Reports from ESPN that the Warriors and Hawks are in talks to swap Crawford for Claxton/Law.  The Warriors get 2 players they can immediately cut from their roster, and the Hawks get a player who has averaged 20 ppg and 4.5 ast per game over the past 3 seasons.

To recap. the Warriors traded Al Harrington, 20 ppg, 5 RPG to New York for Crawford, a combo guard that couldn't play point and can't defend at either the 1 or 2.  They paired Crawford with Monta Ellis, another combo guard who can't play point, or defend the 2. 

Best reaction from a fan on Hawksquawk: "If Nellie doesn't want a chunker than that shows there is something wrong with Crawford on it's own. "

Who should the Warriors draft and why?


Shamrock, BBallkrazy: Trade the pick

Lebowski: Harden or Curry

Most NBA and more importantly Don Nelson ready

Sheed, Jumbo Liar, Willy D, Storkshots, **030**, 2112, NorthBaySufferer, Delsol650, Years and Counting!!!, Lonestar, Tim:  Brandon Jennings 

Fits the system, pass first point guard, quick, fast, excellent finisher, most upside of any pg in the draft, biggest upside and potential star.

Or other high reward guy that may fall. We are not one "nice" or complimentary player away. Go for broke. Look for a possible all star.

This team isnt going to the playoffs next season, and wont be a contender for a title as currently constituted. So what they should be doing is trying to get a superstar to build around. The only guy in the draft that has that potential that may be around at # 7 is Brandon Jennings. He has attitude issues, sure. But if he didnt, he wouldnt be available at #7.

Seems to have the best vision, quickness creativity and desire to make the game easy for others (enjoys making a great pass as much as a basket himself).

His shooting is a red flag because guys sagging on D is going to make it harder for him to use his strengths, but I think he'll improve enough there to keep the defense honest, or at least honest enough.

Bottom line is that we need a real PG. I like Curry and think he'll probably be a good player, but I'm not convinced he's got the vision to make the game easier like Kidd or Nash.

Teams without a top 5 player need to play outstanding team basketball. I look at the Denver Nuggets as an example. They have three excellent big men in Martin, Nene, Andersen. Then they have a savvy, calm leader in Billups. (of course they have 'Melo, but Billups and the bigs playing well really helped them get over that hump)

I think the Warriors have a solid big man rotation in Randolph, Biedrins, Turiaf. They just need to add that floor general to their squad, who'll play defense, control the tempo, and distribute the ball.

I think Jennings could be that guy. I also hope the year overseas really helped him mature as a person.

I'm of the mindset that you keep on swinging for the fences on a big man or a PG. Swingmen, unless they are Kobe or Lebron, don't impact the game as much as a PG or a big.

Gsfanatic1, Futureisnow09: Flynn

Because he's a leader. He's passionate about being the best he can be. He cares more about the team than himself.

He can get into the lane better than any other candidate.

He can find open men once there.

He has the quickness and athleticism to create a good shot opportunity for himself or others at any time.

He has a tenaciousness and desire to be a good defender.

He'll get this team in transition at all times.

He'll be a great teammate and guys will want to follow him.

He'll remind the Bay Area of Timmy Hardaway.

He's got the kind of swagger you want from your point guard.

He's got great form on his jumper and his midrange is underrated.

He knows what he needs to work on and is doing so.

He's not fragile. He's built like a tank.

The list can go on and on.

Stimpson: Best PG available

Monta is not a pg, I don't care what Nellie said. This draft if full of point guards and I think we are weakest at that position. I think we have Biedrens and Turiaff to cover the 5, AR and BW to cover the 4, Jax,Bukke,maggs,etc... for the 3, Monta,AM,Belli for the 2 what we don't have is a decent 1 and it just so happens that this draft is heavy in point guards.

ShotsofJacktotheBeli: Derozan, Clark, or Holiday

All guys with size at their positions and who play D. And all have pretty good upside.

If not 1 of them, I'd take a chance on Jennings and his playmaking ability, even though he's a little small and has questionable D.

This is assuming Rubio, Harden, or Thabeet doesn't fall. I'd take those 3, in that order, over any of the guys above. Not a big Hill fan at all.

