From poster Top Dog in the forum, discussion here

1) It would further clog our already crowded front court, which would…

2) Limit the development of our young 4s and 5s. Whatever you think of AR, BW, or EU, the only way we’ll find out what we really have with any of them is via playing time, which will already be at a premium because of Beans and Ronny.

3) Lee is many things, but a true center ain’t one of ‘em. The Knicks got away with playing Lee at the 5 because the East is still pretty weak overall. The West has teams with legitimately huge power forwards and centers: Bynum/Gasol, Cousins, Yao, TD, Nene, Kaman–I’ll even include Sideshow Bob Lopez in Phoenix because he really showed me something last year, and he’s definitely enormous. The point is, David Lee is barely a 5 in the East, and wouldn’t be able to hang physically in the West. As a result, his rebounding numbers would go down and our already porous frontcourt D would erode even further.

4) If you’re comparing Monta and Lee, you can’t just put their numbers up side by side even though Monta comes out looking pretty good in that analysis. Basketball is such a team sport that you have consider the context. And the Knicks provided Lee with an incredible environment for putting up gaudy numbers last year.

-D’Antoni’s system inflates offensive numbers by running constantly and requiring the players to play absolutely no D, which leaves them with more energy on the other end

-Shitty team = lots of touches
-Plenty of blowouts = opponents’ putting their scrubs in early on
-Weak competition at his position on the team = ample minutes

Now before you say that Monta enjoyed the same advantages (which he did, with the possible exception of the touches), you have to consider whether those advantages would be there for Lee in the case of a trade. And they wouldn’t. Lee wouldn’t get as many minutes or touches because our front court is too crowded. The W’s will not be great, but they’ll be more competitive than the Knicks were last season, which means there will be fewer blowouts. The competition in the West will mean Lee has to work a hell of a lot harder to get his.

Don’t get me wrong: I like David Lee as a player. If we didn’t have so many similar players already, I’d be more interested. But other than a dominant low post force–which, to quote Rick Pitino, ain’t walkin’ through that door–this team needs a legit 2 or 3 more than anything.

So the W’s should try to trade Monta for Granger or Iguodala or just wait. Monta will put up impressive numbers again, and eventually the offers for him will improve. He’s a special, if frustrating, offensive player, and we can’t afford to further f#$% up our team just get him off of it.

David Lee trade rumors are flying but it’s hard to buy the hype. Warriors management is likely doing what fans dally in: Impotent window shopping. At least that’s what they damned well should be doing—lameducks shouldn’t be raising ducklings.

Lee has been a comically bad defender despite all that brilliant guidance from Eddy Curry and Starbury. His brand of defense is the absence of it. David’s the napping security guard at the museum, wake me when he blocks a shot.
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The weather was bleak, a greying sky that bore no contrast to Oracle’s concrete corrosion.  Inside the stadium, far too many fans bubbled with far too much enthusiasm.  After eons of Cohanese water torture, legions of Warriors supporters persevere like three-eyed fish near a nuclear plant. They simply won’t die, no matter the circumstances. Many have said that sports mean more on the East Coast. That’s a lot of crap.

Two swift stabs killed the collective excitement. First to the stomach–Cousins went to the Kings. Not everybody was sold on DeMarcus, but drafts are about dreaming. We envision the best-case scenario and Boogie can be great. When DC got King’d, some Oracle faithful unleashed pained yelps. Continue Reading…

Greg Monroe

Monroe is the best available big-man in the draft following Favors and Cousins, which for the Warriors would be a nice pick up at #6.  Monroe is the probably the most diverse and multi-faceted big man in the draft which is a huge plus since he’ll be playing for Nellie who hates playing big men who can’t shoot or pass.  Monroe gives the Warriors another young big to add to their collection, provides depth, competition and flexibility to make a move this off-season involving Anthony Randolph or Andris Biedrins.

Interview with Nellie after the Sunday workouts with his thoughts on Manute Bol’s passing and the draft. At the 3:26 mark Nellie talks about Monroe’s passing ability.

Interview with Greg Monroe after Warriors pre-draft workout

By Sherwood Strauss

The Warriors have reached a verbal agreement with their fans “not to suck.” No word on the exact terms, something about Oracle, Maui, and Tim Kawakami getting bored. In the meantime, I’ll speculate on a trade rumor that will likely hang till draft day.

