NBA FanHouse

Warriors Decide Ronny Turiaf Is Where They'll Be Spending All That Money They Saved

Matt Moore — Wed, 09 Jul 2008 12:56:00 EST

Filed under: Warriors, Lakers, Western, Los Angeles, Oakland, NBA Transactions

So the face of your franchise and your most beloved player, Baron Davis, skipped town. And your top replacement target, Gilbert Arenas, re-signed with his club. And the next big target on your radar just spurned you and hopped over to the East for more money. So who do you turn to, after inking an aging small forward for a bit of cash while you try and convince Monta Ellis to stick around?

You sign Ronny Turiaf, of course!

The Warriors have come to a verbal agreement with Lakers restricted free agent Ronny Turiaf on a four year deal worth an estimated $17 million. As he is a restricted free agent, the Lakers have seven days to match the Warriors offer.

It's an interesting signing, because if the Warriors are able to pry him away from the purple and gold, he provides a number of things they lack. Along with Corey Maggette, Turiaf represents a greater commitment to defense. In addition, Turiaf can actually rebound, which the Warriors failed miserably at last season. He does make sense with their system though, as he's a high energy guy who can come in and play a few minutes or more, and is extremely flexible and provides a spark. He's also a fan favorite that would fit in with the Warriors scrappy image. That is if the fans haven't all thrown themselves off a bridge after Baron left.

Warriors Decide Ronny Turiaf Is Where They'll Be Spending All That Money They Saved originally appeared on NBA FanHouse on Wed, 09 Jul 2008 12:56:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Denied by Brand, Warriors Grab Maggette

Matt Watson — Tue, 08 Jul 2008 23:33:00 EST

Filed under: Warriors, Clippers, Western, Los Angeles, Oakland, The Word

After being left at the alter by both Baron Davis and Elton Brand, the Warriors finally found someone willing to take their money: Corey Maggette. According to the Los Angeles Daily News, Maggette agreed to a five-year, $50 million deal immediately after the Warriors learned that Brand had committed to the 76ers. Interestingly enough, he apparently jumped on the offer before giving the Clippers, who were also spurned by Brand, a chance to retain him.

Until this opening with Golden State, it looked like Maggette's best options involved taking the mid-level exception from one of the handful of interested contenders pursuing him, including the Spurs, Celtics, Pistons and Magic. He'll make a lot more money with the Warriors, but he'll also win a lot fewer games -- instead of battling for a title, he'll be in a fight to simply make the playoffs.

That said, it's not fair to say this simply came down to money, as the Warriors were also able to offer a lot more playing time than anyone else. With those other contenders, Maggette would have been a fourth or fifth option in the starting lineup -- if not relegated to the role of a super sub. But with the Warriors, Maggette has a chance to be "The Man," especially with Monta Ellis almost certainly taking on more of a distributor role in Davis' absence.

Not everyone thinks Maggette is up for being a team's No. 1 option, but it's hard to argue with his production or the fact that he's a perfect fit for Nellieball. He's uber-athletic and can shoot from long-distance, and while his defense is underrated, he won't be asked to play much under Don Nelson anyway. The Warriors still need a legitimate big man, but the Warriors could have done a lot worse than snagging Maggette.

Denied by Brand, Warriors Grab Maggette originally appeared on NBA FanHouse on Tue, 08 Jul 2008 23:33:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Elton Brand Spurns California, Verbally Commits to Philly

Matt Watson — Tue, 08 Jul 2008 23:00:00 EST

Filed under: 76ers, Warriors, Clippers, Eastern, Western, Los Angeles, Oakland, Philadelphia, The Word

For much of the last week, most basketball fans assumed that Elton Brand was either going to a) re-sign with the Clippers; or b) grab the pile of money that Baron Davis left behind with the Warriors. Instead, he surprised everyone by choosing c) none of the above, leaving behind the Western Conference entirely in favor of the 76ers. From the Los Angeles Times:

Elton Brand has reached a verbal agreement to sign a multiyear contract with the Philadelphia 76ers, according to an NBA source who requested anonymity because he is not authorized to speak on player movements.

The deal is believed to be in the $80-million range and expected to span five years.

Okay, this wasn't a complete surprise -- there were rumblings last night that this might be a possibility, and Philly's salary dump of a trade earlier today was obviously setting up a larger move -- but it has to feel like a kick in the ribs to Clippers fans dreaming of Brand and B.Dizzle leading the Clips back to the playoffs.

