When the Warriors selected Marco Belinelli in the 2007 NBA draft it received mixed reactions from fans and so called "experts".  Warrior fans wondered if he could handle the ball, drive to the hoop and play some defense, while the experts questioned his ability to get his shot off in the NBA.  For one day Belinelli put those questions to rest.  Starting at Small Forward in the Warriors 1st summer league game Belinelli put on a show.  Belinelli put on a shooting display that had the crowd"ohhing" and "ahhing" at his every shot attempt. 

Belinelli totaled 37 points for the game in which he shot 12 for 17 from the field including 5 for 7 from the 3pt. line. There was Belinelli coming off a screen and shooting a long jumper, pulling up on a fast break ala Sjax for a 3 pt. shot, nailing numerous shots with defenders in his face and the shot clock winding down and even showing off his hops on a few dunks and proving white men can jump.

Belinelli as hot as he was didn't force the action, he passed out of doublt teams, made the extra pass and didn't force tough shots.  He also showed he can handle the ball which will come as a relief to warrior fans who haven't seen a Sg who can dribble and penetrate for a while. 

 On defense, Belinelli for the most part was able to stay in front of his man and putting to rest the doubts of him having the foot speed and quickness to play defense.  He was beaten a few times but that is to expected as summer league games are not known for their defense.

Something that many fans may not have witnessed or payed much attention to was Belinelli's leadership on the court and in the huddle.  Numerous times he was telling teammates where to be on a certain set and was very vocal on defense always calling out the screens and in the huddle he kept encouraging the big men especially Patrick O'Bryant to rebound and run the floor.  

Besides Belinelli, Kelanna Azubuike was the other Warrior who had an excellent game.  Azubuike ended up with 29 and along with Belinelli formed a good 1-2 combination to defeat the Hornets.  Azubuike hopes to continue his good play in order to receive a multi-year contract which his agent and the Warriors have been working on.  Azubuike looks to be the prime canidate to replace Mickael Pietrus.   Patrick O'Bryant last year's #1 pick had a decent game, he used his length to block and contest shots all day and grabbed 10 rebounds.  O'Bryant however didn't do much on the ofensive end but that is to be expected as the Warriors do not run post plays for their big men rather they like to pick and roll or pick and pop with their big men.  O'Bryant looked in much better shape than in any point last year, he looked leaner and stronger while not possessing the baby fat he had last season.

Here are a few notes from Vegas:

Got a chance to say Hello to Coach Nelson and told him if he come back, drinks are on me.  Coach Nelson said he like Belinelli and Azubuike's performance but he still couldnt pronounce Azubuike correctly but did say that both will be part of the rotation this season.

 Greg Oden had a woeful start to his NBA career, 10 fouls in his debut makes me wonder if he hired Adonal Foyle as his personal trainer.

 LaMarcus Aldridge was a beast and together with Oden will form a great frontcourt.  One thing to ay attention to is if Aldridge and Oden can co-exist on the block, if Aldridge is the main post player will this force Oden to play a bit farther from the lane which could hinder his effectiveness.  Oden while not playing many minutes in his debut was constantly in dialogue with coaches throughout the game as he wanted to know everything.

 Rudy Gay welcomed Yi Jianlian to the NBA the only he knows how and that was to throwdown a sick 2 hand dunk in Yi's face.

Summer league is great for fans because it gets you in an intimate setting with great young playerswho are more willing and interested in interacting with fans such as Oden, Hawes, Durant etc.. all who signed autographs before and after thier games.  Not to mention you never know who might be sitting in the bleachers from coaches, GM's, scouts, players etc.. Much like spring training in baseball it is a great oppurtunity for fans to come out and have fun.

Some people look at the Richardson trade and talk about how it breaks up the chemistry the team had the last quarter of the season into the playoffs, when they played so well together.

That may be, but there are two key reasons why things went the way they did:

* they played like every game was their last
* they usually went with a shorter rotation

We all saw what they did to Dallas, but we also saw how the Warriors not only couldn't match up with Utah in the second round, they also couldn't maintain their own level of play. Credit Utah to an extent, but also understand that the Warriors ran out of gas. Why?

