Well, if the Stephen Jackson for Jefferson & a conditional 1st is confirmed and going to go through( link here: http://blog.sfgate.com/warriors/2012/03/15/gs-warriors-trade-cpt-jack-for-richard-jefferson/?tsp=1)

I am suddenly feeling a LOT better about the Udoh/Ellis swap.

Initially, while I understand am actually excited of adding Bogut(if he ever manages to stay healthy), I felt giving up Udoh AND taking back Jackson simply made any positives from the trade moot, because (1) Udoh is going to be one of the best defensive bigs in the league, and he actually has an offensive game which is rare to see in elite defenders, and (2) there was no way in hell I wanted S-Jax back on this young club.

But now, with the Spurs trade, it essentially means we did:

Ellis+ Udoh

for

Bogut, Jefferson, and a conditional 1st

Wow, this seems so much better. I understand we are taking an additional year of salary back in return, but as everyone says, you become much more successful building through the draft instead of free agency. WHile I would have enjoyed seeing us add Gerald Wallace, and Jefferson isn't doing too hot right now, Jackson and Jefferson have equal value. Adding the draft pick, which I hope we will be able to qualify for in this year's draft, will be a huge bonus, as it has been widely reported this is a deep draft.

I'm not entirely confident that we will lose enough games to keep our pick this year, which would suck. I think this club is still actually good enough to win games, because of the overall talent and desire. But now with the Spurs pick, which I'm guessing might be protected top-20, here are some players that I think would be solid for the Warriors in the post 20 range:

Tony Mitchell

Andrew Nicholson

Fab Melo

Kevin Jones

Festus Ezeli

Arnett Moultrie

I am particualrly excited about Tony Mitchell. If we could add him, it would be an absolute gem of a pickup, and I would be a lot better with losing Udoh. Moultrie or Ezeli would be solid pickups as well.

In addition, along with the news that we have acquired another 2nd round pick from the Hawks for cash:

http://www.hoopsrumors.com/2012/03/warriors-acquire-hawks-second-rounder-for-cash.html

I feel a lot better about the direction the team is going now. When the Ellis trade struck, I wasn't sure if the FO actually had a plan or just decided to make a deal for the sake of making a deal. I see now that they are trying to head in the right direction, building through the draft, and I can see this team becoming like the Pacers out East - built with + pieces at every position, starting and off the bench, but in addition, we have potential top 5 players at the Point Guard and Center position.

Suddenly, the future is looking much much better. Look up Warriors fans.

And no, not for Chris Paul.

Why don't we take Houston's role in this trade?

http://games.espn.go.com/nba/tradeMachine?tradeId=7yqt458

We'd be sending a better Kevin Martin, probably a push when comparing D. Lee to Scola, although pure basketball heads would probably rate Scola higher, and Udoh is better than Dragic. NOLA would send Ariza and Paul to LA, with LA sending Caracter, and possibly including a 1st round pick from each team to NOLA to finish up.

I think Gasol is worth trading Ellis and Lee for, but this might not be a popular viewpoint. I think this trade would be approved by the NBA. What are your thoughts?

This is the same concern that had most of us up in arms when DHB was drafted with the 7th pick 3 years ago.

The problem is that we simply are not OPTIMIZING OUR VALUE. I had no problem with Davis taking  DHB before Crabtree, but the fact is that we could have traded down, added an additional 1st or 2nd round draft pick, and STILL taken DHB.

This is the same thing with this Palmer trade. I know this was a win-now move, and I think he represents an upgrade on Campbell, who, while he's been making good throws this season, has been absolutely terrible with the deep ball. But, with Palmer not having played in a year and a half, and with the elbow concerns, I just think we need to do a better job with getting good VALUE. Trading 2 1st round picks for a 31 going on 32 year old QB who's best year was 3-4 years ago isn't the best return on investment....unless he wins a Super Bowl. There is no other outcome that will suffice.

I understand a 1st round pick was necessary to get Mike Brown to trade Palmer this year. But I would have liked to see a 1st and a 3rd or maybe just a 1st and a 2nd without the conditional to make it a 1st. Perhaps even getting a 3rd or 4th round pick back from the Bengals in addition to Palmer.

Making less than optimal trades is ok in fantasy land or Madden, but in a high-money game like the NFL, I would have just liked to see a smarter long-term deal. I can't help but wonder if we had an experienced GM in here, we would have leveraged a bit more.

