SB Nation User Blog: Atma Brother ONE

RUMOR: Warriors owner Chris Cohan "highly likely" to sell

Atma Brother ONE — Sat, 04 Jul 2009 16:28:16 -0000

GOOD RIDDANCE. [via media.picfor.me]

Jump for the info.

Tim Kawakami in Warriors big picture: Is Cohan getting ready to sell? over at Talking Points for the Mercury has what seems like a dream come through for long suffering Warriors fans:

Warriors owner Chris Cohan is believed to be seriously considering selling his 80% stake in the franchise in the next year or two, according to the sources. (He took control of the franchise in January 1995.)

In fact, one knowledgeable source said it’s "highly likely" that Cohan will sell most or all of his controlling interest in the team, possibly pulling back only if the current recession unexpectedly continues through 2011 and Cohan can’t get the price he wants.

The sources did not give specific reasons for Cohan’s potential sell-off, and all of them noted that Cohan has spoiled soon-to-sell speculation several times in the past.

But one source pointed to Cohan’s long-running battle with the IRS and another theorized that Cohan has wearied of the criticism he receives for the team’s run of disappointment, which includes 1 playoff season and 14 seasons in which the team did not reach the postseason.

I will also add that I've personally heard from several insiders over the past few years that Cohan was nearing a sale for various reasons, although obviously/ unfortunately nothing has yet to materialize.

Cohan (since we all know you're reading this)-- It's time to stop embarrassing yourself and sell the team. It would be great for the Bay Area, the NBA, and the game of basketball. Thanks!

Marcus Thompson writes Cohan Cashing Out? over at Inside the Warriors for the Bay Area News Group:

While his departure may cause a parade in the streets, the change of ownership is no small deal. It could potentially set things back. A new owner could mean new president, and maybe even new general manager and coach. And all that could mean new roster, new direction on the court.

If I were the new owner of the Warriors my first order of business would be to fire Robert Rowell. The man simply does not have the resume of a guy even the least bit qualified to be the president of a half a billion dollar corporation. It's not like his on the job "training" with the Warriors the past decade is very impressive- it can be likened to former Rowell/ Cohan publicity stunt Chris Mullin's "tutelage and grooming" for the head front office man under Gary St. Jean. Rowell's (deserved) firing would cause yet another parade in the streets.

My second order of business would be to give GM Larry Riley and head coach Don Nelson a vote of confidence. Nellie is a legendary head coach in this league and a shrewd basketball man who has resurrected the the once lowly Dallas Mavericks and the Warriors twice. If Riley's the guy he wants helping him out upstairs, then so be it. Riley might not have the most distinguished front office resume, but he is experienced and sounds a whole smarter and prepared than previous front office personnel this team has had. Despite what all the Nellie haters and Mullin apologists might have you believing, this duo is legit and the fact that they're on the same page is a great thing.

The third order of business is to blow up this roster. This mostly Mullin-created roster is a straight up disaster from top to bottom, but that's a discussion for another time. Let's stay focused here...

SELL THE WARRIORS.

What are some of the other things you're hoping are changed about this dysfunctional, unprofessional, and losing organization under a new majority owner?

Thanks to UCdubsFan for putting up the FanShot.

99% of rumors never happen, but 100% of Warriors faithful desperately want this one to happen!

Also see:

SPECIAL REPORT: The man who owns the Warriors. Cohan's rocky reign. An era marked by lost games, lost fans and endless litigation [SFGate]
Polling GSoM: Are you really that surprised that PR director Raymond Ridder and the Golden State Warriors got caught "astroturfing"? (5/23/09)
At the Press Conference: Write "Sell the Warriors" (8/29/06)
Missing Signatures (4/19/06)
Rise to the Occasion (3/17/06)
2005-2006 REPORT CARD: Chris Cohan and Robert Rowell (8/23/09)
BREAKING NEWS: Ice Cube Purchases the Warriors (4/1/06)
We Want Larry! (7/25/09)
San Jose SuperSonics in 2k8 (7/18/06)
NBA Draft 2006: Chris Cohan is happy the draft isn't in the Bay (6/28/07)
The Dirty Dozen - Part 1 of 3 (9/11/06)
IRS Stressing Warrior Owner Chris Cohan (5/19/09)
NBA Payroll Playpen and Cohanomics (11/30/07)
WARRIORSist (6/6/06)
RUMOR: Chris Cohan and Robert Rowell said no to Kevin Garnett because of additional salary and the luxury tax (5/16/09)

Poll

Would you be doing backflips if Warriors majority owner Chris Cohan sold off his stake in the franchise?

Allen Iverson Age 20 vs. Stephen Curry Age 20

Atma Brother ONE — Fri, 03 Jul 2009 02:58:36 -0000

It's time to go dig deep into the basketball reference books like a hoops historian and compare Golden State Warrior rookie Stephen Curry to the all-time great balla extraordinaire Allen Iverson- at age 20 in college that is.

Hoyas jersys circa 1995 are still some of the illest hoops threads even stitched. [via photos.syracuse.com]

Why this comparison? It's quite simple actually. Masala is The Answer! J-U-M-P.

Okay, okay the real reason for this comparison is it's the offseason and your friend is simply Piled Higher and Deeper.

Allen Iverson Age 20

Sophomore Year @ Georgetown University

LEGENDARY. [via thesituationist.files.wordpress.com]

Stephen Curry Age 20

Junior Year @ Davidson College (?)

I really lucked into a Stephen Curry Davidson vs. G-Town pic for this piece. [via statsheet.com]

INSIDE THE NUMBERS

	Allen Iverson @ 20	Stephen Curry @ 20
Minutes	32.8 mpg	33.7 mpg
Points	25.0 ppg	28.6 ppg
- FG %	48.0%	45.4%
- 3pt %	36.6%	38.7%
- FT %	67.8%	87.6%
Assists	4.7 apg	5.6 apg
Turnovers	3.8 to	3.7 to
Rebounds	3.8 rpg	4.4 rpg
Steals	3.4 stl	2.5 stl

See Allen Iverson College Statistics on Basketball Reference and don't sleep on the nonstop Hoya-ness.