Until the last 48 hours or so, the Sixers were believed to be focusing most of their interest on Hawks restricted free agent Josh Smith, but the addition of Brand, who's much more polished offensively, and the expected return of Andre Iguodala, who's a restricted free agent himself, makes the 76ers instant contenders in the East with an intriguing core of youth and experience. This is a team that gave the Pistons fits in the first round this past year even without a legitimate low-post scoring threat. If Brand regains his All-Star form and Philly's youngsters continue to develop, there's no telling what kind of damage they can do in 2007-08.

Elton Brand Spurns California, Verbally Commits to Philly originally appeared on NBA FanHouse on Tue, 08 Jul 2008 23:00:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Golden State and the Pitfalls of a Clean Slate

Tom Ziller — Tue, 08 Jul 2008 17:25:00 EST

Filed under: Warriors, Oakland

Tim Kawakami of the San Jose Mercury News has been wearing out his keyboard this free agent season already, and today he comes with another piece peering into the decision-making of Chris Mullin and the Golden State Warriors.

[E]ven if the Warriors played this strategically and not frugally, even if they purposely wanted to get to this point of vast promise and uncertainty ... they've placed themselves in a terribly vulnerable position, no matter what. Things could work out. They could land Elton Brand or trade into a big-time player or wait it out and land somebody incredible in a summer or two. [...]

But a lot of this isn't in their control. Almost all of it. In the NBA, you want to have some sort of control with your own players-either you keep them or you trade them for more talent-and that has not and will not be happening with the Warriors this summer, unless all breaks perfectly for them.

Last summer, we made a big deal of Golden State's plans to get to a basically clean slate (salary-wise) this summer. Mullin set things up to be full of options -- do you pay both Monta Ellis and Andris Biedrins? Do you move Baron Davis or extend him? Do you give it another shot to this nucleus or turn young?

But no one seemed to see this coming, the scenario in which Mullin's power (power of the dollar) gets jacked by a bold Baron decision and a wacky flux of free agent maneuvering by the Clippers and 76ers. It isn't to say Golden State is doomed -- Ellis, Biedrins and cap space are still chillin' in the cut, so to speak. But the Mighty Sword of Options has been parried, and there looks to be a real chance of the Warriors getting leftovers.

Golden State and the Pitfalls of a Clean Slate originally appeared on NBA FanHouse on Tue, 08 Jul 2008 17:25:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Philly Wants a Shot at Elton Brand, Too

Matt Watson — Tue, 08 Jul 2008 06:00:00 EST

Filed under: 76ers, Warriors, Clippers, Eastern, Western, NBA Rumors, Los Angeles, Oakland, Philadelphia

Elton Brand has a generous offer on the table to stay with the Clippers, and an even larger offer on the table to bolt for the Warriors. But while most of the discussion surrounding his options has centered on those two teams, it's at least possible that he might bolt California completely and head back east.

That's crazy talk, right? Probably, but according to ESPN's Marc Stein, the 76ers have officially thrown their hat in the ring. It's true the Sixers have been connected to restricted free agent Josh Smith since the offseason began, but the team wants to do it's due diligence by gauging Brand's interest before tying up their finances by signing Smith to an offer sheet and waiting seven days while the Hawks decide if they're going to match it or not.

I can't say I'm completely surprised -- Smith has all the potential in the world, but Brand is a proven product and (when healthy) one of the most consistent big men in the game today. Smith would make the Sixers a joy to watch; Brand would get the Sixers out of the first round.

If this comes down to a pure bidding war, no one can top the Warriorrs, but Stein's sources say that if Brand leaves LA, he'd prefer to join the Sixers, where there's a solid nucleus in place and fewer contenders to deal with.

That said, even if Brand is open to signing with Sixers, the team would still need to juggle their roster to make it happen, renouncing rights to a handful of players as well as trading Rodney Carney (and possibly Calvin Booth) for future draft picks who won't count against this year's cap. It could happen, but it wouldn't happen overnight.

(Granted, the Clippers could theoretically trump everyone by adding a sixth year, but that's not a realistic option considering the team needs to technically renounce Brand's rights in order to have the cap space to sign Baron Davis.)

Whatever happens, expect a decision soon. The league will officially announce its salary cap numbers tonight, at which point every team will know exactly how much they can afford to offer. The smart money is still on Brand remaining a Clipper -- Davis doesn't think it's even a question -- but you can't blame a guy for allowing himself to be courted when he's clearly the most attractive free agent left on the market.