With all that said, I hope this gets us to the Super Bowl. Campbell has not had a great game maybe ever in the Silver & Black. Palmer has had elite moments before. Go Silver and Black

The new unis have done a great job getting our guys these last 6 wins, and I think they need to be seriously considered more moving forward

I think we should go to a more Kelly Green on the unis....the gold looks dope, and I like the dark green on the current A's logo, but if they lighten it up a little...ala

via lh4.googleusercontent.com

or

via graneyandthepig.files.wordpress.com

or even something like this

via i346.photobucket.com

The current green just gives me too many images of Terrance Long, terrifying Twins playoff day games, and....oh god more Terrance Long..........

Vote on the poll if you agree or like the way they are!

The long season is coming to an end. Through all the trials and tribulations, the Warriors stand a respectable 30-36 in the ever competitive West. Stretches of great play mired with slightly more less-than-mediocre play has left the fan base slightly confused about what this team is all about.

Of course, this is year 1 of the new regime. Who knows what year 2 will hold? Well, I think these next 16 games should give us a nice recap of what happened this year, and also will provide some sort of semblance of what to expect from the franchise and team after we get through these final games and head into the throes of re-building.

Like I've maintained from the beginning of the season, what this team does in each individual game, how well a player is playing in a certain stretch of time, are all essentially meaningless because this team has no form as of yet. There is no established system of success or continuity here that we can hold the current team next to and compare. This is the process of starting over, which, if you haven't tuned in by now, the Warriors are doing.

I have no idea what to expect from the ownership group. I hope they bring in Donnie Walsh after he leaves NY, or even bring in Jerry West, who sounded like he was just waiting for a phone call on the radio the other day,  to take over for primary GM. They simply have that extra genius factor that Riley, with all his talents, just doesn't provide. I will leave business/franchise decisions uncovered.

What I think the final 16 games will show us is how much we can expect from the team itself. We have seen them play good stretches of basketball, then completely tank out when it matters most, like out of the all-star break and the recent road trip. Now, they've won 2 games that were sure moral boosters, and look to go on another good streak.

To become a great team, this team needs to focus on defensive intensity. The Orlando Magic game was, frankly, one of the ugliest games I've ever seen, and I didn't feel as excited as I figured I would after an OT victory over a good team. But they won, and this built their confidence heading into the TWolves game, which involved good Warrior defense, but also terrible Minnesota offensive execution. But the consistent over these two games was a commitment to doing your work on defense early, and not letting the opponent take it to you.

Now lets see if this will translate to the rest of the schedule. Regardless of the team they play, the Warriors should know by now what works for them and what doesn't. Coach Smart seems like he is all into maximizing the utilities and resources available to the Warriors as an NBA franchise, and I'm sure they have dissected tape beyond all hope. Now the players need to bring it every night.

Stephen Curry has experienced sophomore slumps, but if he can put together a solid stretch of complete games, both offensively and defensively, to finish the season, I think the expectations for his next season will shoot up.

Monta's game has definitely regressed as the season has gone along. There is no question about it. After his all-star snub, he is not flowing into his game, and seems to be forcing it a bit too much at times. But we saw that the Warriors have players that can execute without Monta in the game. Monta  is best if he is averaging 20 and 6 with a 50 FG%. Those numbers would be easy if Curry and Monta perfected their co-existence.

David Lee I'm sure has begun to hear about how he "isn't worth the money we're paying him" (bogus). The last two games, his defense has been the primary reason we have won, hands down. He needs to realize this. I agree that he has under-performed compared to what we have expected from him. But I believe he can mold into who we need him to be. David Lee's entire career can be summed up into a microcosm: he has always improved and he has always worked hard. I have no reason to believe that he would stop this trend just because he got a  big contract. If David Lee can assert himself more on the defensive side of the ball, the Warriors would be an above .500 team consistently. He started off the season strong on this note, but the freak injury really threw him off on his progression with the team. If he spends the next 16 games becoming a plus on the positive side as opposed to simply another body, I think this team's outlook drastically improves. He's seen what has happened these last two games when he has worked his tail off in the paint early. I want to see him continue doing this, regardless of the competition.

This brings me to Coach Smart. The above 3 are our key players, because they have the ability I believe to push their game to even higher heights. The rest of our team, DWright and the bench included, are Coach Smart's responsibility to manage as well as he can. The season is filled with ups and downs, and these are grown men. I think what some fans might not realize is that a coach can't just go in after a game and say "what you did in there didn't work today - lets throw out everything we've been practicing on and try something else". In a job where you travel practically everyday, continuity and routine are necessary for players to perform at an optimal level. Knee-jerk reactions and water-cooler suggestions, while interesting and oftentimes profound, are much tougher to implement at a practical level. Coach Smart, I am sure, is aware of this. He has spent this season trying to get his key players to play the right way, and has also tried to develop as much of this bench as he can. None of the players on our bench demand consistent playing time, like it or not. Just from my observations, in Nelly's systems, it was a lot easier to be correct on any given play that was assigned. They were loose and free-flowing, with an emphasis on the flexibility and "wildness" of such a system. Smart seems to be moving away from this and trying to establish a slightly more rigid system. Just by looking at how our players play, I can tell that they are often not in the spots they should be. There is a lot of improvisation, on offense and defense, and a lot of rushing of plays and schemes. These are all things that a Coach needs to account for, and not just the overall +/- of the game.