Because they used it all up to get to the playoffs and beat Dallas.

Coming into this season, if the Warriors kept their core they'd still be a good team. They'd probably win 40+ games, but with the way other teams are improving there's no guarantee that group of players would be a playoff team again.

There's also no way that team gets through a whole season without breaking down if forced to rely on a rotation of seven or eight guys. That's part of why you need a deeper bench to spell your best players here and there. That's why you're going to lose a few games in the regular season that maybe you win if you really have to but you understand it's a marathon, not a sprint. This is in addition to the occasional stinker any good team is bound to put up once in a while.

The point is that the Warriors couldn't afford to go into 2007-08 happy with what they did last year, content with what they had built. They may very well not make the playoffs this year, but it's clear they're trying to set themselves up to be a threat for a number of years, if not for the long term.

This is part of what building a successful franchise is all about. We're used to losing so we want to hold on to exactly what we've got when we finally make the playoffs, but that's not good enough.

Sometimes you have to take a risk to get better. This is a good risk. Jason Richardson was a fan favorite and he was the heart of the team, but anyone being honest could tell you he did not reach the level someone of his ability should have here. You can probably point directly to his free throw shooting as the reason why he drove to the basket less and less, content to shoot jumpers from outside. He got better at that part of his game, but it turned him into a more singular threat. His inability to handle the basketball consistently was another major factor in that. He was not a creator. Monta Ellis has already shown he has that ability in him. Keeping Ellis is probably the correct move.

For once the Warriors dealt from a position of strength and now we get to see what Brandan Wright develops into, assuming he stays. Belinelli? I've got a good feeling about him.

Don't get down on this team. Something tells me the people making the decisions finally have a clue. They're building a team that shouldn't have to rely on an amazing run just to make the playoffs.

NBA.com summer league page

JRich traded to the Charlotte Bobcats for Brandan Wright. Apparently confirmed by the guy who runs JRich's website. The Warriors make a move for an athletic big man, and reduce their glut at the guard position, and get some of the cap relief they will need to resign Biedrins and Ellis.

More moves could be coming as the Warriors try to get bigger while maintaining the athleticism that got them into the second round of the playoffs last year.

All of us here at warriorsworld would like to thank JRich for giving us something to cheer for all these years. He came to play every night, worked on his game, and carried the team for years. Even though his game has changed over the past 2 years due to injuries, he has managed to adapt and still contribute at an all star level.

Unknowns; what about Pietrus, does he now stay? Does Ellis move to SG his natural position or do we continue to play him some at the point. What will Barron's reaction be to see his buddy leave town? Unlikely that the Warriors are finished.

Update: Apparently JRich was pretty pissed off at the trade when he talked to Mullin. Even though Mullin said Rod and MJ wanted JRich bad. Jrich wanted to come back and try to get into the playoffs again and get further with the W's.

"he said he wanted to be with the team and shoot for another playoff year..."

Ouch. Hopefully JRich will calm down a bit. The move puts a lot of pressure on Wright to perform, JRich is the most beloved Warrior since Mullin, and in the eyes of Warriors fans, anything less than a second round appearance in 07-08 will be blamed on this trade.

TRADE OFFICAL: Announced during the draft. Wright on TV saying he hasn't heard anything from either Charlotte or Golden State. He thinks he will fit in great in the up tempo game. The final trade was JRich and the Warriors 36th pick Davidson for Wright.

He's gone, the final piece from that great draft class that brought us Arenas, Murphy and JRich. 2 all stars and a guy with a huge nose.

The official thanks for working hard and being a true Warrior thread. 

Time again for the 5th annual Warriorsworld Mock Draft contest. We are going 18 deep this year since that is where the W's will pick. There is also a new tool to handle your submissions and make my life easier.

You can't make revisions to your original entry so you have to go in and add a number to your entry name so I know which one was the last mock you did. Contest is open to registered forum members only, so if you want to play you have to be registered to win.

Scoring will be most correct out of the top 10 with the W's pick as the tiebreaker.