			FG			3PT			FT			Rebounds			Misc
	G	M	M	A	Pct	M	A	Pct	M	A	Pct	Off	Def	Tot	Ast	TO	Stl	Blk	PF	PPG
2008 - Stephen Curry	33	33.6	9.1	20.0	45.6	3.8	9.9	38.7	6.7	7.6	87.6	0.6	3.7	4.3	5.6	3.6	2.5	0.2	2.3	28.7

A Few Important Notes...

Competition Factor: It must- let me stress that again, MUST be noted that on Georgetown AI played against far superior competiton than Curry did at Davidson. Don't believe me?

Quick! Name what conference Davidson plays in. Shoot, Google probably doesn't even know. Advantage- The Answer

Size Difference: Believe it or not, but "small" Curry is listed as being 3 inches taller than AI. He should naturally fill out and increase that weight slim disparity too.

Allen Iverson (now): 6-0, 180 lbs
Stephen Curry (now): 6-3, 185 lbs

Advantage- Masala (eventually)

Draft Selection: Iverson went #1 in a loaded draft, probably my favorite of all time. Curry went #7 in what was commonly regarded as a terrible draft. Plus, Curry got drafted by the Warriors so there's always the curse of Joe Smith, Todd Fuller, Adonal Foyle, Mike Dunleavy, Ike Diogu, and Patrick O'Bryant. Advantage- The Answer

(Don't sleep on Golden State Warriors 1st Round Draft History and Just My Imagination!)

So what does this all mean?

Probably nothing, but thanks for reading!

Yo Phoenix (since I know you're reading and going nuts that Larry Riley and Don Nelson didn't gift wrap Stephen Curry to all you fine retired folk)- If you're lucky the Warriors might do a Stephen Curry for Amare Stoudemire and Jason Richardson swap. A 2-for-1 seems more than fair here for a guy who put up better numbers than Allen Iverson at age 20.

Just kidding. In all seriousness, Steve Kerr- pull the trigger! Andris Biedrins, Brandan Wright, and Marco Belinelli? That's like 3 future all-time greats so the GSW homers tell me. Forget how many games they've won or what they've actually produced in meaningful minutes in a meaningful sample- check out their per 36 totals! Forget that they're all horrific defenders- didn't you hear? It's all Nellie's fault he can't win a championship with this cast of hoop superstars with RIDICULOUS UPSIDE.

The Bright Side of the Sun is that they've actually made the playoffs more than once in 15 years.

Poll

Who was better at age 20?

Polling GSoM: Who are you most excited about watching on the Warriors 2009 Las Vegas Summer League squad?

Atma Brother ONE — Thu, 02 Jul 2009 15:47:38 -0000

It's summatime in the Golden State! Jump for the 411 on the Dubs 2009 La Vegas Summer League squad.

It looks like he's blocking his own shot! [via www.sfgate.com]

Warriors Announce 2009 Summer League Roster & Schedule [Warriors.com]

WARRIORS 2009 SUMMER LEAGUE ROSTER

NO.	PLAYER	POS	HT	WT	BORN	FROM	YRS
40	Connor Atchley	F/C	6-10	226	5/31/85	Texas	R
30	Stephen Curry	G	6-3	185	3/14/88	Davidson	R
33	Jermareo Davidson	F/C	6-10	230	11/15/84	Alabama	2
26	Lawrence Hill	F	6-8	220	9/16/87	Stanford	R
9	Joe Ingles	F	6-8	194	10/2/87	Australia	R
25	Jared Jordan	G	6-2	185	10/14/84	Marist	R
2	Acie Law IV	G	6-3	195	1/25/85	Texas A&M	2
3	Cartier Martin	G/F	6-7	220	11/20/84	Kansas State	1
22	Anthony Morrow	G	6-5	210	9/27/85	Georgia Tech	1
20	Quan Prowell	F	6-8	215	11/1/84	Auburn	R
4	Anthony Randolph	F	6-10	210	7/15/89	LSU	1
44	Lawrence Roberts	F/C	6-9	240	10/20/82	Mississippi State	2
35	Jamal Sampson	C	6-11	235	5/15/83	California	5

*Roster subject to change

WARRIORS 2009 SUMMER LEAGUE SCHEDULE

DATE	OPPONENT	TIME (PDT)	LOCATION
Friday, July 10	Houston Rockets	1:00 p.m.	COX Pavilion
Saturday, July 11	Sacramento Kings	5:00 p.m.	COX Pavilion
Monday, July 13	Detroit Pistons	7:00 p.m.	Cox Pavilion
Tuesday, July 14	Chicago Bulls	5:00 p.m.	COX Pavilion
Thursday, July 16	New Orleans Hornets	5:00 p.m.	COX Pavilion

I feel like I already know what Anthony Morrow can do- shoot the lights out, rebound the rock, and hustle on D. I'm not that interested in seeing Anthony Randolph (likely) dominate this level of competition, but it will be interesting to see his rebuilt body (just like Morrow's). As you all probably know Anthony's Been Doin' Work this summer [see Randolph bigger, vows to be better by MT].

However, my vote for most intriguing watch on the Dubs summer league team goes to Masala Curry and Law & Order IV. I really don't have a feel for what Stephen Curry and Acie Law IV can do even at this level of mostly players fighting to be NBA 12th man.

For the first time in a long time I'm actually pretty excited about the Warriors Summer League team. I hate to temper everyone's excitement, but I feel obligated to caution you- the summer league is absolutely meaningless (ahem, see fool's gold). It's like the 10th- 12th men and practice squad players dueling it out.