Of course, at the end of a game, the +/- is what matters. Can Coach Smart deliver that? I think these next 16 games will tell us. If we see the players improving in ways that make this team more sound, then I think it tells us that the system is working, that players are aware of what they need to do and are buying into what the coaches tell them to - which would only happen if the coaches are preaching the right thing and focusing on the most important things.

The end of a season like this, filled with frustration and ambiguity, will tell us a lot about this team. Will some sort of structure and formula of success emerge? If it does, we will know that the first step of rebuilding is done; the foundation is laid. Then, the steps become simpler - get more building blocks and fortify our position. If, however, nothing emerges, we will know that the task ahead of us will involve going back to the basics and figuring out what kind of foundation will work for the team, and move from there. Two rather different paths with different paces to success, and we should know which one we are on after these final 16 games.

I love both of you as players.

DWright,

I love the pump-fakes that you are trying to throw into your game. I notice that you are trying not to settle into just 3 point jump shots every time down the court just because you are partially open. In the beginning of the year, I was afraid that you were going to settle into shooting a 3 every time down the court, but I notice that you truly are trying to improve your game, and as a long-suffering Warrior fan that went through years of Air France, Barnes, and Bellinelli (all good players but none with the potential that you possess), I appreciate the growth.

I notice the FUNDAMENTALLY SOUND aspect of the pump-fake, and I, as well as Jim Barnett, appreciate that you are trying to incorporate it more into your arsenal. It makes your 3 point jump-shot all the more deadly, and I notice that you are 25, in your FIRST YEAR as a legitimate starter, trying to find your way on a young team that is still searching for its identity after a COACHING CHANGE and fairly substantial ROSTER UPHEAVAL.

I urge you to not take your 39% FG too harshly. Yes, I of COURSE would love to see you play better, but let me be the first to let you know that I appreciate how honest you appear to be on the court, the raw emotion that you play with(I would love to have someone as dedicated as you on my pickup squads), the overall solid defense that you have been playing(although I would still like you to stop jumping at so many pump-fakes with 1 second left on the clock - come on, if you are going to use the pump, recognize it on the other side), and I appreciate the 6 boards that you are pulling in a night. You are NOT the key offensive player on this team, and I really think you are doing a good job of playing within yourself and not trying to force the issue. I LOVE that kind of player, and I think once our ENTIRE TEAM gets better around you, you will be more comfortable in your role on this team.

You are a key YOUNG part of the team we have now, and as TRUE FAN, I will NOT be nasty to you 30 games into the season. Please keep growing as a player. Many Warriors "fans" that love to lurk the internet may be quick to jump on you because of some of your offensive deficiencies(oh boy, do I hate watching you miss easy lay-ups), but believe me, I appreciate what you represent for the future of my basketball team. Please do not let any nasty negativism get you down - I just want to let you know that there are still fans here that respect hard-working players that do not care only about what percentage you are shooting or how many points you are getting, do not bash players because its the easy and popular thing to do, and are willing to wait more than 30 games before passing judgments on you.

Monta,

I have been your fan since last season, and your growth this season has made me enjoy your play even more. You are truly an unique player in this league, and for that, as a fan, I appreciate that you are on my team, as opposed to, say Ben Gordon, or Charlie Villeneuva, or Rip Hamilton, or the countless amounts of other players that you are light-years ahead of.

You are a singular talent, and I am once again amazed to see that you are only 25. You have been through a lot, and I admit that I was not pleased with the moped incident, your initial handling of the Curry drafting situation, or your sulking publicly a couple of off-seasons ago. However, the growth that you have shown this year, staying true to your game and growing, despite the ever-present "pundits" that would beg to differ, have really made me appreciate having you on my squad even more.

I understand that it must be difficult being thrust into a leadership role all of a sudden. Granted, you are being paid a lot of money, and this is your job, but I understand that this is still real life, and we cant just turn up your leadership rating like in a video game. I LOVED the emotion that you showed at the end of yesterday's game against the Kings, and I see how this team is really behind you. As a fan of a long suffering franchise, I look to these positives and I appreciate them.

