN'S very own Marc Stein. The 6th year is a players option but it puts the Warriors up against the luxury tax which as we all know Cohan wouldn't want to pay. Because of his agent Robert Duffy using his intelligence with Russian teams bidding for his signature and no NBA team even wanting the guy Biedrins was paid serious money. If the contract is structured the same way as Monta Ellis' contract, the salary payouts could be equal throughout the 6 years of the contract. Obviously Biedrins brings numerous advantages to the Warriors which are listed below.
Rebounding As you could tell last season no Warriors player really bothered to rebound hence the difficulties in matching up against the likes of the Boozers or Garnett type players. Biedrins was the only one who crashed the boards night in night out which considering his limited minutes is a mean feat. Unlike some Centers his size the quickness he displays in going for a rebound was obviously noted when the Contract was given out.
Low Post defense Did anyone see the likes of Harrington trying to guard Marcus Camby or Elton Brand. At least with Biedrins you know you're going to have to work hard for your numbers although with Turiaf this could change things. Because of his low post defense guys like Baron or Jackson could scramble on Defense creating a disadvantage. Andris does his best to plug the holes before the offense finds them.
Half Court Offense Because of the sheer Run and Gun nature of the team Biedrins was used as a half court option along with Webber. Anytime Jackson and ellis wanted it he could run the pick and roll and showed flexbility that no previous warrior Center displayed. Andris is fluid with the ball and comfortable either putting it on the floor or keeping it safely tucked away and if he develops a more offensive array watch out. More importantly when Davis or Ellis looked to drive to the Basket Biedrins quickly cleared the floor unlike most big lumbering players ala Paul millsap and still be in good rebounding position. Not many players have the physical attributes Biedrins has.
For a offseason that began with a whimper when Davis departed and Maggette being given a horrible contract it now looks like being a success due to the extensions given to Monta and Andris, Kelenna's offer sheet being matched, The Turiaf and Williams acqusitions and Randolph impressing in Summer League means that even though little cap space is in line for the lucrative 2009-2010 Free Agency period unlike previous years they've kept their youngsters on board
Pretty much means that my personal favourite from the Summer League roster DeMarcus Nelson won't have a chance to shine because of the size of the roster now but Anthony Morrow was signed to a contract. I love this signing for a few reasons which are listed below.
: He can shoot. He's not like Marco who gets hot and cold one night the guy is a pretty talented pure shooter. He's third on Georgia Techs list for 3 pointers made and unlike much of the questionable shots that were hoisted up last year Morrow takes smart ones. Also sets GTs record for best career FT percentage (86.7. In fact Check out this stat. He made 16 of 19 from 3-point range in six games with the Warriors. Wow.
: He's about 6'5 210 pounds and adds a another rebounding body. In a few yeears hopefully he could be the Azubuike of perimeter rebounding.
: He was undrafted and has something to prove to the whole Basketball world. Never mind the fact he din't play in the first two Summer League games by the end of the campaign he was the Warriors third biggest scoring threat behind Anthony Randolph and DeMarcus Nelson. with a collection of overachievers see Monta Ellis, Stephen Jackson, Azubuike, Andris Biedrins Morrow will fit in that group perfectly
Yes we all know by now that three of the Warriors from the 2006-2007 team (probably my favourite Warriors team of all time) have moved on to newer fields but in the interests of courtesy what is the harm in a goodbye post?. Never mind that Andris Biedrins will hopefully become the longest tenured Warrior these three players deserve recognition for their contributions for that magical last season and last year. Newver mind Croshere, Troy Hudson or C-Webb these three deserve major props
Baron Davis
I've been critical of Baron in the past claiming he was a guy who had more interest in promoting his film at the Sundance Fesitval rather then enhancing his Basketball skills but say what you want ever since Mullin made that trade the Warriors have been back on the Basketball map. His reputation for hitting big shots and getting players like Dunleavy or Biedrins involved with his no look passes and those awesome behind-the-back fake passes to himself, especially the one that led to a dunk over odom in the summer league… he remade the team, transforming them from losers a team with a reputation. It truly is shame that the Boom Dizzle-J-Rich never lasted as long as it should have but just thinking about the 16-5 run that team accompolished to make the Playoffs compared to the lethargy last years team showed during crunch time and there is a huge difference.
But now that Baron has gone to the Clippers the Monta Ellis era has began especially with his new contract extension. We don't know just how capable Monta is of carrying this Warriors Franchise but I know one thing expect more complaining of having missed the Playoffs from yours truly.
Matt Barnes
Barnes played Quarterback in High School snd much like Allen Iverson who also played the same position installed Football toughness. There were times when his flagrant fouls were stupidly unnceccesary but there were times when you just had to expressd admiration for how quickly he rose himself in the rotation. He'll probably be a one season wonder but he'll always be remembered by Warrior fans as a major role player in that magical run. And those half court baseball outlet passes. And the tackles, I mean hard fouls. And the 1 on 5 3 pointers
Hard to know what it takes to make the NBDL team but their roster is here. Basically a nunch of players who were not drafted and probably have no chance of making an NBA roster this year, next year or ever. Scooter McFadgon and Mo Charlo are two names to watch out for if only for their actual names nothing to do with their talent prowess Should be a piece of cake for this powerhouse Warriors team. Anyways, the boys will be able to work on a lot of things.
Morrow who's trying to earn a Training Cap invite will work on his shooting earn a spot on the roster or at least an invite to training camp. Same with Hendrix all he's doing is Rebound and defensively he looks up to scratch
Update: So much for the Piece of cake. Warriors win by 1 in a nailbiter. Here is the recap followed by the boxscore
Though there still are some Rocky mountain League games left the last few weeks of the Summer League and the opening two games of the Rocky Mountain League have left us with some idea as to where our Youth movement is going as well combined with a little take on our signings.
Anthony Randolph Out of all the lottery picks so far he has the most NBA ready body. Thats a massive boost but obviously it's too early to see if it holds up. Defensively his shortcomings are well too known but like I said he's playing for a coach who can look past that or who doesn't care. Most impressively in one or two games he played the role of Ball Handler which could give even better minutes should the season start.
Marco Bellinelli Mr July seems to have excelled in Summer League competion but the real test fro him is with the Williams singing does he have any chance of forcing his way back in the rotation. His ball handling has improved but he constantly struggles on Defense and is probably the worst man to man Defender (saying a lot. For a streaky shooter he allows his man to get to the basket far too easy. In Training Camp we will get a better sense of his direction.
CJ Watson He's not had a good Summer League at all although his notable increase in Steals means unlike Marco he's trying at the Defensive end. His first step combined with a decent outside shot means even with the Marcus Williams signing he's still trying to push for minutes yet didn't really show any PG instincts yet. Howver the one thing that has always been a problem for him his court vision is still just that a problem it reamins to seen whther the Warriors put pen to paper come the 08-09 season.
Brandon Wright He's been the complete opposite to what I'd expect from Randolph. At times looking overwhelmed and inconsistent he doesn't look ready to deliver like last year. At times he would deliver a big dunk or a nice jump shot but he still doesn't look like delivering night in night out on the Offensive-Defensive end. Fortunately there is a lot of time for the Warriors but on a team that already has plenty of depth it would be nice to see even more of an improvment
Kelenna Azubuike: I've already explained that the Warriors should match and even with the question marks surronding him like a big decrease in explosivness he's still our best on the ball Defender and rebounded almost as well from the Guard spot as a certain Jason Richardson. Of course it all depends on how willing Mullin and co are willing to pay for Evans services and whether they believe Kelenna will be valuable. Even though Maurice Evans is a nice player with identical stats Kelenna at his age is much more valauble with a lot more upside.