First Prize: Pair of my tickets to a game of my choosing next season, face value $130

Second Prize: Set of steak knives

Third Prize: You have to become a Kings fan

Ok, second and third prizes are being worked out. I have a few copies of NBA 2K7 left for prizes and some other items, maybe even a We Believe T-Shirt, I will post a complete list next week.

Click here to take a look at the new mock draft tool. I will be adding and removing players this weekend.

Monta Ellis: PG/G

Most Improved Player does not suit Monta very well; people who watched Ellis from the previous season would deem Ellis "Most Improved in Getting Exposure." The 2nd year pup has a ways to go but has shown a solid role in the rotation spelling minutes for Baron Davis. A stout defender under Montgomery, it is here where Ellis has slipped somewhat. With more and more boulders setting screens on Ellis, it wasn't too difficult to keep someone more muscular on the court. On the other hand, Monta has become a quick scorer and shown great ability to draw fouls from opposing big men who seem frustrated without a flyswatter. As advanced as Ellis at this point, he is at times asleep on the court when handling the ball. His unforced turnovers are cause of 80,000 bald patches in the Bay Area, despite his apparent alert level at red. He really needs to get back to becoming a defender, and reacquainted with his left hand.

Grade: B

Matt Barnes G/F

Exceeding expectations are what Matt Barnes was about this season. Matt barely made the cut for the team and fans were hoping that shooter Anthony Roberson would keep his roster spot (and not lose it to Barnes). Don Nelson knew what he had (the end of Mike Dunleavy), and turned this 15th man into a solid contributor guarding big bodies and making more 3 pointers this season than in his entire career. His outlet passes look like Dwight Clark is on the receiving end, while his hard fouls provide a history lesson on Bill Laimbeer. Matt joined Golden State's all crippled team playing the last month of basketball with broken fingers on his shooting hand and a hamstring injury that stuck around like a clingy girlfriend. As a role player capable of playing defense and scoring 30 points, there really isn't much to complain about the team's 12th man other the fact he sometimes donates important possessions to charity.

Grade: A

Mickael Pietrus G/F

"Nightmare on Elm Street” is what comes to mind when Mickael Pietrus plays; a horror movie with some nice nudity scenes that makes you stand up and clap, and gruesome deaths so outlandish it can only humor you. MP has been great driving to the hoop when not going out of bounds or called for traveling. After Jackson and Baron, MP is the best player at drawing fouls. Often forgotten, his 3 point shooting (39% for the year) and midrange game has been pretty solid this season which has been more accurate than ever in his career despite the increase in field goal attempts. But like the naked girl in the flick, Mickael^'s deficiencies show and kill the team.
For starters, fouls seem to attract Mickael like Steven Jackson attracts law enforcement (that was cold blooded). If there is such a thing as a smart foul, Mickael has not discovered it. Like Derek Fisher the year prior, Mickael has taken it upon himself to put his team in the bonus by fouling everyone and everything early in the quarters. In addition to this lapse, it appears that MP got free throw lessons from Jason Richardson and Andris Biedrins.
Despite his ability to turn the ball over, miss free throws, and be labeled as the weakest link, Mickael is one of the more likable personalities on the team. Mickael has yet to play one complete all around game this past season.

Grade: D+/C-

Josh Powell F/C

A legit big man with some nice range, Josh showed his strengths in a home game against Chicago where he helped the team overcome a late deficit. Part of the Thanksgiving leftovers associated with the Indiana trade, Powell has everything a big man should have (shock blocking, range) and some things a big shouldn't have (poor finishes, slow step). His defense leaves little to be talked about as it is often difficult to recall if anything bad happened when he wasn^'t playing garbage minutes. Unfortunately for the Warriors and Powell, it seems like for his success to shine through Don Nelson^'s runway show, he will need to lose some weight. Hopefully bulimia will not be his salvation (since it ruins your teeth) and he will choose the route of toning himself up (I hope he got that Tyrone Hill calendar I sent). With fans begging to see Powell in action along side Biedrins, Nelson obliged (only to insert Adonal Foyle as well to prove a point that midgets do rule the world). Easy baskets are supposed to be Powell^'s staple, but if he cannot provide that feat, he can always sit courtside with Adonal Foyle.

Grade: C+/C