Al Be Damned!: Harden, Flynn, Evans, Hill

Harden most ready to contribute to this team. He has great vision, can initiate the offense and defend. Truly helps take the pressure of Monta at point.

Flynn- It means more Nellie small ball, but he is the penetration and ball handling guy the team lacks. Monta will need to add some muscle and get ready to defend twos. He will come off the bench at first and Jax/Mags slide to three. These two guys are the only ones in the draft that could really help the team as a rook IMO

Evans- He can be what Harden is to Monta, but he is too young and turnover prone at this point and the team wants to win now.

Hill- He's a year away, but if Wright doesn't pan out, you're suddenly looking a a big hole ahead as Turiaf's deal will soon be at an end, and there's no guarantee that AR will ever be a true inside 4.

The rest of the PGs:
I don't see Curry, Rubio or Jennings working alongside Monta defensively. So if these guys are the pick one of them is moving. Don't see Jrue having the shot. Flynn is at least pushing 200 and quick.

Spade: Stephen Curry

He will average 20ppg in the NBA within 2-3 years very easily if not right off the bat.. nobody else at #7 is as guaranteed.

Warriorsplant: Trade Down

It is possible to build a good team around Monta. Finding a PG that would be able to contribute immediately and mesh with Monta at SG is too difficult. If there is a demand for a PG at the Warriors position, they should be prepared to trade down, if there is an attractive offer. The team does need beef.

Blowing up the team and trading Monta will set the team back. I still think Monta is a special player and how many of those have the Warriors been able to keep.

DC Warrior: Does it matter?

The team is lost. Nellie and Rowell won't sign another free agent without overpaying and will likely lose any Ws who open up in free agency. And you know how Nellie is on rookies. And veterans too, I suppose.

gswfan4ever: Ty Lawson

He "dropped" because his biggest asset, running a 5 player team, isn't utilized in workouts.

Proven winner from a very reputable school
True PG, something Ws need
Good defender, something we need
Doesn't chuck, tries to make teammates better, something we need
Very fast, suits this team
Mature and NBA-ready, something Nellie loves
He basically would do anything Nellie would like him to do and would have the ability to pull it off. Baron has ability but not always willing, CJ Watson is willing but often doesn't have ability. Lawson has both IMO. We'd just need his teammates to cooperate, which might be the most challenging part.

Most surprising Warriors’ player this past season? Most disappointing player?

Most surprising:   Anthony Randolph & Anthony Morrow.

Most disappointing:  Monta Ellis.

What would you consider some the of highlight moments of the season on the court?

It's tough coming up with highlight moments this far removed from the season. The only thing that really continues to stick out is 29-53, and how many highlights can you have with a season like that?

So as far as an individual game or performance, what's the point in getting into those? Like, yeah, the Warriors knocked off the Jazz late in the season in Utah, and they were undermanned. Great. But when you put it in the context of 29 wins, it's tough to attach significance to that. I certainly wouldn't call that win or the one over the Hornets late in the season "growth” games. We'll see if they meant anything next season.

Big picture … Randolph was the single-biggest positive that I saw in 2008-09. Morrow is next. There's something about Morrow, put it that way. But since Randolph clearly has an opportunity to be more of an impact player than Morrow, Randolph is the best thing to come out of last season.

Other than that, yes, some of the Warriors' role players who got more of an opportunity than they should have did well at times.

A lot of people choose to credit injuries as a reason why the Warriors record was as bad as it was this past season, even with a full healthy roster; this team is nowhere near a playoff team, correct?

I would say if you take this roster and give it a season's worth of good health; it still is not a .500 team. High 30s, maybe. That's why I find it somewhat puzzling that the Warriors' front office keeps enthusiastically selling that 2008-09 was a one-year dip and that they expect to contend, and make, the playoffs in 2009-10.

I'm not saying the Warriors aren't going to do that--contend for playoffs-- but realistically they're a few moves away at this point. But management is talking like its still dealing with the 48-win team from 2007-08. We're not.

Warriors gave out a lot of fresh money, i.e. Ellis, Biedrins, Turiaf, Maggette, Jackson, of those contracts which do you think were the best and which were mind boggling?

To me, the absolute worst move of the past year without even a second thought at the time it was done and right now was giving Stephen Jackson an extension. Not only was it an awful move from a strategic point of view, it also served as a window into everything that was wrong with the team's front office.