Ronny Turiaf With the Turiaf addition we finally have a player with at least the strength to return some of the punishment. The only question remaining is can his toughness be like his Basketball skills. From watching him with his days from the Lakers to go wih his enthuiasm he instantly becomes our Shot Blocker and if he ever learned to box out properly his rebounding would be top notch. Much like kelenna he's the sort of player who gives you good minutes and at times even better.
Richard Hendrix His last two games in the Rocky Mountain League have shown he doesn't need to score at all to be considered contempt it's the little stuff like rebounding and shot blocking. My only worry is will he go down the path of Stephene Lasme who never had the chance to prove himself before being releases. However unlike Lasme who was one dimensional with his shot blocking I could easily see Hendrix make the roster alone with his rebounding.
Marcus Williams: Didn't have time to properly analysise this move but even though you look at his stats it's a low risk move especially since Marcus is young, cheap and with upside. Since the backup Point Guard was really non existant last year because of the Hudson debacle the Warriors got someone who is able to handle the ball, push the offense, and provide a stronger alternative to Monta on defense. With the overpaying for Maggette the Williams deal is a step in the right direction.
So with all these additions one thigs for sure. The Warriors without Baron aren't better nor will they come close to winning 48 games. But they are deeper and regardless of what people might say a Turiaf, Randolpph, Williams and Henrix unit hasd a better chance of working then Croshere, Webber and Hudson
Believe it or not but this guy will be more important then Stern next year
Never mind the controversial dress code, The Sonics moving to Oklahoma or the image problem the real problem that is facing the NBA is officating. Because of the Donaghy scandal and the accusations that game 6 between the Lakers and the Kings in the 2002 Western Conference Finals was fixed the League has been pressurised into making steps to avoid this. Just a few days ago they took their first steps by hiring retired 2 Star General, Ronald L. Johnson. For a sport that on it's way to becoming like WWE hiring a guy who's served his country. His title is Senior Vice President, Referee Operations, and it’s probably safe to say that this ‘Army of One’ will not only ‘Be All He Can Be,’ but when it comes to the integrety of the game he’ll follow the Army motto, “This we’ll defend.”
His first job is to most importantly convice the NBA Players that corruption doesn't exist not easy when you have Doug Christie speaking out against it.
I am devastated to the point of feeling physically sick! Not just for myself, but for my teammates (who put their true heart and soul on the line), the fans in Sacramento (and worldwide) and the players out there on the floor right now. What’s “real” and what’s fake? So many and so much has been effected by these turn of events, not to mention that the fans didn’t get a chance to see the “true champions
Well said. NBA officiating has always been a difficult prospect simply because the quick nature of the sport means the Umppire only has a few seconds to make a call. Yet something is wrong when the Celtics have a 38-10 Free throw advantage in the NBA finals, Something is wrong when a Playoff game was supossedly rigged in the Lakers favour just for ratings. While no accusations have arisen in the NFL or MLB the officating is questionable as well and the prospect of a general being hired to solve the NBA crisis can only help these other sports.
The first step he took was to shake up his office was by restructuring the Referee Operations Department. Bernie Fryer will be the Vice President and Director of Officials, Joe Borgia will be the Vice President, Referee Operations, and Ronnie Nunn will be the Director of Development. Here’s how the NBA defines their roles:
“
Fryer, who served as the NBA’s Assistant Director of Officials and Crew Chief Coordinator during the 2007-08 season, will be responsible for the day-to-day management and on-court performance of NBA referees, reporting to Senior Vice President of Referee Operations, Ron Johnson. Borgia, who has served for the last four years as the league’s Director of Officiating Programs and Development, will be responsible for administering all other aspects of the officiating program, including recruiting, training programs, team communications and oversight of the D-League and WNBA officiating programs, also reporting to Johnson. Nunn, who served as the NBA’s Director of Officials for the past five seasons, will be responsible for the teaching and development of the NBA’s less-experienced referees and the transition of referees from the D-League to the NBA, reporting to Fryer.“
One hopes that whenever Shaq or any other center plays good defense they won't get called for a phantom call, Perhaps Kobe or Dwayne Wade will get called for travelling a little more?. Either way the NBA's rush to fix a problem that could have ruined the League for years is a step in the right direction
Finally a true backup PG on the roster and a decent pickup by Mullin. Traded from the Nets for lottery picks e.g. lottery protected for 2011 – so the Nets get it if the Warriors are in the playoffs. If it goes to 2012, the pick is protected 1-to-11. It’s protected 1-to-10 for 2013. If it is not conveyed by 2013, the Nets s\get second rounders in 2013 and 2015. Good luck trying to work that out.
But I like the move even though CJ Watson probably doesn't. His 3 point shot went up a drastic improvment from his rookie season and his court vision is better then CJ's. My only worry is his assist-to-turnover ratio is awful: 2.6/1.4 last year in short minutes and when you go into his secondary stats well don't go there. It's easy to see why the Nets got Keyoon Dooling rathger then keeping his contract. I don't see him getting serious playing time but if Williams is to get considered he needs to lose weight and work on his shooting a lot more. Still he has a potential to be a star such is the advantage of the Run and Gun system for any Point Guard plus looking at his dissapointing form with the Nets any Point Guard will be overshadowed when Jason Kidd ahead of you. Having C.J. Watson and Marcus Williams will give the Warriors a serious player at the position when Nelly decides to play small ball.
Watch it live here. You can also find a full list of the other games that will be streaming at this link. Since the local newspaper writes a horrible recap it would be best to check out the offical Warriors blog recap to see what happenned against the Nets
The fine folks of Salt Lake City that had attended the first two days of the Rocky Mountain Revue and returned Monday for Day 3 saw something new today. What they saw was Warriors’ style basketball. The same up and down Warriors’ style basketball that has been a staple in the Bay Area since Don Nelson returned as head coach two seasons ago.
Anthony Randolph spent most of the game driving aggressively to the hole, finishing with 16 points, eight rebounds and five assists. Randolph was just 2-of-10 from the floor, but on nearly a half-dozen occasions he could have/should have drawn a foul call after taking hard contact in the lane. Despite a slew of questionable non-calls, the Warriors first round pick still managed to get to the free throw line 13 times, making 11, thanks to his aggressive attacks to the hole.
Here's hoping the streaming works. And that the "fine folks of Salt Lake City" get treated to more Run and Gun B-Ball
The first game of the Rocky Mountain League was a huge success for the Warriors winning in easy fashion 108-84. Unfortunately no one saw it. Unlike the summer League in which it was easy to catch the games it appears fans have no way catching access of the games meaning it is near impossible to post up any news. Still going by the Boxscore and interesting recap alone. Seeing Randolph evolve as quickly as he has is a dream come true for Warriors fans. His Defensive game isn't polished at all but given the fact he's playing for a Coach who looks past those shortcomings don't be surprised if he plays a good amount of minutes next season
Anthony Randolph=Kevin Garnett part II
On a slightly different note the latest news from NBA free Agency is that the Dubs are close to giving Philadelphia 76ers Guard Louis Williams a Offer sheet. The only way I support this signing if he signs for 5 million a year. Anything more and he's a drastic overpayment. Louis Williams is Monta Ellis but slower, a worse finisher at the rim, and range out to the three point line and there is no doubt should the warriors go after him you could say au revouir to the 2008-2009 Free Agency class because the extensionns Monta and Biedrins deserve will take up most of the remaining cap spac. He doesn't have better vision them Monta although with the Point Guard list limited especially now that Dooling went to New Jersey Mullin might not have any other choice. I still say it's more likely CJ Watson gets resigned
For a good Saturday morning laugh make sure to watch this clip. You won't be disappointed. It makes the Magic Hour look like the boring hour
Who would've thought Mullin would be on The Chris Rock Show? That's a serious resume-booster. No wonder Mullin got the VP position for the Warriors! Would you turn down someone who was recommended by Chris Rock?