I’m a huge Anthony Randolph booster, defender, damn near sycophant. I’ve never seen a talent quite like him, and I’ve never seen a talent quite like him rot on the bench behind the sulfur stink of Mikki Moore.  So what of Randolph for Love? Sheed’s against it, and I dodged the question last week. My main issue is the moral hazard of letting pre-fired Warriors executives determine the future.  But I’ll let that slide until temporary Warriors HQ trades Steph Curry for Derek Fisher. Shaking my fist at the moral hazard is merely a way to sidestep a tough question: Would I swap Anthony Randolph for Kevin Love?

I wouldn’t, but objectively, it would be a correct decision.

So, Love for Randolph, Randolph for Love, a cold shoulder for any Al Jefferson discussions. To the Love haters, I say, “not as crazy as you’d think.” And that’s because Love is more athletic than you’ve been led to believe.  How else could Kevin have snatched so many rebounds in the L? The voodoo of fundamentals? KL has hops.

Don’t scoff when I call Love athletic (you awful, dastardly bastard of a reverse racist). If Draft Express was working right now, I’d link to his impressive 2008 vertical leap (35 inches by my recollection). Since Draft Express could still be fritzed as you read…might as well exaggerate. Kevin Love is the next Dominique Wilkins. He just dunked on you. Twice. On Christmas, I looked up, thinking I spied Santa in the sky. It was actually Kevin Love, dunking on me. Hard. Still not sure why I expected Santa and I’m confused as to why Kevin Love was tied to a Reindeer. But he dunked on me with such ferocity that I now leave milk and cookies for Love as a means of avoiding such Christmas haymakers. And I’m Jewish.

Okay, Draft Express started working while I wrote that deranged paragraph. Kevin Love has a maximum vertical leap of 35 inches, equaling Anthony Randolph’s.  Of course, AR plays bigger on defense and he’s quicker off his feet. A major difference is that Randolph’s a shade taller (1.5 inches), and outspans Love’s wings (3.75 inches). Caveat: These metrics aren’t perfect and they don’t necessarily quantify what we see in games. But Love’s lack of athleticism is greatly exaggerated. And his on court contributions are underrated.

14ppg, 11rpg, 2.3 apg, 28.6mpg

Love’s scoring leaves something to be desired, as does his 54.9 true shooting percentage. But he could be the best rebounder in the league, and the Warriors are in need of boards. Love’s supposedly a defensive disaster, but his 82games stats say he’s neutral on that end. KLove could also pass well for a team replete with blinders-hindered gunners.

So yes, Randolph for Love would be logical in a straight up trade. It hurts to say it, but I think I would. Were I not a Warriors fan.

So why wouldn’t I do the trade? Aesthetics. It sounds like foolish subjective musing, but there’s something mysterious and fascinating about AR’s game. I don’t want to give up on that, I couldn’t. I want the Lamar Odom-Josh Smith hybrid playing with Stephen Curry, let’s see how it plays out.  The best Anthony Randolph scenario sounds much more appealing than the best Kevin Love scenario.

Love and Randolph are linked in trade rumors, and it makes cosmic sense.  Two players, screwed by comical talent squandering, brain-melting irrationality. Just thinking about either situation makes me crave an aneurism.  Or an NBA front office job.

Anthony Randolph: The Weeping Pogo Stick

Minute thieves: Mikki Moore (seriously?), Chris Hunter (who?), Vlad Rad (!), anyone over 6-2
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By Sherwood Strauss

Those were some tough bounces...

•    Thanks for winning those games, Nellie.  At least Don combed his hair for the late season franchise-bludgeoning victories. I guess.
•    Speaking of stretches untanked, the NBA should go back to the old system where every playoff team has an equal lottery chance. Why incentivize tanking? And if a 13th ranked team gets the first pick, so be it. Problem solved, no more porter potty baths for season ticket holders.

•    The 6th pick sucks. Continue Reading…

Coming into the season, the Golden State Volcano Watch had narrowed to a sharp focus. Stephen Jackson was clearly the most likely Warrior to erupt, with Mount St. Ellis a distant second.

Bay Area residents had hoped that the recently dormant Anthony Randolph had permanently cooled, defused by two recent developments pertaining to head coach Done Nelson: pending retirement and a sit-down with the Parents Randolph.

The days of Nelson micromanaging his future star were supposedly over, now that Nelson had clearly taught Randolph whatever lessons he felt the young forward needed to learn. Plus, Nellie was no doubt softened by the Randolphs’ home cooking and sharing of embarrassing baby pictures.

But then the regular season started, and things took an ugly turn.

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