You are the most talented, scoring-wise, player on what is currently a bad team. I realize that you are NOT Kobe Bryant, you are NOT D-Wade, you are NOT Brandon Roy, etc. You are Monta Ellis, and I will not try to juxtapose you as something else. Good teams are built around their best player's strengths, and I think this team is on the way. This is why I am not worried about your efficiency rating or anything else that your nay-sayers will throw out there. Once Curry is further developed, I am sure that your peripheries will improve. You do an admirable job being thrust into multiple roles - part of the game you are the primary ball-handler, part of the game you are the only guy we can trust to go to for points, and part of the game you spend on the post trying to handle bigger guards - all while playing 40+ minutes on any given night.

Please improve on your free-throw shooting - this is really the only qualm I have about your game at this moment. You are on your way, if last night's 10 for 12 was any indication. As I told DWright, I promise to keep you in perspective - if our team is winning games IN SPITE of you, I will turn on you and join the legions of "fans" that perplexingly still under-value and under-appreciate you. However, you are the only reason we even have 10 wins. You are NOT the problem, and as long as this team continues to grow and improve where it actually needs to, I think all this unbridled hate that you still seem to be getting from a large part of our fan base will subside.

To both of you, please understand that we are a starving fan base, and we are also very intelligent. But intelligence can be clouded by frustration and lack of patience. I promise that, as long as both of you continue being the professional and respectable players that you are, as long as you continue growing as a team and a squad, which you appear to be doing, I will not needlessly bash you. You, as players in the ever-competitive NBA, can only do as much as the system you are in.

And what's the system in GSW? Obviously, we do not know yet. We have a new coach, new team, and a new direction. Has everything been just the way I wanted it to be so far? No.

But as a fan that has gone through years of suffering, I recognize that good fortune and a great team do not just appear out of no-where. Flashes in the pan are illusory, and so, in a way, I truly do APPRECIATE that you guys have struggled out of the gate. This team is nowhere near a finished product, and you two, at 25, are no where near finished products as well. But I have hope, and I have patience. I am always behind my players, and I don't think that sticking a knife in your gut and twisting it around will do any of you any good. I will criticize, but I will leave the unwarranted and nasty criticism to those that I do not consider fans.

Thanks for being Warriors, please continue to work on your deficiencies, and the sky is truly the limit.

Yours,

DubsDominate

p.s. Please also note that I will NOT sign my posts as the all encompassing "GSOM" - I recognize that I may NOT actually represent the entire fanbase and that there will be fans that hold opposing views from me.

Personally, I'm quite glad that Crawford went to the Red Sox. This allows the Angels to sign the vastly overrated Beltre, which really causes me to lose no sleep at night.

Ran into this article through ESPN which I think would be very interesting - the writer suggests that the Mets GM Alderson should hook up with BB and come up with a package that will bring Beltran to Oakland. You can read the article here:

http://www.nydailynews.com/sports/baseball/mets/2010/12/07/2010-12-07_ties_to_oakland_could_help_mets_make_a_deal_for_beltran.html?r=sports

If the Mets agree to pay half the contract, and if the A's gave up say a Tyson Ross, I would be more than satisfied with the trade. There are concerns with his knee, but they wouldn't be as much of a problem if he DH'd, which I would absolutely love, because he's an EXCELLENT base runner. Plus we wouldn't be giving up too much if he had some spot starts in the OF.

Honestly, after losing out on Berkman(thank god) and Konerko(awww), I would put Beltran at the top of my wish list for Beane to pursue. Look, if this guy is healthy, and he's saying he is, he is a PREMIER player in this game, and I think this still holds true at 33. People sleep on this guy because he went to the Mets and the Mets have proceeded to become a joke, but his stats when he was at the top of his game are elite. I would put him at 1, with Matsui at 2 and Bad Vlad at 3, in terms of who I would like to get this off-season(realistically).

Make it happen BB.

In yesterday's game against the Knicks, Stephen Curry was off, there was no denying. Monta lit up the score-board, but tired at the end because our only good offensive possessions were coming when he was matched up one-on-one.

Curry has been putting up solid numbers, but I have been noticing a lot more hiccups in his game, and we could probably attribute that to him being a sophomore in the NBA. He will definitely have some more big games this year(hopefully one in the coming game against LA), but I think this will be an issue moving forward.

J. Lin has shown flashes, but he's still a rookie and Smart doesn't appear ready to give him more steady minutes. Charlie Bell is ok, but really doesn't seem to be more than a 8th or 9th guy off the bench.

One option I'd love if the Warriors considered would be to go after Kirk Hinrich on the Wizards. They've already got Arenas and Wall, and Hinrich doesn't really improve their team enough to warrant his $9 million a year. 