Well you can't say this hasn't been a boring offseason. It seems everyday transactions some surprising while some not happen. Yesterday we saw the departure of Matt Barnes who signed a one year veteran deal with the Phoenix Suns. I'm been mostly sympathetic with Barnes but after a career season in 06-07 it seemed that after his moms death it just had a horrible impact on his playing ability. Unfortunately something Turiaf needs to avoid is Nellie's doghouse a place where Barnes couldn't get out of last season. Every time Barnes took a bad shot you could tell his place in the rotation was slipping further. Every Warrior last year took bad shots but for some reason Barnes got the most rep. On the other hand I think his minutes would have taken away from Wrights and Randolphs development something which would have been a no no. As we saw last year with little playing time for the Rookies the veterans just got burned out and the Warriors imploded. The Front office is being smart and avoiding this scenario by giving them more PT. Senible move
The Warriors also announced the signing of Ronny Turiaf the Lakers refused to match the 4 year now 19 milliion deal. No doubt to me thats overpaying for a big man whom might even not see any playing time especially if Nelson continues his tradition of not playing his backup big man like last year. Then again I can see adding Turiaf means that for the first time in a while there will be a lot more depth that Nelson will be forced to use. It won't be a better team then the ones we saw the last two seasons but Baron was not worth $65M and eventually when Foyle's contract comes off the cap Mullins 10-man rotation, that has youth and versatility, will have some money next season
Well the final game of the Warriors Vegas Summer League tips off tonight before they head to Utah and a Rocky Mountain Revue starting on Monday. Had Jason Thompson missed that tip in with 17.6 seconds left they would probably have emerged undefeated but like I said winning or losing in this League matters little unless you were 0-6!. But I disgress. So many factors contributed to last nights loss whether it was Marco's 1-11 shooting or Hendrix still out (Stephen Lasme Part 2). Jason Thompson was a guy many draftniks said the Kings picked way too early but if he works out for them, just goes to show that all those mock drafts and "experts" really don't have much more insight than you and I. But it also reminded me that Mullin and Nelson threw out feelers that they wanted Thompson possibly getting the Kings to jump the gun and "reach" for him at #12. His numbers are nice looking as well 15 points on 53% shooting and 8.5 boards in 27 minutes a night.
Anyway our opponents tonight have little one of consequence except Joel Graham is the most recognizable player on their roster followed by Rod Benson famous for his well known blog Too much Rod Benson. He's only played in 4 minutes this summer league - that's why the Raptors are 1-3. Not sure why he's not playing more minutes (injury?) but he's a top D-League player and well worth checking out
Ever since the news came that Azubuike signed an offer sheet with the LA clippers meaning the Warriors have a week to match I've been wondering should they. Either way it's not clear cut because there are so many issues left to juggle.
Belieive it or not but Azubuike is a poster boy for what the D-League can do right. Luckily for him Baron and J-Rich were out injured so it meant he could get some solid minutes showing he had a nice stroke and could fill minutes when the starterse needed a rest. This past year in 81 games he played 21 minutes starting in 17 of them. For a guard we know his ability to score and rebound is whats giviing him the minutes but his Defense aside from when guarding kobe is suspect. Around November after the 0-6 start when the Warriors needed leadership he provided some (although he played 30 minutes).He then fell out of favor with Nellie in December and January, and then in the final 2 months found a permanent spot in the rotation.
A case for matching
:Nelson said he would give Marco more minutes but this is the same guy who said Troy Murphy would be an All Star and Dunleavy would be very good. Marco getting increased minutes doesn't look very good plus seeing Maggette, Jackson and Monta getting an increased workload without Azubuike providing depth would be painful to watch
:Anthony Randolph and his potential is still up in the air. He's no guarantee to pan out and become a decent player. There was a reason he dropped to the Warriors at 14. On the other hand Kelenna is a known quantity. Point being why take a chance on an unknown Lottery pick rather then ignore Azubuike. I'm not saying ignore Randolph completely but Kelenna is a solid role player for 15 minutes a night. And who knows, he just might develop a little himself. Hopefully he works on that poor perimeter defense.
:His Salary demand of 3years / $9 mil is very reasonable, especially if its the typical escalating deal that starts out at around $2.5 mil and peaks at $3.5 mil. He's probably extremely coachable with great work ethic.Also one can never have enough talent on the rost.er no matter how much of an apparent log jam there may be at certain positions. In other words by letting him walk you're taking a chance on Randolph and Bellinelli to pan out. I wouldn't
Why I wouldn't match
:Hard to see where he's going to get minutes especially now that according to Nelson Marco will get a lot more. Assuming Maggette, Monta and Jax play 38 minutes a game that leaves 30 minutes for the other positions. Nellie has verbally committed to playing Marco more minutes to let him develop. Nellie's committment may be just Nellie talking, but if it's true, Marco gets at least 10 minutes per game. A backup PG is needed so thats 7 minutes. You get the drift.
:Isn't there a D-League guy capable of doing what Kelenna can do. What the Warriors could do is go find a guy who can give them better perimeter defense and sacrifice a little of the scoring and rebounding that Kelenna gives them. Bench guys at the small forward and shooting guard positions seem to be a dime a dozen so I can't imagine that it's too difficult to replace what Kelenna does.
: Is this going to block the development of Anthony Randolph? For year 1 of the contract it won't. But next year and the year after, Kelenna and Randolph are both going to want minutes. Is it worth it to keep Kelenna around for 2 extra years if Randolph is going to take his minutes anyways? Seems like a waste of cap space each year.
In the end I say the Warriors match even though at the moment nothing is clear when you have Chris Mullin as your GM. His productivity combined with his upside means at least there would be no overpaying. Even though I have concerns keeping him on board would stunt the growth of Randolph when you have an injury prone guy like Maggette who's never yet played a full season it would make sense to keep Kelenna on board. Jackson could play SF if he wanted to but then Monta would be a SG and then the PG spot is still open. As I've said before I can't imagine CJ Watson playing as a starter.
He's also mainly healthy and explosive. After a strong start, he injured his knee and had been playing hurt for much of the season with knee tendinitis. This hindered his performance and weighed down his impact. Hopefully Mullin realises pros out-weigh the cons when it comes to matching the Clippers offer sheet. Even though the Swingman position may be stacked it shouldn't stop the Warriors letting a valuable asset go
Warriors dropped their first Summer League loss last night with a tough 3 point loss to their Northern California rivals the Sacramento Kings. Quincy Douby finished an impressive week with a huge 36 point game. For the Warriors CJ Watson had 24 points and bounced back from his first two unimpressive performances making 8-18 from the floor
Ws and Ls are meaningless in any NBA summer league. Player performance is a little more valuable but never an indication of future success. It's not so much about answering questions regarding a player as it is gathering information to input into a longer equation that will spit out the answer (opening night roster) by the end of the offseason.
Whilst scrawling over the boxscore there are a few notes to take from this. Here are a few nuggets of info that stuck out for me:
: Pending Roster moves I don't see many Training Camp invitees from this group. Nelson has a shot baring the Warriors don't bring back Kelenna and perhaps Amundson but the rest seem to be potentially gone.
: Over the last two games CJ's performance at the Point stuck out because of his Defense and scoring. Quick enough to get into the paint and make plays. The Warriors appear set at PG, but Watson deserves a long look and may give the front office a little more flexibility when trying to construct other deals this summer. Then again I have a hard time seeing him as more than a 10th or 11th guy at the moment.
: Where was Marco. His ball handling, leadership and Defense were really missing tonight as was his shooting a miserable 1-11. He has the Stephen Jackson streaky shooting laid on him but over the last couple of games at least he's tried to add some veteran pressence cheering on guys, barking instructions, and generally running the show while he’s on the court. Great to see one of our youngsters taking responsibility.