Now that doesn't mean it isn't fun, but it does mean that it's a fairly useless barometer of how players will actually do in the NBA regular season. There's exceptions like AMMO and Kaz of course, but for the most part this is just meaningless fun (in all fairness I guess "meaningless fun" also applies to the Warriors regular season). Having said that let's hope the Dubs summer league team dominates and is simply "Unstoppable Baby!"

NBA Finals Championships are for the Lakers, but Summer League crowns? That's reserved for us over here- thank you very much.

We should have several live GSoM correspondents to get you all the 411 and more from the City of Sin. Ridiculous Scott from the super rididiculous Ridiculous Upside in particular will be giving ridiculous airtime to the Summer League festivities. Will anyone else be making the trip out to LV this year? Scouting reports, interviews, etc. are always appreciated for your golden friends here in the Bay Area who missed the bus to Vegas.

More summatime madness:

Summer league roster [SFGate]

Say hello to Joe Ingles (the player blocking his own shot above):

The 6-foot-8 wing with point-guard skills created quite a bit of positive buzz during pre-draft workouts, but after struggling at the Reebok Eurocamp, Ingles went undrafted.

Meet the Warriors Summer League Team [Fast Break]

Summer: school is out, the fog is in, and the Warriors have a shot at winning it all. "It," of course, being the annual Las Vegas Summer League. This year the team will be rolling out two starters from last year’s regular season squad and two new backcourt acquisitions. No, Marco Belinelli will not be dazzling the crowd for a third straight year. With Anthony Randolph on the roster, however, I doubt the Vegas fans need to worry about a lack of excitement.

2009 NBA Free Agency: Warriors Expected to Use Midlevel Exception- Ramon Sessions, Jarrett Jack, Jason Kidd, and Allen Iverson

Atma Brother ONE — Wed, 01 Jul 2009 16:35:47 -0000

Now that all of the 2009 NBA Draft madness is over it's time to turn our focus towards 2009 NBA Free Agency.

Looks like an interesting read. Anyone read it? [Amazon.com]

Jump like LB23 will be jumping from the midwest to NY in 2010!

In Chad Ford's list of Top 25 free agents for this summer over at ESPN.com he notes that only a handful of teams such as the Golden State Warriors, Dallas Mavericks, and Cleveland Cavaliers are expected to use their midlevel exception this offseason. In the list he notes that the Warriors are interested in two restricted free agents in particular: 1) Ramon Sessions and 2) Jarrett Jack.

Ramon Sessions, Bucks (RFA)
Teams Interested: Bucks, Mavericks, Warriors, Rockets, Heat, Blazers
Salary Range: $3-5 million per year
Teams are always in pursuit of point guards, especially ones that aren't going to break the bank, and Sessions has caught the eye of a number of teams. With the Bucks struggling financially, they may not be able to match.

via www.tiricosuave.com

Sessions is indeed intriguing. Some have even called him The Greatest Basketball Player On Earth [Tirico Suave] which is pretty impressive for a guy who the Warriors passed up 4 times in the 2007 NBA Draft for Brandan Wright, Marco Belinelli, Jermareo Davidson, and Stephane Lasme (see Golden State Warriors 1st Round Draft History and Just My Imagination). In all seriousness, Sessions is an upgrade over both Acie Law and C.J. Watson. Maybe if he comes here San Ramon can give him the city key too. If $3-5 million is the asking price, the Warriors should be buying.

Check out: How much do the Bucks want Ramon Sessions back? [Brew Hoop]

			FG			3PT			FT			Rebounds			Misc
	G	M	M	A	Pct	M	A	Pct	M	A	Pct	Off	Def	Tot	Ast	TO	Stl	Blk	PF	PPG
2008 - Ramon Sessions	79	27.5	4.4	9.8	44.5	0.1	0.4	17.6	3.6	4.5	79.4	0.8	2.6	3.4	5.7	1.9	1.1	0.1	2.0	12.4

Jarrett Jack, Pacers (RFA)
Teams Interested: Pacers, Hawks, Raptors, Sixers, Warriors
Salary Range: $3-5 million per year
Jack beat out T.J. Ford for the Pacers' starting point guard position at the end of the season. He might get offers in the range of the midlevel exception, and it's not clear whether or not the Pacers can afford to re-sign him. One team to watch is the Hawks, who could bring him back to Atlanta, where he played college ball at Georgia Tech.

Jack is about 3 years older than Sessions and provides a very steady hand in the backcourt. There's nothing spectacular about this signing, nor is their much upside. It would still be a solid one nonetheless. The fun money would go to Sessions, but Jack is no slouch either. This is a guy who finished off the 2008-2009 season in a tear. 17.3 ppg. 4.9 apg, and 1.4 stls (post All-Star break) capability is more than adequate for a backup guard.

Over at Indy Cornrows don't miss:

			FG			3PT			FT			Rebounds			Misc
	G	M	M	A	Pct	M	A	Pct	M	A	Pct	Off	Def	Tot	Ast	TO	Stl	Blk	PF	PPG
2008 - Jarrett Jack	82	33.1	4.7	10.4	45.3	1.0	2.7	35.3	2.7	3.2	85.2	0.5	2.8	3.4	4.1	2.2	1.1	0.2	2.2	13.1

Another name to toss out is Jason Kidd as my esteemed colleague R Dizzle has already done: Bring Back Jason Kidd to the Bay! ...Why not?

Jason Kidd, Mavericks
Teams Interested: Mavericks, Blazers, Lakers, Rockets, Knicks
Salary Range: $5.5-7 million per year

Kidd continues to claim that the reports of his demise are exaggerated, and his solid play last season backed him up. Still, he's a 36-year-old point guard.

The Mavs are one of several teams willing to pay for a point guard with court vision. It remains to be seen where he wants to be and whether he'll command more than a midlevel deal.