Chris Mullin, executive vice president of basketball operations at the time, not only didn't know the organization was going to give Jackson an extension, he would have never agreed to do so in the first place.  Fact: Mullin found out the Warriors and Jackson were talking extension from Jackson, himself.

At the start of last season, Jackson had two years remaining on his deal at very reasonable money. He had championship experience and would have been extremely attractive to some title contenders last February. Still would be if he had one year left on his deal. That would have been an asset and opportunity in any league.

But the Warriors are now sitting with Jackson for four more years. It's not necessarily that it’s a bad thing; it's that the other way was so, so much better.  Jackson had a very nice year last year, but he showed his limitations as a serious offensive option with his shooting percentage and turnover rate.

And don't give me the: "Well, we still got him at a really good number.” First of all, that remains to be seen, and second of all, it's a distraction from the bad decision in the first place.

Obviously, they overpaid for Corey Maggette. That's been inspected and dissected to death and the result is always the same: Too many years, too much money.

As far as the good, Ronny Turiaf sure seems like a nice piece right now at his contract, and I'll also acknowledge that the Warriors did a nice job with the contracts of Monta Ellis and Andris Biedrins.

What's most impressive with both of those deals from the Warriors' perspective is that neither of them ascend in salary. They both basically stay at $11 million (for Ellis) and $9 million (for Biedrins) for the remainder of the deals.

If you had to trade one of the two, Monta or Biedrins in a deal for a superstar, which one would you look to move?

Well, first off, I wouldn't be averse to moving either of them, depending. … I think what you're getting at is which one would you keep if you could. The answer to that is Ellis, no doubt.

Ellis is far more of an impact player than Biedrins, and Ellis still has a greater piece of unknown potential in front of him than Biedrins does. Biedrins is going to be a good center for a long time in the NBA, but at the end of the day, he's still going to probably be a low double-double guy. And again, repeat, nothing at all to scoff at.

But Ellis' ceiling is much higher, and he has a far greater chance of influencing games more so than Biedrins. But again, there's no reason for the telephone lines to be closed for either of them.

Who is the hardest working Warrior? The biggest gym rat? Who should be more dedicated?

The hard worker is easy and it's no contest: Anthony Morrow. He plays and plays and plays and embraces competition. He's the one guy who will play anyone, anytime anywhere after practice in any game you can come up with.

Come to think of it, though, you rarely see Morrow engaged in shooting contests after practice. Everyone knows better than to get into one of those with him. But you see him playing one-on-one constantly. Guy loves the game, and it comes through loud and clear.

I don't want to get into dedicated. How about something to prove? To me, the Warriors have to make a decision on Brandan Wright. And Wright's got a responsibility, too.

Guy was traded for Jason Richardson and needs to step up. He needs to show he can stay healthy, of course. At the same time, Don Nelson's got to give this kid a consistent opportunity. For goodness sakes the Warriors won 29 games last season, and even though Nelson will maintain he played Wright plenty, we all know differently.

Nelson looks for reasons not to play Wright rather than for reasons to play him. If that's the reality of the situation and it's not going to change, let's move on.

What do Randolph, Morrow and Wright have to work on in the offseason? How big of an offseason is it for Wright?

Randolph needs to work on everything, but to me he needs to work on his shooting most of all. Why? Because if Randolph can get a consistent 18-footer, he's going to be a real problem. Problem being good, in his case.

People disagree with me here but I think the Warriors did a little bit of disservice to him by discouraging him to shoot those shots much of the season. I know the other side of the argument; he didn't deserve that much freedom, blah, blah, blah. But if Randolph can face up from 18-feet and make some shots from out there, it puts him on another level. I just wouldn't have discouraged him in the way Nelson did.

Wright needs to get stronger and tougher, which pretty much everyone has been saying since he was drafted. He's also got to prove he can be durable enough to complete an NBA season without getting banged-up.

Morrow probably needs to work on his pick-and-roll game. Nelson seems to be interested in putting him those situations.

Do you sense any frustration from the players towards Nellie and the organization in general? Who are Nellie's whipping boys, a la Al Harrington during his tenure with the Warriors?

In terms of players being frustrated with the organization, not really. They don't know what's really going on, and for the most part, it's not really their care or priority.