: De Marcus Nelson is the biggest intriguing factor during this years Summer League. I think his biggest obstacle is not just his minutes 5.3 points in 10 minutes but his size 6'1 which is too small for a guy who wants to play Shooting Guard. That said, his other combine numbers are pretty amazing…actually, he seems to be an athletic freak. Bench pressed the same as Joey Dorsey, 38.5″ vertical, had a good shooting percentage in college and nice rebounding numbers for a G.
: Alas the Brandon Wright that we've witnesses in the Summer League games has been a listless version. Sometimes he appears way too passive like he was tonight He hasn’t been bad — he’s made consistently solid defensive plays and had a few nice jumpers or jams — but there are long stretches when he’s in the game an no one notices him. His lack of strength combined with a lack of speed and explosivness means he's underachieved the most out of this roster in this years Summer League.
This years Summer League isn't over just yet with one more game remaining against the Toronto Raptors but for the front Office that serves as a distraction. With Turiaf officially joning Golden State and with Monta and Biedrins waiting on new extensions it would not be a stretch to say that for once most of the attention is being focussed off the court rather then on it
Game 4 of the Summer League tips off tonight against the Kings. Fortunately after missing the Bobcats affair with a sprained ankle Randolph will be back in the starting 5. Marco Mr July Bellinelli is playing excellently so far and is leading the team in scoring while Brandon Wright has dissapointed with a significant lack of contribution terms of rebounding and scoring. Maybe I was hoping that he would dominate and show he's ready to live up to the potential - I probably am too optimistic. and even though I have critisced CJ Watson frequently throughout the Summer League how refreshing is it to seecollecting 23 points, 7 assists (more than the first 2 games combined), and 5 steals. The guy has been a klepto this summer racking up 13 steals in 3 games.
As for the Kings check out Patrick Ewing yep they are that desperate Quincy Douby, and the always-feared Spencer Hawes.
The Warriors have this one in the bag. Undefeated summer league? It could happen
The nickname Nellie/Nelly must be synonymous with success. Don `Nellie' Nelson has had a storied and decorated NBA career as a player and a coach--the second winningest coach in NBA history. On the other hand Nelly is a superstar Rapper releasing 3 (4 if you count both records of the "Sweat/suit" album) records and a remix album--collectively selling close to 16x platinum all over the world (Country Grammar reportedly went 9x platinum alone).
Yet even with the obvious differences both have their lives iterjected with inventions that neither Coach or Artist has perfected. Nellie invented Smallball and the Point Forward while Nelly is been known to disrupt the tension that existed between the East and West Coast Hip Hop rivalry. This list is a short recap of my favourite Nellie/Nelly moments. This is by no means a comprehensive list of both Nellie and Nelly; feel free to share your favorite Nellie/Nelly moments!
NELLIE: The HITS (some of this best moves)
1989 Draft, selecting Tim Hardaway with the 14th pick.
Nelly equivalent: E.I.
Recently remebered for his gay bashing comments it's a shame these same critics forget just how effective a Guard Hardaway was In polls of greatest point guards ever or in recent memory, Tim Bug rarely gets mentioned despite being a former Dream Teamer and having the most popular (killer) cross-over in the past two decades. Much like E.I Hardaway was overshadowed by Mullin by Ritchmond while E.I was underrated compared to Country Grammar
1998 Draft, Selecting Michigan forward Robert Traylor with the No. 6 pick, later traded his rights to Milwaukee in exchange for the rights to the Bucks' two first-round picks, Germany's Dirk Nowitzki (No. 9) and Notre Dame's Pat Garrity (No. 19). THEN, promptly trading Garrity's draft rights to Phoenix -- along with Martin Muursepp, Bubba Wells and a 1999 first-round pick that would eventually become Shawn Marion -- for third-year guard Steve Nash. Nash and Marion were former Teamates
Nelly equivalent: "Hot in Herre" and "Girlfriend" N'Sync feat. Nelly
Horrible when you don't get the Pick and roll right
Often the most underated move of Nellie's regime both moves signify that this combo of draft day steals is like Nelly's club ready "Hot in Herrre" and his featured role on N'Sync's "Girlfriend" (remix), respectively. Nowitzki was like the "Hot in Herre" track from the outset you knew he would have a fabulous career Nash, on the other hand, was the pop sensation that was "Girlfriend." Nash's slow rise to stardom is similar to Nelly's surprise really.
Avery Johnson Nelly's Equivalent: Air Force 1s
Talk about mentorship. Avery Johnson not only to be the general at Golden State under Nelson, but was also his apprentice in Dallas on the sidelines, taking them to the NBA finals and becoming coach of the year in his first full season as head coach. Nelly on the other hand is remembered for his Air force 1s track where much like Run DMC's My addidas is paying homage to the shoes
1992 Draft, selecting Latrell Sprewell with the 24th pick Nelly Equivalent: Shake Ya Tailfeather
Every Draft historian remembers this one. How many Left handed Shooting Guards get taken with the 24th pick turn into All-NBA teamers? Some say that he's overrated and that his production dropped significantly after leaving Golden State but Nellie is a scouting genius. Nowadays, anything after the #9 pick is probably a bust. On the other hand "Shake ya Tailfeather was a monster hit changing the course of Rap music and was a big summer anthem. Like Nellie, Nelly makes something outta nothing.
Nellie Misses
Trading Richmond Nelly Equivalent: Dilemma feat. Kelly Rowland
WTF. The breaking up of one of the most marketable "Big 3"s ever was as big a blunder as Nelly's attempt at crooning. Though Nelly is far from "hard" and took shots from hip-hop's forefathers for being `un-real', THIS track demonstrated how he deserved the criticsm from the legends. Nelson feels the same way about the Ritchmond deal.
Asking Webber to play center Nelly Equivalent: Over and Over feat. Tim McGraw
Everyone knows Webber couldn't get along with Nellie and vice versa. For some reason, that break up seemed to curse the Warriors for the next dozen years. Webber was never a 5, but like a really agile 4... or a really robotic Magic Johnson. This duo worked about as good as Nelly's collabo with Tim McGraw, which looked like the second coming of "Dilemma" at best. Although the song was a success, this song has made several VH1 awesomely bad song/video countdown lists and surprises me to no end considering it's a industry parnaoid about marketing.
Nine-player deal, the Dallas Mavericks traded point guards Nick Van Exel and Avery Johnson, guard Antoine Rigedeau, forward Popeye Jones and centre Evan Eschmeyer to Golden State for guard Jiri Welsch and forwards Antawn Jamison, Chris Mills and Danny Fortson. (Antawn Jamison later became Stackhouse... a nice bench dude, at best).
-AND-
Earlier in the decade, the Dallas Mavericks made another major trade Monday night, this one a nine-player deal that sent Jim Jackson and All-Star Chris Gatling to the New Jersey Nets for center Shawn Bradley.
Nelly Equivalent: St. Lunatics
These blockbuster deals have seemed more like the dollar theater in terms of returns. These huge posse cut trades have seemed as irrelevant as Nelly's clique from the `Lou'. Why is it that the front man's posse always has to be goofy or comic relief (ala D12)? Anyway pt. being, these dudes slated to be solid supporting players to their respective teams superstars have often become posterized or have disappeared completely from the NBA.
So next time you get these two names confussed. Remember both have had completely different and the exact same career path filled with excellent decisions and some puzzling ones.