Don't let anyone tell you Kidd is old, washed up, and not good anymore. Take a look at the facts:

he’s morphed into a very nice 3pt shooter- 40.6% 3pt last season
he’s still an elite passer with nearly 9 dimes a game to only 2 turnovers
6.2 rpg last season
2 steals last season
played in 321 out of 328 possible games the last 4 seasons

Unlike the Warriors other 2 primary ball handlers Monta and Jack, no one is ever going to accuse JKidd of being a black hole or regularly making dumb decisions with the rock.

He’s a perfect PG guard alongside Monta. Kidd is still a phenomenal distributor and he’s big enough and still able to guard the non-elite 2 guards in this league. Think Monta will love running out on the 1 man fast break will Kidd rebounding the rock and dishing a laser pass to him? Think Corey Maggette will love finishing the fast break or long lobs from Kidd? Think everyone will be complaining a lot loss about Jack's turnovers?

I think so.

At this point in his career Kidd's looking for a championship as he should, so I highly doubt he'd even be the least bit interested in coming back to the Bay to play for Cohan and Rowell's disaster. However, as Eric B and Rakim will tell you- this ain't no joke:

PG: Jason Kidd
SG: Monta Ellis
SF: Stephen Jackson
PF: Anthony Randolph
C: Amare Stoudemire

Bench: Anthony Morrow, Corey Maggette, Stephen Curry, Ronny Turiaf, Kelenna Azubuike

Check out Mavs Moneyball for more thoughts on Jason Kidd's recent play.

Kidding around in the GSoM Vault:

			FG			3PT			FT			Rebounds			Misc
	G	M	M	A	Pct	M	A	Pct	M	A	Pct	Off	Def	Tot	Ast	TO	Stl	Blk	PF	PPG
2008 - Jason Kidd	81	35.6	3.2	7.6	41.6	1.6	4.0	40.6	1.1	1.3	81.9	1.0	5.1	6.2	8.7	2.3	2.0	0.5	2.1	9.0

A final name I'll toss out is the one and only Allen Iverson. It really doesn't appear teams are that interested in him right now. His stock is at its lowest point... ever.

Allen Iverson, Pistons (UFA)
Teams Interested: ???
Salary Range: $3-5 million per year
Iverson's late-season disappearance didn't help his reputation. He's still a good player, but two nagging questions will hurt his case for a big deal: One, with the exception of that magical season in Philly under Larry Brown, is Iverson a winner? Two, does he have much left? The answer to Question 1 seems to be no. The answer to Question 2 seems to be a qualified yes. But I can't find a team that is willing to stick its neck out for him. I think retirement for Iverson isn't out of the question.

If the Warriors can add AI for $3-5 million that would be quite the steal. Last year was a frustrating and injury-riddled one for the Answer, but before that he was actually putting up some of the best numbers of his career. He's one season removed from putting up 26.4 ppg (45.8% FG- 2nd highest of his 13 year career, 34.6% 3pt- career high, 80.9% FT), 7.2 apg : 3.0 to, and 2.0 thefts. in another high octane offense over in Enver. For comparison's sake Monta Ellis' career high ppg is 20.2 and last season he distributed 3.7 apg with 2.7 turnovers (unacceptable distribution totals for a starting point guard in the NBA) and 1.6 steals. A healthy Iverson is a better player than a healthy Ellis in 2009-2010. The big question of course is- will either of these 2 guards be healthy?

Also don't believe the hype that swapping AI with Chauncey Billups miraculously improved the Denver Nuggets and vaulted them to the Western Conference Finals. Billups is wildy overrated and Nuggets just got very lucky in the 1st two rounds of the playoffs. If they faced the Lake-show in the 1st round of this past year's spring dance it'd be the same broken record- bounced in the 1st round faster than you can say "Muppet". Flip back to Polling GSoM: Based on their stats Guard A or Guard B? and if you think I'm a lunatic for holding these stances, I'm sure there's plenty of smart folks over at Pickaxe and Roll who will agree with you.

For a different look on AI see: The Truth About The Answer? [Motown String Music]

I might be the biggest AI fan in the Bay Area and I'm all for bringing Iverson here. Will he guarantee that the Warriors crack the Elite 8 and our playing well beyond the first week of April? Of course not. But who cares? If this team is going to continue to suck (missing the playoffs in 14 of the past 15 seasons) then let's at least have a wildly entertaining team. There's very few players in this league who can entertain more than AI. Plus, who can resist this smallball lineup?

PG: Stephen Curry

SG: Allen Iverson

SF: Monta Ellis

PF: Stephen Jackson

C: Anthony Randolph

Bench: Andris Biedrins, Kelenna Azubuike, Ronny Turiaf

Hey if you're going to suck, then at least do an entertaining job at it.

Also it's probably worth noting that the more star power the Warriors add (e.g. Jason Kidd or Allen Iverson) the easier it might be to convince Amare Stoudemire that playing for the Warriors isn't the worst thing in the world- I mean there's always the Clippers! (Don't sleep on the excellent SBN blog for Warriors South)

Let's do this.

AI to the Warriors ain't nothing new:

The Allen Iverson Trade: Throwing Up W's and L's

Rumor: Warriors Not Interested in Allen Iverson Anymore

Rumor: Warriors Could Be in on Multiteam Allen Iverson Trade

Why the Warriors Should Trade for Allen Iverson

Rumor: Baron Davis + Andris Biedrins for Allen Iverson Package Reports Were Bogus

Rumor: Warriors Could Have Allen Iverson for Jason Richardson

Rumor: Tony Mejia Thinks AI to the Warriors by Friday

Rumor: Warriors Offered Baron Davis, but Ready to Drop Out of Allen Iverson Trade Talks

Rumor: Tom Tolbert Says Warriors Out of Allen Iverson Trade Talks

Rumor: Sixers Targetting Troy Murphy and Jason Richardson

Rumor: Troy Murphy Not in Trade Talks

Rumor: Allen Iverson to the Warriors, Ben Gordon to 76ers, and Troy Murphy to Bulls