As far as frustration with Nellie, certainly some players have it more than others.

But I don't sense anything more than the usual frustrations a team sometimes feels with the coach. As far as the guys Nelson's tough on, the one thing I've noticed about Nelson is he doesn't pick on the biggest kid in the room.

In other words, he wasn't going to pick on Baron Davis and he isn't going to pick on Stephen Jackson. Similarly, he's very careful when it comes to Corey Maggette. Nelson is hardest on young players who haven't yet gained any clout in the league. To me, Nelson has been most harsh on Randolph, Belinelli and Wright. But he's an equal opportunity hammerer, too, and I've seen him drill C.J. Watson and Kelenna Azubuike.

What is your opinion on Warriors Management; Chris Cohan, Robert Rowell and Larry Riley. Is business ahead of winning on the priority list? Is Riley his own man and decision maker or does Nelson pull the strings?

I would not say that business is ahead of winning in the organization. But I would say that facts are facts and the Warriors have been much more successful with their business than with their on-court product in the past 15 years. Bottom line is that management knows how to sell tickets; it hasn't proven it can win.

As for Riley being his own man, I'm certainly willing to give him that opportunity. It's not that I think Riley can't be his own man; it's just that I think after working with Nelson for as long as Riley has, they just share a basketball foundation of sorts that will likely mostly always go hand-in-hand. In other words, because they share a lot of the same philosophy, etc., it's only natural that they're not going to disagree over something or someone. They tend to look at personnel in the same way. So, the idea of Riley having to "stand up to Nelson,” and pick a guy Nelson hates … I don't see it every really happening because they're not likely to disagree so vehemently on anything.

I think the question of whether or not Riley can be his own man misses the point. What's more important is that Nelson and Riley are unlikely to disagree in the first place.

What happens first … a Warriors championship or Cohan sells the team?

I'm going to answer it this way … I don't see the Warriors winning a championship anytime soon, whether Cohan is owner or not. Seriously, when you get done watching the NBA playoffs like we all have, isn't it a touch sobering how far away a team like the Warriors are? Look at the talent on those final four to six to eight teams. Kobe Bryant, LeBron James, Dwight Howard, Carmelo Anthony, Dwyane Wade, Yao Ming, etc.

I mean, the Warriors don't have a player in any of those guys' league, and really, they're not going to have a player in those guys' league unless Randolph becomes that player. And even that is a hell of a projection for that young kid.

I guess the point I'm trying to make is that I think there is a greater chasm between making the playoffs and actually winning an NBA title than there is between going from a non-playoff team to playoff team.

Matt Steinmetz is named GM, how do you turn this team around? What moves would you make this offseason?

I don't take the GM job unless a few of my demands are met.

How are the Warriors perceived around the NBA? Back to irrelevance?

No doubt there is a collective: What's going out there? A few weeks ago when I was in L.A. for the Finals, I got that question lots of times. Bottom line is that Chris Mullin is pretty respected around the NBA, and his ouster just doesn't smell right. Throw in the fact that Nelson, Mullin's supposed friend, was on the periphery of that situation and apparently didn't work on Mullin's behalf, and it just doesn't make for positive public relations.

Thoughts on the latest Warriors' PR fiasco?

I'll leave that one alone since I was on periphery.

Warriors have the 7th pick in the draft, which player would you look at with that pick?

Stephen Curry. Here's why, and it's pretty simple. I keep hearing that Curry might be the best passer in the draft. And we know he's one of the best---if not the best-- shooter in the draft.

I will say this, however. I think the Warriors are in a brutal position draft wise. It seems pretty apparent that there are going to be hits and misses all over the board. There are too many unknowns. There are going to be a lot of teams up high in the draft who swing and miss and there are going to be teams in the 20s that hit home runs.

If the Warriors do use the pick, I have no doubt their selection will be a smart player, with good ball handling and decision-making skills, and a high basketball IQ to go along with it.

The Warriors are a very bad team when it comes to passing, decision-making and basketball IQ. It's where the Warriors really paid the price for losing Baron Davis. Now, you have Jackson making the bulk of the decisions, and really, how far will that take you?

This team isn't going to get significantly better until and unless it gets smarter and shares the ball more. And the only way they're getting smarter is to add smarter players.