One move that the Warriors could consider:

http://games.espn.go.com/nba/tradeMachine?tradeId=277lghn

Warriors get:

Kirk Hinrich

Wizards get:

V. Radmanovich + B. Wright

This is one potential trade. They could perhaps substitute Rodney Carney for B. Wright once Carney becomes eligible for a trade midway through December, which I would prefer.

Once Amudson and Udoh are healthy, I think we'll be find with the front-line, given what the limited time I've seen with Lee, Biedrins, Gadzurich and Adrien. Believe it or not, the Warriors might actually be looking for more guard and SF help and less frontcourt help this year; we definitely haven't seen this in years.

Hinrich I think would be an excellent fit. He can back-up the 1 when Curry is out, and a back-court of Ellis and Hinrich would be deadly, in my eyes. He's big enough to inter-change at the SG with Ellis, working a flex PG/SG situation which could be nice. And at 6-4, he's big enough to sub in for Ellis whenever needed - I wouldn't mind Curry/Hinrich in the back-court getting a little rest for Monta.

The Wiz free up the back-court, get an expiring contract in V. Rad, and get B.Wright/Carney as a serviceable rotation option.

Anyway they can, I think the Warriors should pursue Kirk Hinrich.

From Yahoo! Sports:

http://sports.yahoo.com/nba/news;_ylt=ApxZen3UmbWrpfzo6cagKc.8vLYF?slug=ys-wrightwarriors071010

Interesting signing. Athletic but skinny 6'9 small forward, apparently to replace Morrow.

Not as gifted as Morrow offensively, but looks like we're adding more size to try and shore up the SF spot. Haven't really watched him play much, but looks like he could be a good fit, athletic young guy. 3 years / 11 million, not anything horrific. Interesting move...

Youtube highlights here:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OBkcKKwib4w

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0c_MXhzIQIs&feature=related

Some quotes:

from RealGM - jrdy_rq

Wright was practically made to play in this type of system. The reason he has struggled in Miami is because of our slow style offense. I truly think he can develop into a star on your squad.

from RealGM - Teddy Bruckshut

"Heat fan -

Guys I am a huge fan of Dorell Wright. He's got a load of potential that hasn't been utilized properly, and he's perfect for your system. Very athletic, strong help defender, and has improved his shot big time over the last few years. He's really going to peak in your system especially with Anthony Randolph (similar player) moving on to New York. Nellie Ball should give him the opportunity to spread his wings and fly, lol. "

Breaking news!! You heard it here first!! According to multiple reports from (ESPN & Yahoo), malcontent Stephen Jackson has finally been shipped to....the Charlotte Bobcats! All we had to do was deal with Michael Jordan to get rid of our trash!

In return, we're getting...

Raja Bell and Vlad Radmanovic.

My initial reaction...

Not bad....LOL at Jackson...got his wish to be traded....and the Bobcats are DEFINITELY not a contending team...that's what you get when you don't handle yourself well publicly...hope you learned a lesson Jax.

Well, I think Vlad is just a salary dump, I hope he doesn't see much playing time here...but Bell should be a solid addition...don't think he'll be seeing as many minutes as Jax, but he provides us a tenacity and solid veteran presence we haven't really had since Fisher was here....

Overall, good job Warriors, in my opinion. We got what we can, and I think it improves our team for the better.

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

Editor's Note (AB1): Thanks for posting this up DubsDominate. To consolidate the discussion please post your comments in the front page story BREAKING NEWS: Golden State Warriors trade Stephen Jackson + Acie Law to Charlotte Bobcats for Raja Bell + Vladimir Radmanovic

Remember how much heat Houston got for taking him over "put him in the Hall of Fame already" Reggie Bush? Well, look how that's turned out.

I know Davis is known for making these huge reach picks, and I'm just as upset as anyone else. But let's give Heyward-Bey and Mitchell a chance, they may develop into fabulous players, much like Mario Williams has. They seem like nice guys, and nice football players.

Well, after reading Kawakami's wonderful article on the main page (this one), I now officially put my fanship of the Golden State Warriors franchise on hold. I've been a fan for 10 years now, a.k.a ever since I knew what basketball was. I'm sure many of you here know of my plight, the same year-in year-out blind devotion to a franchise that continues to disappoint.

This is nothing against the players, this is everything to do with the organization, and our horrible owners and management structure. To be a fan of a franchise is to respect what they're doing and feel good about the direction they're taking. To be a fan of the Steelers for example, goes hand-in-hand with being a fan of the Rooneys. Being a fan of the Patriots, most likely goes hand-in-hand with being a fan of Bellichek. I can no longer claim any association to the Warriors, because I am absolutely disgusted with the ones in power here.