Rumor: Baron Davis, Andris Biedrins, and 3rd Unidentified Player for Allen Iverson and Steven Hunter

Rumor: Andris Biedrins, Monta Ellis, and Baron Davis for Allen Iverson and Steven Hunter

Rumor: Warriors Upped Offer for Iverson to Baron Davis, Monta Ellis, Ike Diogu, and a 1st Rounder

Rumor: Ric Bucher Says Warriors Out of Running for Allen Iverson

Rumor: Warriors Dangling JRich and Adonal Foyle for Allen Iverson

Rumor: Stephen A. Smith Thinks the Warriors are the Frontrunners for Allen Iverson

Rumor: Warriors Looking to Move Dead-Weight Contracts for Allen Iverson

Rumor: Allen Iverson to the Warriors for JRich, Monta Ellis, or Baron Davis

Rumor: Warriors the Front-Runner in AI Sweepstakes

Rumor: Celtics, Warriors, and Kings Most Likely to Acquire Allen Iverson

Rumor: Mike Dunleavy, Troy Murphy, or Jason Richardson + Monta Ellis for Allen Iverson

GSoM Talks to Preetom Bhattacharya about Allen Iverson Rumors

Rumor: Warriors, Celtics, and Pacers in the Mix for Allen Iverson

Rumor: 76ers Contacted Warriors, Sonics, and Nuggets about an Allen Iverson Deal

Rumor: Allen Iverson Wants Out of Philly + Warriors Need The Answer

Rumor: 7-1 Odds on Allen Iverson for T-Double, Ike, MP2, and Zarko

Rumor: Sixers want Troy Murphy or Jason Richardson for Allen Iverson

Rumor: Iverson Will Play for Warriors

Rumor: 8 Team, 9 Player Super Trade brings Allen Iverson to the Warriors

Rumor: Warriors Won't Pursue Iverson

Rumor: Warriors' Youth + Bad Contract for Allen Iverson

Rumor: Sixers Listening to Troy Murphy Package for Allen Iverson

Rumor: 76ers Want a Troy Murphy Package for Allen Iverson

Rumor: Warriors in the Mix for Allen Iverson

Rumor: Warriors Really After Iverson

Rumor: Allen Iverson to the Warriors

Data for this widget is not currently available

Poll

Which of these free agents would help the Warriors the most in the 2009-2010 season?

RUMOR: Amare Stoudemire not that interested in the Warriors

Atma Brother ONE — Tue, 30 Jun 2009 23:53:27 -0000

This was... interesting.

Amare- It's interesting here I swear!

Tim Kawakami's got the details in Two sources: Stoudemire has little interest in coming to the Warriors [Talking Points]:

Two high-placed NBA sources this afternoon said that Amare Stoudemire has little interest in joining the Warriors and indicated that the likeliest scenario at this point is for him to stay with the Suns this season.

There really isn't much to like about this likeliest scenario. The Warriors need a shake-up in the worst way and at this point Amare to the Bay looked like the best option by far- so good it was pretty unbelievable.

It is not clear whether Stoudemire has expressed this to the Warriors, or relayed it to them, or if it's a change of attitude from the hectic minutes during the draft, when it was widely assumed (by me, too) that the Warriors were close to acquiring Stoudemire.

Hopefully these two sources are Steve Kerr and Robert Sarver just trying to drive up Amare's value.

Stoudemire has told associates that he believes the Warriors could be giving up too much in the proposed deal (Andris Biedrins, Brandan Wright, Marco Belinelli and a wrangle over Stephen Curry) to guarantee that he'd be in a successful situation this season.

Amare- I'm guessing you're reading this. Trust me the Warriors are NOT giving up too much (Biedrins, Wright, Belinelli). I've resisted writing about how little the Warriors are giving up in this heist to avoid it getting dispersed across the web and read by the Phoenix Suns' front offices, but I'm more than happy to tell you how much fun you'll have here in the Yay with Stephen Jackson, Corey Maggette, Monta Ellis, Stephen Curry, Anthony Randolph, Anthony Morrow, and Ronny Turiaf playing Nellieball in front of the Roaracle crowd. Just drop me a line.

Amare 2 the Bay. Let's do this.

More serious and provocative discussion here:

Poll

Should Amare Stoudemire be interested in coming to the Warriors?

A.C. Law & Order

Atma Brother ONE — Tue, 30 Jun 2009 06:33:00 -0000

We interrupt your regularly scheduled Amare Stoudemire to the Warriors and Masala Curry madness to take a look at the Warriors new young point guard who has been on the squad for less than a week.

Kids don't try this at home!

Jump for everything you ever wanted to know about Acie Law and more.

Acie Law looks forward to playing for Warriors [Bay Area News Group]

"Atlanta didn't work out the way I wanted it to," said Law, who was at the Warriors' downtown facility taking his physical to complete the trade that brought him and Speedy Claxton to Oakland for guard Jamal Crawford. "I think this is a fresh start. I think this style of play suits my game."

One small problem. Golden State already has four guys on the roster who can or will serve as point guards.

Monta Ellis is penciled in as the starter, with rookie Stephen Curry as the backup. C.J. Watson is a restricted free agent, meaning the Warriors have the right to match any offer he receives. General Manager Larry Riley is a big fan of Watson and said before the draft that whoever was brought in would have to beat him out. And Marco Belinelli played his best basketball last season at point guard before getting hurt.

So, on paper, it seems Law has walked into an even worse situation. (Not to mention rumors that Claxton will try to make a comeback.)

I will be SHOCKED if Law makes the rotation next season. I will be equally SHOCKED if Law stays on the Warriors for more than one season.

Also Speedy's making a comeback? Can Dale Davis make a comeback too?

Pretty please!

Warriors bring in Law [SFGate]

General manager Larry Riley and coach Don Nelson saw quite a bit of Law when he was at Texas A&M, and they liked his ability. Law was the No. 11 overall pick - the first senior chosen - in 2007, but he consistently sat behind Mike Bibby and then Flip Murray in two seasons with Atlanta.

