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WW.Net hooked up with Chicago Tribune Writer Sam Smith to discuss the Warriors and other NBA items.
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WW.NET: What are your thoughts on the Warriors Draft Picks- Marco Belinelli, Brandan Wright and Stephane Lasme?
S.S: I'm never much of a believer in rookies until I see them play against
NBA talent. I'm told Belinelli is ready as a shooting guard, but I'm
not sure he speaks Nellie. It does take some getting used to. I think
Wright has a chance to be a very good ;player, but not for several
years. He's way, way too skinny now and not ready for the NBA, and
certainly not a team with expectations like the Warriors after the
playoffs. I have no idea about the other guy, but he sounds like a non
scoring role player, which is not nellie's style of rookie. Tell him to
hang out with O'Bryant
WW.NET: Which team got the better end of the deal between Golden State and Charlotte?
S.S: The Bobcats for now. I took a lot of heat, probably on your site, for
saying the Warriors would trade him. I believe they made the right move
for their future finances and would have done the same. But Richardson
will contribute and Wright won't for a few more years.
WW.NET: Will the Warriors miss Jason Richardson or will Monta Ellis and Marco Belinelli make it easy to forget Richardson?
S.S: I don't think they'll miss him that much with Stephen Jackson there
(assuming he stays out of trouble) for the season, though it is a lot
to ask of young players. But it was the right thing to do.
WW.NET: Andris Biedrins, Monta Ellis, Baron Davis, Matt Barnes are all looking for
contract extensions- who do the Warriors keep and for how much?
S.S: I'd
offer reasonable deals to all. This is what players don't understand
Your market is what someone will pay you, not what players of similar
abilities make. The Warriors best player the rare times he's healty is
Davis. But if I'm under the cap, I'm not investing in an injury-prone,
moody almost 29-year-old. I don't see Davis dropping his option and
then I'd offer him in the $10 million range and build a reasonable
payroll. Make him the highest paid but not by much. With incentives for
games played. You can't keep paying a guy for the part time job Davis
does. I know $10 million doesn't seem like much to you silicon valley
types, but it still is enough for about 30 luxury cars a year.
WW.NET: Where does the Warriors upset of Dallas rank in the greatest upsets in sports?
S.S: I don't get much into that. It certainly was the best one last season,
but Dallas never had won a championship and wasn't quite the Bulls,
Lakers or Celtics in their prime. The lakers losing to the Rockets in
thre early 80's, the rockets' 40-win team going to the finals, the
64-win sonics going out to denver, the 68-win celtics going out after
one round in '73, even the cavs getting to the conference finals after
never even making the playoffs. There were many great upsets in NBA
history. Though I guess you guys only count since espn came on the air.
I should add I picked the warriors over the mavs before the playoffs
began, so I guess I didn't think it was that big an upset. I've thought
all along the mavs were overrated. sorry.
WW.NET: Chris Mullin started his tenure as Gm by giving Foyle, Fisher,
Richardson, Dunleavy, Murphy all big money and a few years later they
are all gone, is Mullin doing a good job or is it more of Don Nelson's
help that has changed the Warriors financial fortunes?
S.S: I think Chris is growing into the job nicely. I see this with all the
gm's who are former players. They come in not knowing what to do or
understanding the job. so they give money away because deep down they
all harbor some resentment over negotiations when they were players.
They decide they won't put their players through that and end up
overspending and making bad salary cap decisions. In Chicago, John
Paxson, who has done a terrific job, gave Scottie Pippen $10 million
for basically no reason when he got the job. Pippen barely ever
played.. Ainge,, Ferry, Otis Smith. They all do it. When they learn
business and the job, they stop. what we forget is just because they
can play basketball, how does that qualify them to run a team, which is
a business and managememt job. But the smart ones figure it out and
Chris is.
WW.NET: Your prediction for the Warriors this season, How many wins and what seed in the playoffs?
S.S: Playoffs remain a question still. Yes, the Nellie experiments should be
close to over with the trade from last season and the playoff upset.
But I see at least 5 and maybe six teams definitely better. I see them
fighting the lakers and Nuggets for one of the last spots and maybe not
making it is Davis is hurt again.
WW.NET: Gilbert Arenas is looking to opt out after this season and Baron also
has an opt out, Arenas back to Golden State a possibility?
S.S: I don't see it, and plus I think Gilbert already is becoming a
distraction to his own team with his Gilbertworld act. He's a terrific
guy and hugely popular in D.C. They seem content there not to compete
seriously as long as they have someone to watch. Plus, Gilbert may be
the worst guard defender I've ever seen. The problem with so many
players today is they want this maximumn deal and then want to go
somewhere with a better player so they can have an easier way to win. I
remember Jordan always saying he wanted to be in Chicago and win after
the tough times and not somewhere else. As I said, I don't see Davis
walking away from 17 million when no one will pay him anywhere near
that.
WW.NET: Kobe Bryant has been quiet since his early summer trade demands, do you see
the Lakers trading him and if so, is there another team besides Chicago
that has the assets to acquire him?
S.S: I think Chicago will listen and make another run if he seriously is on
the market, which he never has been. I don't see the Lakers doing
anything and then trying to add someone signifcant after the season to
begin to appease him. This should be a never ending entertaining tale,
though I'm not completely unsympathetic to Kobe because the lakers
shouldn't be wasting the last best years of the league's best player
while trrying to develop andrew bynum.
WW.NET:. Best offseason rumor you heard that was actually believable?
S.S: Garnett was traded, right. Didn't hear much this offseason and not much
occurred. I was at the beach. didn't think we had one,eh?
WW.NET:.
Kirilenko is saying he wants out of Utah, does any team dare acquire
him and his remaining $63 million over 4 years? if so, which teams are
a possibility?
S.S: I don't
see it now, as you said, given that contract. The question is whether
Utah would just take salary relief and a package of junk with expiring
contracts, like Kwame Brown, etc. It may come to that, but doesn't seem
so quite yet. They'll wait to see how truly annoying he gets, but I
don't see Sloan and Miller putting up with him too long.
WW.NET: Who are the playoff teams out West, rank them 1-8.
S.S: Suns, Mavs, Spurs, Rockets, Jazz, Lakers, Warriors, Nuggets. It's early
and i haven't seen anybody yet, so i reserve the right to change.
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Thanks
to Sam Smith for giving some time to WW.NET and come share your
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