So, effective today, and until this team is sold to someone more competent, and they decide to run things in a way that actually makes sense, my Golden State Warriors fanclub membership is hereby revoked, by myself. I will continue to hope they win every game, but I will no longer sacrifice my day-to-day wellship on a team that has no sense of direction, and will only disappoint me. Consider this my break-up from a girlfriend that only wants more, but never gives. I'm tempted to do the same with the Raiders, but not quite yet.

Yours regrettebly,

DubsDominate

Former devoted Warriors fan, now on absence

Go A's

Curry is the answer.

Not only with food, but for the Dubs.

A nice, steaming spicy hot dish of Curry.

Chances are, if you follow college basketball even a little, you've probably already heard of Steph Curry from last year's tournament. He's a pretty known name. He's also the coming savior for our franchise.

I was reminded of him from the story of Davidson's latest win. Curry was held to 0 points, after going for 44, 30, and 39 the previous three games. More on this later.

Now, it's not sure if he's going to declare this year for the draft. He's 20 now and a junior. If you look at him, he isn't fully into his body yet, but from what the Internet says, his stock might not rise much higher than what he's at now. This will be perfect for the Warriors.

Realistically, I think the Ws will finish right at .500, give or take one or two games. This would put us anywhere from 13-19 in the draft. Currently, that's where Curry is projected. Unless he shoots way up, he'll be in our range.

I'm sorry, but the way I see it, the Warriors are a mess! I love the pieces we have on this team, but really, the way it's being managed is a tragedy in the making.

We have Mullin, getting us young talent and clearing cap space for us.

We have owernship, willing to spend money, but seemingly wanting superior authority over Mullin over financial decisions.

We have Nelly, who wants to implement the system here, but, as it's now blatantaly obvious, can only do so with veterans that already have defined roles. He's truly useless in developing young guys. Nelly is in it to win, and that's great. On a team with a superstar, he can do it. The Warriors have no current superstar.

The thing is a mess. But it can be fixed, and S.Curry is our answer. Let me get into detail, allow me some freedom.

Depending on where he's projected on going, we can either trade up or trade down in the draft to secure a lock on Curry. A deal with Marco, Marcus Williams, C.J Watson or Ronny Turiaf. This roster needs to be trimmed.

2010 is the year the NBA will take it's next major turn. The Lebrons and Wades and Boshs, you've heard the stories. Hey, if the Warriors can pull it off, who needs Curry, WE GET LEBRON! But for some gut feeling, I don't know if we have much of a chance there. We need to build our own thing here.

Now, I haven't really explained why I like Curry. He's got the raw talent, he's got the bloodlines of sports. The shot or the game isn't the most jaw-dropping, but it's fundamentally rock solid. Shooting percentages close to 50% from field goal and 3pt will translate solidly to the NBA. Most of all, if you see in those clips, he's got the killer instinct, the ability to take over the game, but understanding when to turn on the panic button and flip it to over-drive. The game today where he was held to 0, I realized too that he's fundamentally solid in his understanding of how to make the team win. Double-teamed the whole game, he simply passed it out to his 4 teammates to take on the remaining 3. It went from minute 0 to minute 48, and he took 3 shots. This is a guy that averaged 40 ppg his last 3. He's got the mindset.

Now, he's small, and he will never be enough for the shooting guard. Luckily, we have Monta. I sincerely hope that Monta learns wisely from his injury, and I hope this translates into maybe a slight notch less in speed, and a slight notch up in kill-mode. You watch the top players in basketball, you realize that their games settle into a groove, never too fast but just enough. I think Monta can become a player like this easily. If he can do this, I think he will become a solid 2 guard, even at 6'3".

Stick Curry at PG, another 6'3". A small back court, but I venture to say a potentially DEADLY combo. Honestly, Curry is a guy I trust can make the change from being a 2 guard to handling responsibilities as a point guard. I can't say the same about Monta. His game is more defined for lethal than structured.

Now, I wouldn't think this would be a wise idea, if we didn't have 3 darn long arm FREAKS on our team, talking of course about Biedrins, Wright, and Randolph. None of them can be considered as 7 footers, but they sure as hell have those wingspans to surpass that. I think this is the way to go. If the Warriors want to run and gun, THIS is how they need to do it.

Essentially, this is the lineup I'm envisioning by D-Season.

PG - Stephen Curry

SG - Monta Ellis

SF - Anthony Randolph

PF - Brandan Wright

C - Andris Biedrins

Pardon me, but this line-up makes me SALIVATE.

In 2 years, these are the ages of these guys in order: 22-25-21-23-24

Put two and two together. We're talking a possible dynasty in the making. I wouldn't be so outlandish in my expectations if these 5 haven't shown flashes of potential stardom. This is why we have them on the team, minus Curry of course.