"I'm excited about the fresh start," Law said. "Atlanta didn't work out the way I wanted it to, and I think this style of play suits my game."

Is it a style of play issue? Hey, it could be (although I doubt it). Hawks Coach Mike Woodson stressed a slowdown defensive oriented game which is in stark contrast to good ol' Nellieball.

Speaking of Law's game...

Acie Law's Hollinger Player Profile - ESPN

2007-08 season: Here's one Law that doesn't have long arms -- he didn't block a shot all season and had the fifth-worst rebound rate in basketball. What vexed the Hawks more was his inability to score. Law shot only 40.1 percent, made just seven 3-pointers the entire season, and had a below-average free-throw rate; in addition he was almost as bad on long 2-pointers (31.5 percent) as he was on 3s. All told he was 65th among the league's 71 point guards in TS%. That's particularly damning in his case because he was drafted more as a scorer than a passer. Law's pure point rating was in the bottom quarter of point guards and his turnover ratio in particular was way too high for a secondary player. Take it all together and he had the third-worst PER at his position -- not the kind of impact the Hawks were hoping to get from a 22-year-old rookie who, theoretically, should have been in position to contribute more quickly than other first-rounders. To add insult to injury, he was selected one spot ahead of Thaddeus Young and four ahead of Rodney Stuckey -- a final sendoff to Hawks fans from departed GM Billy Knight.

Scouting report: While Law's rookie year was disastrous, he does have some tools. He's 6-3 and fairly quick for his size, though not a leaper or finisher. Right now his biggest weakness is a reluctance to pull the trigger when he's left open on the perimeter -- something that happened often last year. He shot decently from outside in college, and if he can become a credible pro shooter that should open more driving lanes and allow his offensive game to flourish. Defensively, I've seen worse. Law isn't a great athlete and as a rookie took his lumps on occasion, but he has good size for the point and decent quickness, and in time he should be decent at that end.

I'm not expecting much, but you know the saying- no one expected the unexpected.

Acie Law [Wikipedia]

Acie Law IV (born January 25, 1985) is an American basketball player at point guard who currently plays for the NBA's Golden State Warriors. In his four seasons at Texas A&M University, Law scored 1,653 points and was credited with 540 assists. Nicknamed "Captain Clutch" for his ability to take over the game late, Law is well known among Aggie basketball fans for "The Shot," his buzzer-beating 3-pointer to beat the arch-rival Texas Longhorns at Reed Arena on March 1, 2006,[1] as well as for his play in the Aggies' stunning 69-66 upset win against Kansas (the only Big 12 South team to win at Allen Fieldhouse) on February 3, 2007. Due to his contributions to Texas A&M, the Texas A&M athletic department decided to hang Law's No. 1 jersey on the rafters in Reed Arena.[2] He became the first Aggie in any sport to have the honor.[3]

Not the 1st, 2nd, or even the 3rd. The 4th!

ACIE LAW | Official Website

2008-09 Season Review: Acie Law IV [Hoopinion]

I don't have a strong opinion about Law's potential beyond believing that it's in his best interest to play for another team, another coach rather than remaining stuck in Atlanta as the last example of the dysfunctional relationship between Mike Woodson and Billy Knight. He's played but 1425 minutes across two seasons. That's 12.8 minutes per game, many of them spent playing out of position or running out garbage time. It can't be ignored he hasn't played especially well, but, despite the utter lack of confidence shown in him last season there were some tangible improvements, some reasons to believe beyond the shared anecdotal belief that were Law just to make a higher percentage of shots at and around the basket* he'd approach, at minimum, league-average bench production.

Acie Law Player Profile [NBADraft.net]

NBA Comparison: Chauncey Billups

Billups was pretty awful his first few seasons in the league, so this is a good comparison in that respect.

Acie Law - 2009 NBA Draft Prospects [ESPN]

Positives: Scoring point guard that has improved in just about every facet of his game. Has an excellent basketball IQ. He's got great size and strength for the position. He's a good floor general who puts his teammates in a position to score and keeps turnovers to a minimum. He's a good slasher to the basket, has an excellent midrange jump shot and has shocked scouts with his improvement from three-point range this year. He's by no means a pure shooter and his mechanics are a little funky, but the ball goes in the basket. His biggest asset is that he's fearless and not afraid to take clutch shots at the end of the game.

Negatives: Law doesn't excel at any one thing. He's a good, but not great, athlete. He's quick, but not super explosive. His ability to get to the basket is based more on a knowledge of angles than on sheer quickness. His jump shot is serviceable, but no one is going to call him a pure shooter. His defense is acceptable, but doesn't stand out.

Oh no. Big red flag. You simply have to excel at something to be a player at this level.

DraftExpressProfile: Acie Law, Stats, Comparisons, and Outlook

Best Case: Sam Cassell Worst Case: Lynn Greer

Some info via our brother site Peachtree Hoops:

Peachtree Hoops Sizes Up "An opposing team's scout sizes up the Hawks" [Peachtree Hoops]

Backup point guard is another issue. Acie Law didn't produce like they would want as a high draft pick last season. But there were games where he did enough. He beat his man shooting off the dribble, he was good in all kinds of pick-and-roll situations, he got into the paint and he had late-game ability. But Woodson is more of a half-court guy who likes to call every play, and that works against Law, who is a good but not great shooter from the three-point line. Again, I don't see the complication here (and didn't last year, either). Mike Woodson (in my opinion, mistakenly) wants the Hawks to play half-court basketball. He wants to call plays. Acie Law, in a fairly comprehensively disappointing rookie season, showed some ability, despite inconsistent health and playing time, to run the pick-and-roll effectively. I know the Hawks have pick-and-roll sets in the half-court. I've seen them run them. Why is this not a significant part of the offense when Acie Law is on the court leading the second unit? In a couple of weeks, I fear we'll learn that the answer, this year, has a lot to do with Flip Murray dribbling.