Philly Wants a Shot at Elton Brand, Too originally appeared on NBA FanHouse on Tue, 08 Jul 2008 06:00:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Golden State Has Made a Large, Albeit Likely Futile, Offer to Elton Brand

Will Brinson — Wed, 02 Jul 2008 23:45:00 EST

Filed under: Warriors, Clippers, Western, NBA Rumors, Oakland

Chris Mullin is not likely to come out of this offseason looking, shall we say, golden. First, he drafted a[nother] lanky power forward who will need some time to develop. Then, he allowed Baron Davis to mosey down the state to Los Angeles by refusing to negotiate an extension with the fan-fave.

Now, the Warriors appear to be grasping at straws by throwing around as much money as they can at Gilbert Arenas and Elton Brand, to whom they apparently offered a monster deal to on Wednesday.

Flush with cap space after Davis' sudden exit, the Warriors have offered free agent Elton Brand a five-year deal worth between $85 and $90 million, according to league sources.

Brand, like Davis, opted out of the final year of his contract just before Monday's deadline, giving up a guaranteed $16.4 million for next season. At the time, Brand's agent, David Falk, told reporters that the move was designed to create some cap flexibility for the Clippers to add another top-line player.

They offered Gil the max he was allowed and have apparently ponied up a similar chunk of change to try and lure Brand to Oakland.

Here's the problem. Brand and Baron both opted out of their contracts in a surprising, last-minute fashion. Couple that with Davis' decision to head to the Clippers, and it's not hard to see that both guys are eying a scenario where the Clipjoint are suddenly serious contenders in the Western Conference.

Given that Arenas is likely to return to Washington, it suddenly looks like Mullin and Co. could be left holding the bag with a team that won't sniff the playoffs and no longer has the star-power draw that it did with Boom. That would all change if Brand decided to accept their deal, but at this point, that seems pretty unlikely.

The Warriors aren't completely hopeless; they still have a ton of young talent on the team and should have plenty of cash remaining after they pick up another lottery pick in 2009, but there's no guarantee Don Nelson will still be around. And given that just over a year ago they shocked the world by taking down the Mavericks in the first round, this is a pretty long way to fall.

Via TrueHoop

Golden State Has Made a Large, Albeit Likely Futile, Offer to Elton Brand originally appeared on NBA FanHouse on Wed, 02 Jul 2008 23:45:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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With Baron Loss, Golden State Continues Streak of Getting Nothing for Something

Tom Ziller — Wed, 02 Jul 2008 12:20:00 EST

Filed under: Warriors, Clippers, Oakland

As I wrote last night, the worst part of losing Baron Davis for Golden State is getting nothing in return. Even if you don't want to pay Boom, he's clearly a coveted asset who could fetch a return of some sort on the trade market -- draft picks, a replacement guard, a young prospect, or a contributing veteran.

But that's not Golden State's style, as Jason Gurney of BallHype shows us. Over the past decade, the Warriors have received very little in return for their best performers. The top prize: Brandan Wright in exchange for Jason Richardson. Antawn Jamison yielding Nick Van Exel seems rather painful, in retrospect.

The Warriors can't even bank on getting decent cap space out of Baron's departure, as extensions for Monta Ellis and Andris Biedrins will likely place the franchise perilously close to the projected $57 million cap level. The Warriors would have to split less than roughly $19 million next season between the pair of restricted FAs to be able to spend a few dollars more than the team's $5.5 million mid-level ... and this doesn't account for a third restricted FA, Kelenna Azubuike.

It's pretty hard to blame Chris Mullin for the outright loss of Baron -- what, was he supposed to trade him last summer? -- but again, playing hardball with your free agents (potential or otherwise) has its pitfalls.

With Baron Loss, Golden State Continues Streak of Getting Nothing for Something originally appeared on NBA FanHouse on Wed, 02 Jul 2008 12:20:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Baron Davis Made a Grown-Man Decision

Tom Ziller — Tue, 01 Jul 2008 22:33:00 EST

Filed under: Warriors, Clippers, NBA Media Watch, Los Angeles, Oakland

When Baron Davis opted out of his $17.8 million contract, plenty of pundits ripped him. One opinion piece which stood out was a column headlined "Davis 29, going on 39, with maturity of 3-year-old" by Bob Padecky of the Santa Rosa Press Democrat. Padecky writes:

Davis is a 29-year-old man with a 39-year-old body and a 3-year old's conception of commitment. One minute he says he wants to stay with the Warriors. The next minute he wants to leave them. Stay. Go. Stay. Go. He is a toddler who can't make up his mind.