Now, this is all depending on so much going right, and the current state of the Warriors makes me very bleak in my hopes that they can do something like this. When I think of this line-up, I'm thinking of how Don Nelson will run this offense. Ownership needs to get off their high horses and allow Mullin to do what he does best, giving him funding that they seem to clearly have. Mullin understands players, and he understands how a team should run. He could use some financial talking-to, but he can get the right kind of players.

If Nelson is allowed free reign with these guys, and if he actually decides to stick on, this team will run and shoot like no other. Get rid of S-Jax. Get rid of the little pieces. From our current roster, Crawford and Maggete would be solid 6th and 7th men off the bench, providing veteran leadership, size, and scoring. I really want to see R. Hendrix get a chance. I'm cool with Turiaf, but Hendrix could be a similar guy at a cheaper cost. Keep Azubuike or Morrow, both guys that have some serious game, but lack the serious tenacity to take over games.

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I started talking about Stephen Curry, but really, this is more about me dreaming about "What the Warriors would do if they actually weren't the Warriors." Disappointing loss yesterday to Washington, makes you realize how much of a shambles we are. One year of playoffs doesn't chase away the ghosts of 15 seasons past. I love my Warriors, and I long to see them do well. Allow me my rambling.

Well, you guys got James Posey, but because of that, you didn't have enough money to sign Pargo. Now he's heading to Russia to play for the Moscow Dynamo.

I'd think this is a pretty big blow for the Hornets. He was one of your most valued bench players, the only place the Hornets really had any sort of weakness, and now he's bolting to Russia too.

Posey is good, but now with Pargo gone, you're lacking on the bench again. Should have made a move for either Pietrus or Maggette in my opinion.

From Yahoo! Sports article...

http://sports.yahoo.com/nba/news;_ylt=AqjqMg4QyuqjM8UjgUX6dGK8vLYF?slug=jy-rocketslakers031608&p rov=yhoo&type=lgns

Shane Battier quoted:

"Chasing that guy around," Battier said, "you want a Budweiser or two after the game because you earned it."

Gotta love it. Definitely jumped up my list of favorite NBA players.

So, Wright is signed to a contract, and I keep reading that it means he can't be traded for 30 days?

So how does that work if we want to get KG? We have to wait at least 30 days to pull it off?

Yeah, that'd be a great trade. I really hope we get KG.

And then we can get Kobe to complete the set too, you know. Throw a little something something together. Then we can get that 7'9 guy from China too. That'd be cool.

Now, we all know about the letter that Jrich wrote to fans a couple of years back, promising that he would get us to the playoffs.

And he did.

And now, when the face of our franchise has been torn away from us, I feel we should somehow reach back.

So I propose that we write up a letter, and then get everyone to e-sign it, and then somehow get it to Jrich's attention. I'm not much of a writer, so someone else can write it.

You're dear to me Jrich. I'll never forget you. Thank you for all the great moments.

Thank you.

Now that Portland has #1, in all likelihood, they'll be taking Durant.

I hear Portland fans HATE Randolph, and want him traded. I don't know his contract info and all, but I think he'd be a solid pick up for the Ws. He's not too great on defense, but we've seen what he can do in the post.

Your thoughts?

You shoot free throws starting from elementary school. Whenever you want to make teams, you shoot free throws. You just stand there, and you shoot. NO ONE'S ON YOU. JUST SHOOT THE "FREE" SHOT, AND TAKE THE FREE DAMN POINTS.

I know there's the whole playoff pressure, and the home team going wild. But Pietrus, WHY DID YOU MISS THOSE FREE THROWS? WHY? How could you not make at LEAST ONE of them. Didn't you see Dris bravely make 2 just a minute ago? If HE can make his crucial free throws, why can't you?

It's not even about Nelson not putting in a better free throw shooter. I'd MUCH rather have Baron shoot free throws than Sarunas, who hasn't played in nearly a month. It's not even the one free throw Davis missed.

PIETRUS, MAKE YOUR DAMN FREE THROWS. YOU'RE PATHETIC.

As the open thread says, today, all eyes were on the Warriors. If we won this game, we'd have been catapulted to a new level. Unfortunately, we couldn't get the job done. We were CLEARLY extremely tight, because suddenly, we've got a bunch of expectations on our shoulders. We were clearly uncomfortable from the 2nd half onwards. 7 assists and 23 turnovers are simply unheard of from the Warriors.