The Acie Law Poll [Peachtree Hoops]

What does Acie Law IV need to add to become a serviceable starting point guard?

State of the Hawks point guard [Peachtree Hoops]

Acie Law played really well against the Hornets one game. He gave Chris Paul a good game on the butt in the middle of the second quarter. The one game I remember him starting, the Hawks lost to the Clippers by about 62 points. In the end, he played in one less game this year compared to his rookie season and averaged a full five minutes less on the court per game. He showed a glimmer of hope in his three point shooting, but in the end, Acie barely ever got time with the first team and played a majority of his minutes in mop up duty. At this point, I have no idea if Acie could be a starter in the league, a serviceable back up, or a complete bust. Let's just hope some of those answers come in practice because they certainly were not answered during the 82 game season.

First impressions on the Jamal Crawford trade [Peachtree Hoops]

My initial reaction to this trade was positive. The Hawks traded their junk and got back a legitimate NBA player.

Even on the other coast hoops fans know that Golden State = the NBA's junkyard.

Crawford coming to Hawks [Peachtree Hoops]

Finally, it may not have been possible, but Acie and Speedy appear to be headed into a team who might be more dysfunctional than their previous one.

Nice work Cohan and Rowell!

I'll leave you with this...

acie-law.info

Many people claim that Acie Law IV seems to play more like a shooting guard rather than a real point guard. However, Acie himself has been focused on proving them wrong. He wants to improve as an individual player and he wishes to elevate the Hawks' skills as a team. In fact, Acie is both a PG and a SG. Acie Law has great speed and a fantastic body control, which allows him to change movement direction rapidly. He's able to figure out a perfect shooting opportunity for himself or for his teammates who are wide open and wait for his assists. When it comes to controlling the game, he seems to have some kind of a sixth sense. He is a very good perimeter player and he can shoot with his right as well as left hand, surprising players guarding against him. Acie Law handles the ball extremely skillfully * he's a good dribbler and he has managed to reduce the number of turnovers per game. He knows what to do in the key moments of the game and he's willing to take over as a team leader when the team's be or not to be is at stake. He's proven that he's able to raise to the occasion and shoot the winning points when his team needs him most. Most importantly, he's been constantly developing his defensive skills.

via ottawainvestmentadvisor.files.wordpress.com

Unfortunately I think I just spent more time assembling this article than Law will spend on the hardwood actually playing next season for the Warriors.

Poll

Will Acie Law crack Nellie's rotation in 2009-2010?

Southwest Flight #SBN: OAK 2 PHX

Atma Brother ONE — Mon, 29 Jun 2009 15:54:57 -0000

Since word first broke that trade talks were really heating up between the Golden State Warriors and Phoenix Suns, there has been NONSTOP dialogue here at GSoM over the potential merits and pitfalls of this trade.

* Weighing the Rumor: cases for and against a deal for Stoudemire

* RECAP: Warriors' 2009 NBA Draft Day - Stephen Curry & Amar'e?

* Warriors Draft Day 2009: This Pretty Much Says It All

* OPEN THREAD III: 2009 NBA Draft Recap + Round 2

* OPEN THREAD: NBA 2k9 Draft Picks 8-30

* With the 7th pick in the 2009 NBA Draft the Golden State Warriors select... STEPHEN CURRY!

* RUMOR: Warriors inquired about Suns' Amare Stoudemire and offered Andris Biedrins

We know what the golden people think, but what do the sunny folk think about this rumored blockbuster deal?

Bright Side of the Sun

OAK 2 PHX is boarding...

Fly the friendly skies with SBN Hoops!

Daily snap poll: Is Curry the key? [Bright Side Of The Sun]

The question is should the Suns do the deal without Curry or Anthony Randolph in the mix?

I think it's time for GSoMers to send a message to Steve Kerr and the Suns. Let's mess with them a little bit. Vote: "They should do it anyway - time to move on"

Amare Trade Rumor Analysis w/ Golden State Warriors [Bright Side Of The Sun]

The core of the rumor suggests the Phoenix Suns are primarily interested in bringing Andris Biedrins and Stephen Curry over to the team. There seems to be crowds on both sides of the fence regarding this deal and rightfully so. But the fact of the matter is Amare needs to be traded and Both teams should be happy to make this deal on July 8th (the earlierst date this deal can be made).

Wouldn't it be funny if thousands of GSoMers rigged this poll and gave Kerr and company the inane notion that they were the team benefitting the most from this trade? I'm just saying...

Don't Trade Amare [Bright Side Of The Sun]

If the Warriors send us Curry, Bellinelli, Wright and Biedrins, then I might reconsider. Anything less, and I cannot accept this as a sound basketball decision. This is for four reasons:

Curry OR Wright and we're probably good to go. Monta instead of Biedrins and the Warriors keep Curry looks good as well.

THANKS FOR NOTHING, GOLDEN STATE [Bright Side Of The Sun]

But something unexpected happened on draft night-the stars aligned or the basketball gods answered Don Nelson’s drunken prayers: Minnesota drafted two point guards at 5 and 6-Ricky Rubio and Johnny Flynn. This left another point guard, Stephen Curry, on the board. Pleasantly shocked and amazed, the Warriors grabbed him. As the story goes, reports from the Suns war room describe an eruption of joyous glee. Steve Kerr and David Griffin bumped chests, and Alvin Gentry did a head spin reminiscent of one of the cast from "Breakin’ 2 Electric Boogaloo." The Suns had obtained a huge haul and the Steve Kerr moron meter had suddenly slanted from Utter Definite Moron to Mostly Competent GM. Yet at that moment, the deal was dead.

Dead is a strong word. I'd use dead to describe the Suns' window of contention (dead) or their front office blowing up ship before watching a full season of Amare Stoudemire, Steve Nash, Shaquille O'Neal, Jason Richardson, Grant Hill, Leandro Barbosa, and Matt Barnes and seeing how far they can go (brain dead).