Words to Warriorsworld.net?

To my friends there I say keep it up, great site. To Mac, I say … quit hatin.

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Special Thanks to Matt Steinmetz

Check out Matt’s work @ http://www.fanhouse.com/bloggers/matt-steinmetz/

Follow Matt on Twitter : twitter.com/matt_steinmetz

How long have you been a warriors fan?

I have been a Warriors fan since I was 8 yrs (1988) I remember it because this is when we had Manute Bol on the squad & everyone was trippin that dude was 7 feet 7 inches tall.

Fav. Current Warrior? Why?

For my favorite Warriors player, I would have to go with Stephen Jackson, homeboy is a beast.

Fav. All Time Warrior? Why?

My favorite all-time Warriors player has to be Tim Hardaway. Back in the days I went to a Warriors Jam in Oakland I think & I met him in the parking lot & he stopped and signed about 20 kids autographs before he went inside the event to sign more autographs.

Fav. Moment?

When we beat The Mavs in 07! We Believe!

BIO

Erik “GUS” Enriquez, a motivated and determined individual that values his loved ones.  Gus was born and raised in San Francisco, California.  Growing up he strived to be successful and had his mind set to achieving his goals.  He has an outgoing personality and is very “happy-go-lucky”.  GUS is blessed with everything that is apart of his life and feels to be truly fortunate.  He believes in not taking anything for granted, and embracing each day one day at a time.

GUS has always has a love for music and listens to all genres.  It is a form of expression that the artist wants for his listeners to understand at a different level; emotionally, physically and mentally.  He believes that music captures a person’s soul and engulfs an individual’s feelings as a form of therapy.

Promotions, communications, planning events/parties, coordinating, host, music label manager, customer service, marketing, sponsors, founder of “We Eating”, community involvement, clothing design and critique, and networking, are a few words that can describe GUS professionally in the business light.  He is motivated to be the “self-starter” in the business industry through his experiences and knowledge of what would work in our society.  GUS has been the voice in reaching out to the bay area artists in various art forms from music, graffiti, photography, paintings, and graphic design.  He knows that there is hidden art that has been yet undiscovered.

Currently, he is working on an urban based food show called “We Eating” that launched early this year.  The show consists of two guys from the bay area that find the hottest spots to eat at; a very indulging experience. Check it out www.WeEating.com

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The season just officially ended, the new season doesn't begin for 4 months and the Warriors are already coming apart at the seams.  Reports from Tim K., Andrew Katz, Draft Express all point to Ellis being unhappy with the W's and wanting out. Potential lottery picks are refusing to workout for the Warriors. Not surprising that the front office turmoil, lack of leadership, combined with injuries, unclear rotations and expectations have eroded any confidence that players, agents, prospects have in the organization. The hard line taken with Monta 'Ducati' Ellis by Rowell certainly didn't endear him to the franchise, and any good will generated by his prior success with Golden State is long gone.  With Mullin gone, there is no 'former player' friendly face of the franchise left. 

The Warriors have made it clear that their future is a Biedrins/Ellis combo, they are both locked up with long term contracts. Knowing that the Warriors hate wasting money, and are unlikely to want to reprint any of their marketing materials, they need to make the Ellis situation work... at least until they have finished selling season tickets, or can work out a trade for a big name.

So a visit to their star 170lb combo guard seems like a good idea. Rowell and Riley said there was a Nelson/Riley visit planned, it happened, the current speculation is, what happened at that meeting.

With a team that isn't playoff bound, any player should be on the block.  It takes at least 2 stars to win in this league, 1 and a solid supporting cast can get you to the playoffs.  The Warriors have no stars, only potential stars, so all of their pieces should be available. Monta is gifted, fast, a good mid-range shooter with potential, but he isn't a point guard.  He is also too small to guard other 2's. 

Nelson and Riley have seen enough to know what they have in Ellis and what they are likely to get out of him.  Why give him a guarantee that he would be the point this year?  With the draft less than 2 weeks away it doesn't give the Warriors much time to do a deal.  If they fail to do a deal for Ellis, then they need to live up to their promise or the situation will blow up at the draft.  Any remaining leverage the Warriors have will dissapear, and we will be forced into another trade where we send quality disgruntled talent elsewhere, for mediocre players or picks. 