In the midst of the hours until whether we know Turiaf will remain in LA or come accross state to the Bay Area some bad signs comes in the form of Azubuike signing an offer sheet with the Los Angeles Clippers .Financial terms of the offer were not yet known. Let's hope it's not too much for Mully and Co. to match. Per ESPN
The Warriors will have seven days to match the offer when the deal is completed, but the Clippers would appear to have a good chance of emerging from that wait with Azubuike. Azubuike is still developing after just two seasons in the league but has shown flashes of the ability to score from the wing that the Clippers need after Maggette signed a five-year deal worth an estimated $50 million with Golden State last week
Dissapointing news really especially when the article goes on to state Marco, Maggette Monta, and Jackson are ahead of Azubuike in the rotation but thats plain deciving. Monta no less will be at the Point, Jackson and Maggette will be a Shooting Guard and Small Forward combo. Kelenna still figures to be that first wing off the bench especially now that Marco is still in Nelsons doghouse
If the figure is actually $3mil per I’d say match and keep him here. He is the only guy in that group who has consistently shot the 3 well in the NBA. Because Azubuike is restricted, the Warriors will have seven days to match. According to a team source, the team had yet to receive the signed offer sheet. Plus I'd rather have him at $3million then Magette at $10 million!
Some other bad news is apparently the Lakers have an extra day to decide whether it's worth matching for Turiaf or let him go. The Front Office and fans seemed to think it was suppossed to end today especially considering Warriors put the paperwork in for the Turiaf offer sheet last Thursday, and most of us, I believe including the Warriors’ front-office, believed that the Lakers’ one-week decision window would end today.
If the Lakers are going after Artest heavily or Kurt Thomas I say they don't match. Judging by the fact that they already pay 5 million+ in luxury tax. It doesn’t make sense for them to pay roughly 17 mill in tax over the next 4 year for a player who plays a position that they are stocked in see Andrew Bynum and Chris Mihm. Should Bynum and Mihm stay healthy and Odom isn't traded there probably isn't any need to hang on to Turiaf.
But say Artest is added. That would mean Luke Walton and his horrible contract would be abolished, Odom would be out of there and then the Lakers would then find a way to keep Sasha and Ronny Turiaf and pick up some expandable contracts. Although that scenario is unlilkely considering the bad news we've had recently combined with a potential high rather then low lottery pick things aren't looking up much for your 08-09 Warriors
For those of you who actually watched with a grainy NBA telecast this game was overshadowed by the NBA events of the most ludricous trades of the Summer the Nuggest dealing Camby away to the Clippers for little more then a 2nd round pick. The Nuggest showed their attempts to rebuild were more serious then thought while the Clippers have a replacement for Brand fall straight into their lap. But I disgress. Tonights game was all about two players Marco and CJ
For those who missed the first two games this was the first opportunity since the last ever SuperSonics game to catch the youngsters in action. For the entire coaching staff it's become painfully obvious two things had better stay in Vegas for the youngsters defense and rebounding. Despite Randolphs absence with the news he was offically signed to a 2 year deal the Warriors strung together a win against a team that seemed to rely too heavily on DJ Augustin who looks like a decent prospect. Didn't see the game unfortunately but going by the boxscore luckily I could take a few notes
: Marco the Italian sharp and streaky shooter luckily had a hothand. His defense I would think still needs working on but he only missed six shots and was perfect on nine free throw attempts. Just in case the Warriors need a sharpshooter off the bench he might provide the role of Ray Allen or Rip Hamilton (they are starters of course just struggling to think off examples). I know it's only July but considering Baron's loss and aside from tonight CJ's inability to do much look for Marco to get more PT this year.
: I'm just not impressed with Wright thus far. His last two outings have been real quiet thus far and his rail thin body with little bulk is getting exposed. Once again he had a quiet 11 points with no blocks and only five rebounds despite playing 34 minutes. Not exactly what you want or expect from a first round pick
: The Guard who is suppossed to be feeding him the ball and isn't doing it so far CJ Watson could score tonight with 23 points but spend most of the game pounding the ball into the ground on the dribble or shooting free throws after being bumped. Everyting was being called. He still had 7 assists but a double double would not have been unreasonable
: The bench played well enough. Anthony Morrow provided depth by hitting all his shots but did little else to convince. De Marcus Nelson took 30% off his Training Camp chances by going 1-5 from the Free throw line. If you're a Guard and can't shoot well from the charity stripe forget about further progression onto the roster.
In the end Summer League is all about that. For people like Jeremeo Davidson he sets the barometer for Summer League success. Never much of an impact for the Bobcats at all last year he's fighting for a roster spot trying to convince Charlotte they got extra value in the J-Rich trade. For those players who look more lost then Davidson on the court the Vegas summer league is likely to produce good stories to tell the grandkids, but nothing resembling a guaranteed NBA contract.
Never mind Anthony Randolph following his spectacular opening debut of 30 points and then following it with a pedestrian effort of 11 points and 5 rebounds. It's only two games but I'm concerned at his turnovers with a woeful in 9 in two games being the most negative stat by far on his boxscores. Obviously even Summer League play might be of a higher quality then what he faced with the LSU Tigers but come the 08-09 season he's in for a benching should the TO's rise.
Marco has retained the Summer League performances or last year. I liked the fact his ball handling skills have gone up even though it's hard to imagine him bringing the ball up court without a little cringing. He is making the more obvious passes but I think it still is a step since he makes better decisions with the ball rather than just looking to shoot the ball every time he gets it.
CJ has been the biggest dissapointment so far it's his horrible assist stat just 6 in two games isn't what the backup PG is there for. Having said that he and the rest of the Warriors roster faces a Bobcats team that has little to showcase aside from DJ Augustin. With J-Rich on his Summer holidays (former Warrior for a couple of minutes) Jermareo Davidson might have some motivation to post big numbers on the team that traded him but I think it's a safe bet that won't happen
The Warriors improved to 2-0 in Summer League play with a routine 96-85 win over the Mavs. It was pretty much the same lineup as the previous encounter and the Mavericks played players with plenty of NBA experience to their name see Keith McLeod or gerald Green
: Randolph isn't a pass first player thats for sure. He shoots way too much. He also doesn't seem to work as hard on his defense as he does his offense. James Singleton beat him to the spot a few times and Randolph almost just let it go. His Defense needs working on but I love that demeanour he has looks to score and attack no matter what and has that toughness about him H his shot wasn't as efficent as it was against the 76ers but there is an era of smoothness about him that Marco never exhibited last year. He lost a bit of the toughness going out with the anklle injury early in the 1st quarter (he returned eventually) but going by his body language for a lottery pick he sure looks ready. Sooner or later the 10 to 14 picks will be in disbelief as to how they passed on him
: The stats will tell you Wright produced a 15 point 7 rebound performance but he never left his mark like Marco or Wright did aside from a few nice hook or bank shots. He's not had a breakout regular or summer League game yet but this is probably down to his development. I don't want to say he's not as mature as Randolph just yet but the overall signs are pointing to Anthony being a better player. Nice to see the body strength was added so he doesn't look as skinny and he did go up strong more then I can remember but it was a quiet performance.
: Marco was the star tonight thrilling the Vegas crowd with the nice no look passes, buzzer beaters and big dunks. He may be the star in July but I'm willing to bet come the Winter months when he gets more time in Nellie's system we'll see a lot or bricked shots such is tendency much like Jackson to chuck them up without him thinking. He was 9-19 from the floor but much of his shots were either a swish or a brick. His Ball Handling and court vision have gone up considerably though
: CJ doesn't look like starting material after this especially when Keith McLeod beat him down on Offense. I am convinced we need a floor general - someone who can direct traffic in the half court configuration. It looked a little chaotic at times.Didn't look like a guy who can run the team judging by his one assist credited on NBA.com. What worried me the most was his tentaviness he never made a pass down low instead he dished it off to Marco or Randolph. He doesn't work as a Point Guard a creator that this offense needs.