Definitely head on over to Bright Side of the Sun. Please be respectful and mindful of their unique community etiquette and represent GSoM with class.

Poll

Will Amare Stoudemire like the Bay Area much better than Phoenix?

Masala Multimedia

Atma Brother ONE — Sun, 28 Jun 2009 06:13:15 -0000

More photos » by Paul Sakuma - AP

Kids love Masala! (AP Photo/Paul Sakuma)

Browse more photos »

Jump for some heavy duty video clips via Comcast SportsNet Bay Area.

Don Nelson on Stephen Curry (0:25)

Curry on coming to Oakland (0:42)

Larry Riley on the trade process (0:40)

Larry Riley on Curry and Ellis (0:35)

Larry Riley on the Amar'e trade situation (0:36)

Larry Riley on Stephen Curry (1:11)

Larry Riley on Stephen Curry (0:53)

Larry Riley on Monta Ellis (0:54)

Riley: Monta will be a Warrior (0:11)

Curry on NY Fan Reaction (0:34)

Stephen Curry on a potential trade (0:15)

Warriors Press Conference (0:36)

Warriors Press Conference (0:15)

Warriors Press Conference (1:55)

Stephen Curry on a potential trade (0:15)

Stephen Curry on the Warriors (0:21)

Dell Curry on his son being drafted by the Warriors (2:10)

Stephen Curry is ready...(0:30)

Stephen Curry Press Conference (4:00)

Matt Steinmetz on the Warriors best fit (0:40)

Poll

Feeling the nickname "Masala" for Stephen Curry?

OPEN THREAD: Stephen Curry Press Conference @ 2pm on CSN Bay Area

Atma Brother ONE — Fri, 26 Jun 2009 20:20:31 -0000

More photos » by Seth Wenig - AP

Welcome to the association! (AP Photo/Seth Wenig)

Browse more photos »

UPDATE (3:34pm): Well that was um... odd. Check out Tim Kawakami's analysis: What today's Curry/Warriors presser told us: 5 minutes of nothing

=======================

UPDATE (1:46pm): My prediction doesn't look that off. See what MT"s got for you: Warriors Want Curry More Than Amare? [Inside the Warriors]

=======================

PREDICTION: The Warriors are not trading Stephen Curry to the Phoenix Suns as part of a deal for Amare Stoudemire.

Why?

Well at 2pm today the Golden State Warriors will be introducing new rookie Stephen Curry. The press conference will actually be broadcast LIVE on Comcast SportsNet Bay Area today, so use the comments section of this piece for your ongoing commentary and what-not.

This probably isn't what Suns fans wanted to hear, but I'm pretty certain a ton of Dubs fans are loving this. As always head on over to the scorching hot Bright Side of the Sun for some sunny fandom.

For you Kings fans out there two things. 1) They will also be broadcasting their intro for Tyreke Evans at 3pm on CSN Bay Area and 2) you should really be hanging out at Sactown Royalty!

The full press release from our friends at Comcast SportsNet Bay Area after the jump.

Also see:

* RECAP: Warriors' 2009 NBA Draft Day - Stephen Curry & Amar'e?

* Warriors Draft Day 2009: This Pretty Much Says It All

* OPEN THREAD III: 2009 NBA Draft Recap + Round 2

* OPEN THREAD: NBA 2k9 Draft Picks 8-30

* With the 7th pick in the 2009 NBA Draft the Golden State Warriors select... STEPHEN CURRY!

* RUMOR: Warriors inquired about Suns' Amare Stoudemire and offered Andris Biedrins

COMCAST SPORTSNET TO AIR WARRIORS, KINGS

PRESS CONFERENCES LIVE TODAY

Comcast SportsNet Bay Area Airs Warriors Press Conference at 2:00 p.m.

Comcast SportsNet California Presents Kings Press Conference at 3:00 p.m.

SAN FRANCISCO, CA - Comcast SportsNet, the home of "Authentic Bay Area Sports," will present live coverage of today's Golden State Warriors and Sacramento Kings press conferences introducing their 2009 NBA first round draft picks.

Comcast SportsNet Bay Area will air the Warriors press conference introducing Stephen Curry at 2:00 p.m. PT from the team's practice facility in Oakland. Brodie Brazil will anchor Warriors coverage from the Comcast SportsNet studios. The network will replay the Warriors press conference this evening at 9:30 p.m. following Chronicle Live.

Comcast SportsNet California will air the Kings press conference introducing Tyreke Evans at 3:00 p.m. PT from the ARCO Arena. Dave Benz will anchor Kings coverage from the Comcast SportsNet studios.

Both press conferences will also be available on Comcast Digital Cable's ON DEMAND Channel 1.

SportsNet Central will present a comprehensive recap of the Warriors and Kings press conferences tonight at 10:30 p.m. on Comcast SportsNet Bay Area. For more information, visit www.csnbayarea.com.

Poll

With the Warriors introducing their #7 pick Stephen Curry today in a press conference do you think he's off the table in any trade package to the Phoenix Suns for Amare Stoudemire?

Please keep the discussion going strong in any of these GSoM hot spots: * RECAP: Warriors' 2009 NBA...

Atma Brother ONE — Fri, 26 Jun 2009 19:46:18 -0000

Please keep the discussion going strong in any of these GSoM hot spots:
* RECAP: Warriors' 2009 NBA Draft Day - Stephen Curry & Amar'e?

* Warriors Draft Day 2009: This Pretty Much Says It All

* OPEN THREAD III: 2009 NBA Draft Recap + Round 2

* OPEN THREAD: NBA 2k9 Draft Picks 8-30

* With the 7th pick in the 2009 NBA Draft the Golden State Warriors select... STEPHEN CURRY!

* RUMOR: Warriors inquired about Suns' Amare Stoudemire and offered Andris Biedrins