Davis had two options: $17.8 million right now, or $13 million right now and another $52 million over the subsequent four years. The latter opportunity only came available once Elton Brand made his decision late Monday. When presented with the secure, more lucrative opportunity, Davis took it. That involved opting out of a contract he had indicated he would not opt out of. He did, however, still hold the rights to opt out of said contract.

On what planet is that not a mature, rational decision?

The irrational, immature, short-sighted option would have been to hold steady with the Warriors because of some perceived obligation to a corporation who offered a much smaller contract than the market would bear. Why exactly should Davis have felt obligated to accepted a smaller deal, like the $10 million/year with incentives for health Padecky offers up? Why should Davis give up $47 million in guaranteed monies to fulfill Warriors fans visions of 2008-09 when the Warriors won't belly up to the table?

That the guy is making tens of millions of dollars is no reason to insist he conform to some socialist perspective of corporate loyalty. The NBA's a business, and Davis made a smart business decision. (Whether the Clippers did the same can be debated.) It's simply ridiculous to hold athletes to puritanical financial ideals we'd never live to up to ourselves.

Baron Davis Made a Grown-Man Decision originally appeared on NBA FanHouse on Tue, 01 Jul 2008 22:33:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Baron Davis Joins the Clippers, Upsets Balance of Power on Pacific Coast

Tom Ziller — Tue, 01 Jul 2008 21:22:00 EST

Filed under: Warriors, Clippers, Los Angeles, Oakland

And just like that, not only is Baron Davis no longer contractually obligated to those Golden State Warriors, but he's a freaking Los Angeles Clipper. ESPN and L.A.'s CBS affiliate have both reported Davis has reached a preliminary agreement with the Clippers, and expects to sign a five-year, $65 million contract next week.

Is this a more shocking turn of events for the Warriors, or the Clippers? L.A. faced the risk of starting Brevin Knight and/or Paul Davis this fall had Elton Brand fled for greener meadows and had the decent point guard options (Sacramento's Beno Udrih, for one) gotten sopped up. Instead, the team looks like a contender for the eighth playoff slot in the West at least, which ...

... knocks those Warriors down a peg. Losing Davis hurts, but it seems the Golden State faithful had prepared for his eventual exile. But losing him this summer on his terms to a division rival without getting an asset in return ... that's not the plan, I'm guessing. Now, it's Monta Ellis at the point, unless Chris Duhon's your man.

Chris Mullin was a champion last summer in his hardball negotiations. This time? Not so much. Davis just did this to the Warriors.

Baron Davis Joins the Clippers, Upsets Balance of Power on Pacific Coast originally appeared on NBA FanHouse on Tue, 01 Jul 2008 21:22:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Gilbert Arenas Is Apparently Popular; Gets Max Offers From Warriors and Wizards

Will Brinson — Tue, 01 Jul 2008 15:30:00 EST

Filed under: Wizards, Warriors, NBA Gossip, NBA Rumors, Oakland, Washington, DC

Gilbert Arenas is quite arguably the top free agent option heading into the 2008-09 season. It has been assumed that once Antawn Jamison inked a new deal -- and Gil said as much himself -- that Arenas would sign on as well.

But things got a little more complicated Monday night/Tuesday morning as Baron Davis opted out, and the Warriors, in response, allegedly offered Agent Zero a max deal.

Then, according to my sources, the Warriors quickly burned the phones and offered former Warrior Gilbert Arenas a maximum-level contract, one that would pay him more than $100 million over five years. My source told me that Gilbert received a flurry of phone calls from the Warriors in the first 30 minutes of free agency.

After Gilbert drove to the Verizon Center for a late night workout and a meeting with Ernie Grunfeld, the Wizards came strong with an offer of a maximum contract that covers six years for over $124 million (Not sure whether they knew about the Golden State offer or not. I hear they didn't. Ernie came strong but also laid it out for Gilbert that if he asked for the maximum, the team would be in a tough spot.)

As Ivan at the WaPo noted, Arenas is more inclined, according to sources, to take the Wizards deal. He has also, however, been approached by Sacramento with a "whatever it takes" credo.