: Amundson might be a Training Camp invite hinging on whether the Lakers match Turiaf and how quickly Hendrix recovers quickly from his injury. I've said how much I like this guy because he provides the Matt Barnes of 06-07 role where he hustles for loose balls, rebounds with a lot of ferocity but took a lot of bad shots and if this had been a competive NBA game he would have fouled out within 12 minutes. Should Croshere and Barnes depart I would tip this guy to make the team.
It's only Summer League but it is a fascinating way of watching as to see if these players most not guranteed a contract will be able to fight their way into a NBA roster spot. With players like Amundson and Slay showing they might be capable of playing in Nellie's uptempo system it will be interesting in the next few months to see whether players like Azubuike or Croshere get waived so these examples might have a a chance of making the team
Well the Warriors youngsters against Dallas once again tonight and this time for those who subscribe you can watch it on NBATV or like me you have no access to any American TV you can watch it here. Because of the past rivalry between these two teams this would be one of the few Summer League contests worth catching. Game starts at 11 here or 3pm Pacific
Hard to believe but just a few months ago it was these two along with the Nuggets for 7-8th spots in the Western Conference. Now that Randolph has his Summer League rep considerably up maybe Marco hits everything like he did last year. Hard to believe but Nate Robinson won the MVP from Marco last season so he's looking to take that title back
After Fridays no show here's hoping Hendrix gets some playing time just so we can see what he's all about and that he doesn't get treated like Lasme did. Itt's also a big couple of games for CJ Watson who needs to preserve his backup Point Guard spot after a poor opening game performance struggling early (6 turnovers) and definitely left some doubt as to his ability to run an NBA offense. His upcoming play bears watching. And lastly Amundson who didn't do much of note during the Philly game and owns one of the horrnedous ponytails in sports will he be able to earn a Training Camp invite in the next few games?.
I promise not to get too carried away unlike last year where Marco's at the time sensational debut was cancelled by the fact he contributed zilch throughout the season. However with the Warriors problems in the post who wouldn't get excited by Randolphs 30 point 8 boards, 2 blocks, 5 TO's on 12 of 18 shooting Summer League debut.
Even though he started of slowly like getting scored on by Young and then turning the ball over trying to drive the lane on the next possession Randolph calmed the nerves and stole the limelight in the matchup of bigs in fact pretty much everyone everyone here was/is a first-round pick: Wright, Young and Smith last year; Randolph and Speights this year. And Amundson played with the Sixers last year. But without drifting too far of point Randolph was big. He drove past everyone and finished on both sides of the rim, took two dribbles head faked and a swish. Yes the number 4 skinny guy called Anthony Randolph looked immense while driving to the hoop. It was easy to forget about his slow start.
For a team that needed pressence and the ability to drive into a crowded lane rather then take a 100th unnecessary rushed three Randolph might look like the guy who can address those needs. Yes he had far too many turnovers but without trying to overhype a player who's just completed a Summer League game he very well might play the guy Nellie plays as he knows Maggette will not address the above needs. Or he might not. No one knows when he's on board.
Some other notes to take from. Amundson who I've tipped to become a training Camp invite looks like a beast. Throws his 6'9 body around, constantly hustles for rebounds most notably on the offensive end. Could be a solid bet for a roster spot should Matt Barnes resigned. The irony here being Barnes took this exact route minus the Summer League on his way to having a breakout year in 06-07
Wright looked quiet on the lack of announcing NBA.com telecast which was real fustrating but he had 17 points 5-for-7 shooting and 7 rebounds. Hendrix also didn't play because of injury. CJ Watson didn't show he was worthy of starter material First half line: 1-7 shooting, three assists, four turnovers, two steals. And just started the second half with an offensive foul.
And lastly the final note POB will be an ex Warrior as according to Boston Globe as the Celtics signed him to a two year deal the 2nd year being a team option. For a guy who can't defend Wisconsin's Brian Butch and Detroit Mercy's Ryvon Covile after just 15 min of practice, I dont think he is suited to play in this league so I'm surprised the C's of all people bought him on. A lot of it was down to motivation and I don't think the guy ever had the willingess to improve or the mentality. Much like Air France he won't be on the lengthy list of Warrior All Stars
It's that time again during the summer where the young guys go to Vegas and party, I mean, play basketball. It's our first glance at the new draft picks Randolph and Hendrix and a look at some of the players that wish to earn a Training Camp invite. Yep thats what the Summer League is all about.
There will be five games played one of which will be on NBA TV
Golden State V Philadelphia
Dallas v Golden State NBATV
Charlotte V Golden State
Sacramento V Golden State
Golden State V Toronto
As we all know, Summer League don't mean squat. But whatever, it's still fun to get excited about Marco scoring 37, Brandan Wright going double double style, Randolph showing off the goods, and CJ Watson dropping double digit dimes. Well as I'm writing this, holy toledo, Anthony Randolph has 10 points and 3 boards in 17 minutes. I smell Rookie of the Year.
Can't wait to see how Demarcus Nelson and Louis Amundson get on two I perdict that have a chance at a Training Camp invite. Anyways, if you're in Vegas, find time to pull yourself away from the strip clubs, buffet lines and casinos for a chance to catch the first glimpse of your 2008-2009 W's. You never know what you might see
Mullin doesn't know what he's doing. Hate to begin this post extremely harsh but the amount of contracts offered to supbar bench players after we learned the 76ers got Brand to a 5 year 82 million deal. So then what on earth propelled the front Office to offer Maggette a ludricious 5 year 50 million deal which it now looks as if he's accepted. A few points to take out of this day
Say hello to our newest Warrior
:The Warriors obviously offered Correy a 50 million dollar contract which is almost double the midlevel deals reportedly offered by the Spurs, Celtics and Pistons. All I can say if the deal foes through is this is another vast overpaying of a player by our Front Office that in the past almost killed the team see the contracts to Dunleavy and Foyle. It's mind bogging how anyone could trade away Richardsons 50 million contract and then give it to an inferior player such as Maggette. Contrary to what people think he won't be a good fit in Nelsons system he's a ball dominant three who relies on a half court game to get to the foul line off dribble penetration. He's well known for his lack of Defense and I don't see how this helps the young guns on this team Belinelli, Azubuike, Randolph, and possibly Wright. . He's efficent at scoring and unlike most of the roster he has the ability to get to the line but in the post Davis era he doesn't have the lockdown mentality they need if they want to make the transition to a successful Defensive team.
Oh and did I mention he's injury prone? He's never played a full season. The most games he's played was 77 and that was his rookie year in Orlando. So let me get this straight, Mullin doesn't want to extend Baron for 5 years because he's injury prone, but will sign Maggette for 5 years at $3 million less per year than Baron?
:Fire Mullin?
In terms of basketball and putting a winning team out there, it's debatable whether or not I'd keep him. I'd probably get rid of him. But he's really taking this entertainment business to the extreme. Even in the offseason he keeps Warrior fans on edge. Last year was the KG sweepstakes and this year we've got all sorts of drama. Taking out all basketball decisions, Mullin gets an A+ for keeping Warrior fans on the edge of their seats in what was thought to be a boring offseason. Entertainment at its best! Okay back to reality...
:Rumours also arising that the Warriors put an offer to Ronny Turiaf for 4 years 17 million the Lakers have a week to match the contract. Ronny is restricted, so if the Warriors sign him to an offer sheet, the Lakers can match. There are certain intangibles I like about Turiaf he's a hustler with a body not afraid to bang against anyone but at a distant glance further afield he doesn't look impressive. I can easily see him as a backup Center able to provide the minutes that Webber lacked last season If this does pan out true though how does this lead to the development of Hendrix. He will be wasting away on the bench should this result. . I really want a backup center who can't play at the same time as Biedrins or Wright. None of those guys has the offensive game to complement the other.