When evaluating the reports and possibilities of the Warriors draft, and roadmap, the key insight to have is that the Warriors are not about championships.  Their goal for this year is to get back to the playoffs, 8th seed is fine, get Nelson his record victories, to drive season ticket sales next year.  When you look at the Warriors with this view, their off season strategy becomes clearer.

Good clarification from Swopa in the forum:

Today's grammar lesson: great moments in restrictive clauses, starring Tim Kawakami 

The following sentence from the Kawakami piece last night probably sums up most people's understanding of the Ellis situation:

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"One source indicates that Ellis came out of the Nelson/Riley meeting with the understanding that they would not draft a play-making guard."
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Except for one thing -- that's not the full sentence. Here's the whole thing, with emphasis added:

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"One source indicates that Ellis came out of the Nelson/Riley meeting with the understanding that they would not draft a play-making guard to usurp Ellis' standing."
-------------

The message in the first sentence is, "We won't draft a point guard."

The message in the second sentence is, "If we draft a point guard, it's not to replace you."

Draft hysteria is in full swing this season, please keep in mind the following 'fawning over players' schedule when posting in the forum.

Saturday was Flynn, yesterday was Jennings and today is Curry.

Here is the remaining schedule:

Tuesday - Harden
Wednesday - DeRozan
Thursday - Thabeet
Friday - Holiday
Saturday - Evans
Sunday - Hill
Monday - Rubio
Tuesday - Trade the pick

Talk about being drafted by the Warriors, what were your initial reactions, feelings, thoughts about being drafted in the Second Round and heading out west?

I was surprised and excited about the opportunity to go to Golden State. There had been talk about the late first round teams, but none of it panned out. I did not know much about the Warriors at the time, but was excited about joining a young team and Joe Smith (#1 draft pick). I was in the NBA, it was a dream come true and all I could think about was now I have to work even harder to prove I belonged.

Speak on your rookie season, what were the highs and lows? Adjustments both on and off the court?

It was a tough start after getting out the Oakland. Training camp was so much more than i expected. The NBA was the next level up and I always felt like i was behind.  So much to learn on the court and off the court.  I remember getting off the plane with 4 bags of clothes, spending one night in a hotel repacking everything into one bag and storing the rest and off to training camp the next day. As far as on the court, the toughest thing was going to practice and getting beat up and abused every day in practice and not getting any time on the court. But i was learning valuable lessons about the game and how to play. When i finally got in a game, I was so pumped up and excited, everyone was telling to me slow down.
Off the court, it was a big adjustment to living on my own, pay bills, cook for myself, make friends in a strange city 3000 miles from anyone i knew.

Most of my rookie year was a blur with everything going so fast.

Who were some of the Veterans who took you under their wing and helped you out the most during your time with the Warriors?

I consider myself lucky to have been given the locker right next to Chris Mullins. He was always in my ear about what was going on a how to handle certain situations. What i should be focusing on and what to just let slide off my back and move on. His work ethic on and off the court was a big influence in my carreer. I also had great teammates like Jon Barry, BJ Armstrong, and Jerome Kersey, to just name a few.

How was it playing for Rick Adelman your first two seasons in the NBA?

Looking back on it Rick Adelman was a great coach for me. As a rookie, It seemed like i was always wrong and could never do anything right, but I learned a lot about NBA basketball from him and his staff. We did not win very much, but the lessons i learned during that time help to build a foundation in my game to go on to a 10 year career.

Andrew, what have you been up to lately?

Like i said earlier, I have 3 kids 5 and under. So i am mostly a stay at home dad. I love being able to be around my kids as they grow up. Outside of that, I am mostly an investor in different business deals and i enjoy coaching in summer basketball camps for kids.

What are some of your passions and interests which get most of your time now post-NBA career?

Most of my time goes to my family, and after them i like to help out around my church as much as I can. I love to work with kids and use basketball to teach them about life and character and success.

Any regrets from your time in the NBA? Or wish something would've turned out differently?

I believe and tried to live my life to this, Give what you have to the best of your ability and let the chips fall where they may. I do not regret anything about my NBA career. I wish i could have played longer and not had the injuries i had, but on the other hand, each injury represents the passion i played the game with every night.