Am I angry with how the Warriors played today? I won't lie, I'm a bit angry. The defense was porous, and we were very anxious. However, this was probably the BIGGEST game Dallas has played in
several years. If they lost this game, they'd be laughing stocks. All the critics would be jumping on their backs. Plus, this was on their home court. It would have been extremely hard for the Warriors to beat Dallas today, simply because of that intangible factor. The loss today, although a bit disappointing, was understandable, and it won't be too hard to swallow.

Am I angry with how the officials basically killed our chances with those technicals that were COMPLETELY bogus, and then the tech to throw Davis out of the game? Damn right I am. Davis was simply being the showman he was, going for the steal harmlessly after the play was over. Terry then turns around and decides to be a pompous * and start fussing, and Diop made it worse. Jackson comes over to STOP the fighting, and one of the Dallas players calls him out. And the Warriors get the brunt of the damage on that play? Right, that REALLY makes sense. Same goes with Davis not being allowed to clap. Regardless, the Warriors have been winning down the stretch without ANY help from refs, and that obviously has not changed.

However, neither of these things come CLOSE to the  anger I feel towards TNT, and I'm not going to call him an analyst anymore, Charles Barkley. For several years, I've been tuning in regularly to the TNT Thursday games, because I generally find the announcers lively, and the halftime show very entertaining. Barkley was the "class clown", so to speak, and he made things lively. Today, the announcers of the game did a solid job, with the climax coming when Reggie exclaimed, "Dallas better not go to sleep on this team, this team is for real!" However, none of that mattered to me. Charles Barkley COMPLETELY shattered the image that I had of him with his remarks that all of you probably have already heard.

I can understand him being confused with how Dallas had played up till point, because he obviously knows zilch about the Warriors, and what they can do.

However, who does he think he is to completely diss the Warriors the way he did on national television? Continuously calling them midgets, and bashing the Warriors was bad enough. But then he goes on to GUARANTEE that Dallas is going to win the game, and then the next 3 in succession. Does he provide any "expert" insight on why he believes so? Of course he doesn't. What do you think he is, an analyst? He's great for a meaningless game in the middle of the season, where what he says doesn't really carry any weight, and we can take it with a grain of salt, and laugh at his antics.

But to, on NATIONAL television, in front of MILLIONS of viewers, COMPLETELY humiliate the Warriors, with NO basis behind his views, was the most unprofessional thing I've encountered in a while. This man doesn't belong besides solid, LEGIT, analysts like The Jet and EJ. He can go start a radio show where he can spew his nonsense, without disturbing anyone else with his pointless rubbish. But Charles Barkley, don't you EVER, EVER, go on NATIONAL television again, and talk nonsense about MY BELOVED Golden State of Warriors. If I can recall, he's the guy that was constantly hating on Dallas and Dirk, calling them soft, and all that hoopla. Way to jump on the bandwagon. Analysts are supposed to provide a clear, UN-BIASED opinion, especially when they're on such a large stage as he is.

I don't want to make this seem a personal attack. But as soon as I heard those comments, besides whirling a massive rock at my TV(kidding), I couldn't help but think that Barkley probably has a bet on Dallas winning in 5. He's probably bet his whole damn bank on Dallas winning this series.

Well, Charles. I hope you lose. I hope the Warriors beat the Mavericks by 20 in the remaining 3 games. I hope the Warriors go on to win the championship, sweeping every single series from then onwards. I hope I read a breaking news article on Yahoo shortly afterwards, telling me how Charles Barkley bet his life's savings on Dallas, and now he's broke. I hope you get fired from TNT shortly after that. I hope I'll get to see you cry on national television.

Wait, I won't. You know why? I'm never going to watch another TNT broadcast again, until that man is removed from the show. He doesn't belong there. He's no analyst. He's a show clown. Nothing more, nothing less. He was a great player on the court. He's nothing more than a chump in the booth. I've put many words down here, but these words cannot BEGIN to express the hatred I feel towards this man at this moment.

Congratulations Barkley. You've just made yourself my worst enemy. You've just made yourself the least favorite person on my list, beating out all the other haters of the Warriors by an incredibly massive landslide. Of course, none of this will matter to you. Losing one tiny viewer won't stop you from getting your money. TNT's not going to take any actions against you. It's all about the money. You can continue throwing your bogus around, so that you can make more money, so that you can gamble more of it away.

But one thing you can bet on, Charles Barkley. I shall never view anything with you on it ever again. If the TV ever mentions you, I'm switching the channel. Hell, I'd rather watch CSPAN before watching you "analyze" another NBA game.

Damn, Maggette is a killer at the line, 15/17 FTs today...Gil and Twan couldn't get it done for us. But we're still only 1 game back, that's barely anything.

I just wish we could have some head-to-head matchups with the Clips remaining. That would be really helpful, but I don't think they play again.