If the Warriors were going to lock up money in a restricted free agent, there's some high energy guy in Houston I would have liked, Carl Landry.
Pietrus has more then likely left for Orlando. I'm starting to think the Magic is our perrenial home for Players that never panned out see the Adonal Foyle move. Apparently the GM there (Otis Smith) likes Pietrus and considering Maurice Evans left they needed a Shooting Guard. Hey for a guy who has one of the lowest Basketball IQ's on the court, committs stupid fouls relentlessy, takes a lot of stupid shots most of them bricks I can't say I'll ever miss him. Unlike other ex warriors he won't become the list of players who have come back to haunt us He does play a spot of good Defense now and then but overall he was just a liability and fortuntely Mullin wasn't as stupid as to give him a new contract aka the Fisher one
: Just going back to the Brand move. He turned down a deal 10 million more then Philly and wanted to be the face of the 76ers. That was a straight slap in the face to the Warriors. Did the Warriors really think they were going to get a player better than Baron. Then again with the Clippers he turned down virtually the same amount Los Angeles got up to $80 million and was willing to renounce more players if necessary to give Brand more. Still, he chose Philly.
: We have a big roster right now should both signings be confirmed. Azubuike, Belinelli, and Watson are bench players Our starting line-up also now features Monta and 4 guys over 6-6. Jackson will probably start at SG because he can't rebound very well while Maggette doesn't take advantage of his size on Rebounding or Defensively but he should be able to run pretty well with the team. Our bench is pretty deep guys who are ready to contribute now (Harrington, Azubuike, Turiaf all ready to contribute and unlike last year Mullin and Cohan have given Nelson more pieces to work with
: Eventually Monta and Andris will want more then Maggette. I would give Ellis more money Say the Warriors start Monta at $9 a year (which would be $67.5M contract over six years). And say they start Biedrins at $8. Jackson would be the 5th highest paid player on the team . This is all based on assummptions but I doubt a player who's watched the Warriors reluctantly show the money to Barnes and Pietrus in the last offseason as well as allow Baron to opt out would be much interested in signing a new deal. Either way expect Jackson to possibly opt out when his deal expires as well.
: Lastly the Warriors aren't done yet or shouldn't be. Use the cap space used for Barons contract and go after Rasheed Wallace, Shawn Marion Lamar Odom or even trade Stephen Jackson - to get a proven All-Star. They all are one-and-done, which could give the Warriors cap space next year if they don’t work out. Even more likely ship Harrington out for a Point Guard. Why? Because Maggette will pick up his mid range scoring, Marco has the 3 point shooting down even though it's very streaky and Turiaf will take his spot at backup Center. With Hinrich, Felton, Lowry, maybe Billups on the market I'm not 100% sure either of those teams would need Harrington but PG is still their biggest need. Hard to imagine a backcourt of Ellis and Jackson.
With all this excitment lets not forget the summer League kicks off in a few days. Three months ago the Warriors 07-08 season finished against the now defunct Seattle Supersonics. Todat the 08-09 season is offically well underway
I can't take credit for this idea because it was the excellent With malice sports blog that originally created it. Yet while waiting for Brand to make one simple decision (hey it's driving most Warrior fans crazy)I thought it appropiate to whittle time away and name the all time Golden State Warriors team. Despite years of futility and wasting in the wilderness see the Dirty Dozen #1,#2 and #3. Anyway without further ado my all time Golden State Warriors team
All Time Warriors roster
G: Tim Hardaway G: Mitch Ritchmond F: Rick Barry F: Chris Mullin C: Wilt Chamberlain
Bench G: Jamall Wilkes G: Latwrell Sprewell F: Lloyd B Free F: Chris Webber C: Nate Thurmond
Coach: Al Attles
Okay now for the explaining.
There was no doubt in my mind that most of the run TMC era which put the Warriors back on the Basketball map deserved a starting spot. At times during the early 90's this trio put Golden State back on the Basketball map even though they weren't Championship calliber. Mullin has Hall of fame numbers. He averaged 25+ per game five straight years while making five All-Star teams and was a no brainer for starter. There was also no way I could start Thurmond over Wilt. I love Thurmond see my article about him but stastistically Wilt is the greatest NBA center of all time and for those who wonder why a predominantly known Laker/ Sixers Center would be on this team well believe it or not part of his early career with the Philadelphia/San Francisco Warriors in 1959-64.
Hardaway had the sickest crossover in the game for a period of time and I would be intrigued as to how he would partner up with a graceful Center like Wilt. Rick Barry as we all know wasn't an incredibly popular player see his recent comments but for a guy who was statistically one of the best Free Throw shooters in NBA history as well as being one of the best pure shooters of all time he would be ideal in case Wilt gets in foul trouble. Same goes for Ritchmond and even Jamal Wilkes. Not too many people know about World Lloyd B Free but those who testify and saw him play during the mediocre late 1970 Warrior teams will say his 44 inch vertical as well as the 24.1 Points per game he averaged in 1978-1979 means he would be a deep scoring threat off the bench. It really is the same with Sprewell. People remember him for the choke of Carelsimo but not enough remember he was the last Warrior to be in an All Star game. Yes his attitude was all messed up but can you honestly ignore the scoring threat he was. I wouldn't think so. Plus Thurmond the exception he would give the warriors a lot of mental toughness.
Does my team win in an all-time versus all-time game against other franchises. I wouldn't think so against the Lakers or celtics but it's possible against the rest. With the exception of Wilt lack of size is the main problem as well as the defense and Chemistry issues. Like today they would rely on a fast-paced offense and guys who shoot the rock and score from any place on the court. Sounds like Nelliball right. Not really someone one like Al Attles who unlike what Nelson is critisced fir not playing people enough and seems to be playing favourites Al would give everyone a chance as well as giving everyone self belief. I also put him as coach ahead of Nelson because I would be intrigued as to how he would develop and coach Sprewell as a player.
So in conclusion with Hardaway running the point, the Warriors have one of the game's best distributors; Mullin and Barry are two of the best shooters of all time. Thurmond will have to stay out of foul trouble and Webber is around to throw a few elbows, but lack of size will be a problem.
Thanks once again to With Malice for coming up with this series. I will keep you posted on the latest All Time greatest Rosters posted
Yesterday Oklahoma played their first game outside of Seattle in a Summer League contest. Never mind the 95-78 loss to the Pacers just like that Seattle a town rich in Hoops history but unlike Oakland also had to deal with the fact that the Sonics were also the 3rd most popular team behind the seahawks and Mariners who unlike the Sonics had no problems getting new teams as judged by the fact they were ranked a dismal 28th in the ESPN NBA Attendences record. Of course the irony of all this was the last game the Sonics played when they were still in Seattle was a 126-121 win over the Warriors. No doubt the Sonics move is the greatest scandal in NBA history not Donaghy, not the Brawl at the Palace, not even the Fisher Flop, but the death of the Seattle Supersonics.
Much like the way the Colts were dangled from Baltimore Seattle were torn from a city with 40 years of history that still wanted. Fortunately Seattle keeps the team record so that the famous memories of the Shawn Kemp, Gary Payton and the 1979 Championship will not be taken away. But unlike some cities credit should go to Seattle for holding firm on it's arena demands believing the money could be better spent elsewhere. . I love Golden State but even I would doubt spending the planned millions on say if the Oracle arena was to be rennovated would take priority over the welfare of a city. Unforuntately thats what Seattle was doing.
But as demonstrated should the Warriors move to St Louis or any other City without an NBA team the passions of the Warriors for me would dissolve. The team would become no longer a daily fabric of my life. Much like other entertainment a team is just something you watch as part of a fun. You go to the Arena have a fun time, and forget about them when they leave. Sport teams are entertaiment but with the expansion and departure owners are now convincing us that there's simply more to it then that. By endorsing affairs like the Sonics’ departure, they risk bursting that bubble — not just for Sonics’ fans, but for the league as a whole and as a result create unwarranted paranoia.
For me the main culprit in all this is Starbucks owner Schultz. Even though he's one of the richest people in the US he simply sold the Sonics because they were losing money because of the low attendences Key Arena was getting. Obviously thats not a problem no businessman would keep a Franchise that was making a loss but with the benfit of hindsight did he actually believe Bennett would keep the team in Seattle rather then sell to a local businessman who had better intention. That was the killer for Seattle fans.
And lastly this team will do great in Oklahoma. Using NFL examples the Ravens a few years after playing in Cleveland won the Superbowl as well as the St Louis Rams (Played in Los Angeles). Moreover, the NBA has been quite successful in markets where they are the only game in town, such as Portland, Sacramento, Salt Lake City, San Antonio and Orlando.
Here's hoping that never happens to Golden State anyway!
With Baron gone there are obvious needs the Warriors Front Office needs to consider as they approach a critical Free agency period. What they do with it is indicative of how this team goes forward in the future. Sign a Elton Brand type of player (unlikely at the minute) and it shows that they wish to attempt and become a Playoff team if not contenders. Sign a cheap backup PG and it shows they wish to just be a Lottery team and in 2010 go after the best Free Agents available. Of course in theory one hopes that Mullin doesn't overpay anyone on the market so he can get Ellis and Biedrins the deals they crave. Aside from a contract glitch with Monta (nothing major) both deals should get done. Anyway moving on
James Posey
Obviously he's likely to stay in Boston and add to his already impressive ring collection but I can see him being useful to Golden State for defensive purposes. He's oversized at 6'8 for a Shooting Guard but he's not afraid to defend the oppositions main offensive threat. I love his constant effort on both ends of the floor while consistently hitting three-pointers of his own, thus spreading the floor for his teammates. Considering our lack of Defense this season it might be worth making an offer especially with the rumours the Celtics are going after Maggette.
Elton Brand
Obviously tommorow when he is 90% sure to announce his decision to stay in LA (will Plaschke get credit)but if he does wish to abandon the Clippers just getting a 20 and 10 guy would be big for the Warriors. Knowing Nelson the liklihood of seeing Brand at center increases everyday but his low post Defense is the best on the Warriors (not saying an awful lot). On the other hand if the Brand deal goes through the question remains does the injury he had for most of last season affect his mobility?. Signing a guy of Brands stature would be huge but at the same time raises new questions. Havig said that everything else screams max player, especially for the Warriors
Josh smith
Knowing Nelson he could find a million ways to use Smith. And just reading about Smith his athletiscm thats slightly underused in a Halfcourt system with Atlanta with flourish playing with youngsters and a much quicker tempo. Having said like Brand he wouldn't put the Warriors in playoff contention but unlike Brand I'd love to see his Defense and so called toughness added to the Roster.
Shaun Livingston
Okay this is a guy the Warriors wouldn't go after unless they were really desperate to get a starting Guard considering his knee was broken into about twelve different pieces two years ago. Then again how many Guards are 6'7 and 22 years of age?. For a team with a short backcourt he could be an interesting piece to add to the puzzle.
Andre Igoudala
I would love Andre but it depends on how closely the Sixers go after this guy, Andris and Josh Smith. He has experience, size and Defense as well as a khow to win attitude. As well as playing in Philadelphia where he is mentally tough (an attribute neccessary if you're playing there). I don't see him improving the Warriors drastically much like Josh Smith but I would go after him just for his defense. Loves to guard the Superstar tight sort of guy. The 76ers wouldn't let him go here simply because the Warriors don't have anyone to offer but his talent cobined with the youngsters peaking means this possible acqusition could be the most interesting on the list.. His ball movement, rebounding, and running would work well with the youngsters as well as his talent which would peak with the rest of our youngsters in a few years
James Jones Okay it's difficult to see the Warriors making any offer for him but considering the guy is a 44% 3 point shooter from last season he might be someone the Warriors could consider. He's been the odd man out in Portland and Phoenix and defensively he's lacking unlike some of the other people mentioned here but at 6'8" and 27 years old, he's someone Golden State should consider.
Josh Childress
I've been a fan of Childress since his Stanford days and I honestly believe should Atlanta choose to retain Josh Smiths services Childress will probably be on the market. He's underrated as both a shooter and a defensive player, I think he's a slight upgrade over Pietrus and a perfect fit at the 3 if signed at the MLE. Under Nelsons style there is a slight chance he could break out much in the way the Matt Barnes of 06-07 did or the Stephen Jackson of 07-08
Ok it's been a few days of slow news because Brand hasn't made his decision but it has been ages since I've done a Youtube Monday installment. Todays one is actually a bit unique. Unlike most Warrior videos on Youtube this one contains five seconds of footage featuring a Warrior bust. It's an Usher song from the album 8701. Song is called U remind me
Why does this song even matter? Because it features someone related to the Warriors.
Warriors TRIVIA: Which former Warrior is represented in this video? (This answer could include anything related to the Warriors organization).
Joe Smith
I can't actuallly belieive this dude wasn't fired for bad taste. Who would be wearing a Joe Smith throwback in 2001? A Hardaway or Richmond one would have been more fitting
December Mon 01 vs Miami L 130-129 OT Fri 05 @ Houston L 131-112 Sat 06 @ San Antonio L 123-88 Mon 08 @ Oklahoma Wed 10 vs Milwaukee Fri 12 vs Houston Sat 13 @ Denver Mon 15 vs Orlando Wed 17 @ Indiana Fri 19 @ Atlanta Sat 20 @ Charlotte Mon 22 @ Orlando Tue 23 @ Miami Fri 26 vs Boston Sun 28 @ LA Lakers Mon 29 vs Toronto Wed 31 @ Oklahoma
January Fri 02 @ Minnesota Mon 05 @ Utah Wed 07 vs LA Lakers Sat 10 @ Portland Sun 11 vs Indiana Wed 14 vs Sacramento Fri 16 vs Atlanta Mon 19 vs Washington Wed 21 vs Oklahoma City Fri 23 vs Cleveland Sun 25 vs LA Clippers Wed 28 @ Dallas Fri 30 @ New Orleans Sat 31 @ Houston
February Mon 02 vs San Antonio Wed 04 vs Phoenix Fri 06 @ Phoenix Sun 08 vs Utah Tue 10 vs New York Thu 12 vs Portland Wed 18 vs LA Lakers Sat 21 vs Oklahoma City Mon 23 @ LA Clippers Fri 27 vs Charlotte
March Sun 01 vs Utah Tue 03 @ Minnesota Wed 04 @ Chicago Fri 06 @ Detroit Sat 07 @ Milwaukee Wed 11 vs New Jersey Fri 13 vs Dallas Sun 15 vs Phoenix Tue 17 vs LA Clippers Thu 19 @ LA Lakers Fri 20 vs Philadelphia Sun 22 @ New Orleans Tue 24 @ San Antonio Wed 25 @ Dallas Sat 28 @ Denver Mon 30 vs Memphis
April Wed 01 vs Sacramento Fri 03 vs New Orleans Sun 05 @ Sacramento Wed 08 vs Minnesota Fri 10 vs Houston Sat 11 @ Utah Mon 13 vs San Antonio Wed 15 @ Phoenix
Irish Warriors info
Irish Warriors is a blog mainly home to Golden State warriors Basketball but contains NBA News as well see the newsreel. If you have any questions or links you wish to leave please email at irishwarriors at GMail.com.