Odds are good that he ends up returning to Washington, especially if the money is similar. On the other hand though, there are few spots in the NBA that would fully utilize his talents (some passing, mostly free reign to jack threes) more than Golden State. Actually, check that: the Warriors would be the perfect place to utilize Gil's talents. So, yes, there's some mulling going on here.

Gilbert Arenas Is Apparently Popular; Gets Max Offers From Warriors and Wizards originally appeared on NBA FanHouse on Tue, 01 Jul 2008 15:30:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Baron Davis Throws Himself Into the Market

Tom Ziller — Tue, 01 Jul 2008 00:05:00 EST

Filed under: 76ers, Warriors, Clippers, Oakland

Well this is unexpected. This morning, some were lamenting the lazy NBA free agent session ahead. Tonight, Golden State talisman Baron Davis becomes the second unexpected star to opt out of a high-dollar contract to taste freedom, reports Geoff Lepper of the Contra Costa Times and Marc Stein of ESPN.com.

That Davis would eventually forgo his $17.6 million guarantee for a ride on the open market had been more joke than realistic proposition since Boom first threatened the ploy last fall. Davis had sought a massive extension from the Warriors, didn't get it, and said he'd walk. Baron has backed of those assertions in the months since as it became clear no one would be able to pay the guy this summer.

Nothing has changed -- Philadelphia could make a play, but with a hole at the four and Brand joining Josh Smith on the market, you'd imagine Ed Stefanski will keep it locked on Andre Miller. Memphis has 14 point guards under contract, and Baron probably won't want to go to a terrible team and share a backcourt with O.J. Mayo.

But the Clippers ... how 'bout Davis going home to L.A.? The Clippers renounced the rights to Shaun Livingston, and have only Brevin Knight to their name. Corey Maggette and Brand have opted out -- barring sign-and-trades and assuming teams sign the sought-after players soon, L.A. can sign Davis outright to a deal beginning at $17.2 million (his new max) per year. Teased out to five years and including the standard 8% annual raise, the deal would be something like five years, $99 million.

Before we delve too deeply into the possibilities, though, let's keep this particular decision by Davis in our heads. Why did he do it? Did his agent catch word Brand was gone, opening up the Clippers as a serious possibility? Was there any fire behind the smoke surrounding the relationship between Boom and returning coach Don Nelson? Is Baron just feeling the karma? Is he just pissed about the "insulting" offers? Knowing what lead to this might help us figure out what happens next. (Or we could just wait and see what happens next, but what fun is that?!)

Baron Davis Throws Himself Into the Market originally appeared on NBA FanHouse on Tue, 01 Jul 2008 00:05:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Baron Does Not Plan on Opting Out, Which Makes This Whole Pistons Thing Kind of Spicy

Will Brinson — Wed, 25 Jun 2008 22:45:00 EST

Filed under: Pistons, Warriors, NBA Draft, NBA Rumors, Detroit, Oakland

As Watson noted earlier, Baron Davis has been mentioned in some pretty hefty mega-super-uber deal between the Warriors and the Pistons. The rumor is that an Al Harrington and Boom Dizzle for Rasheed Wallace and Chauncey Billups swap would go down. The problem?

Baron can still opt out of his contract, meaning the deal simply could not happen. But Dizzle, through his agent, appears content to get paid $17.8 million next year and stick with the Warriors.

"It doesn't seem likely," [Todd] Ramasar said. "The market could change anytime, but it's unlikely."

[...]"Baron's adamant about remaining a Warrior, but we've yet to come up with an extension," Ramasar said. "As of right now, there's no guarantee that those talks continue, and from a player's standpoint, it becomes emotional."

Here's the second catch -- Baron can't officially not opt out until next Tuesday. And because such a deal between the Pistons and the Warriors would almost certainly have to include a draft pick (as MW, the 14th pick seems reasonable).

Of course, those timelines don't exactly match up. But it's not like the Warriors can't simply pick who Detroit wants and then make the trade for Big Shot and 'Sheed immediately following Baron's decision.

Now, there's puh-lenty of risk involved with that, namely that Baron doesn't opt out. But you would have to figure that Joe Dumars and Chris Mullin would have the particulars worked out ahead of time. Either that or Dumars just told him to hit up on the swell piece Tuesday if he didn't do anything crazy tomorrow. (Read: this smells like a dead end).

Baron Does Not Plan on Opting Out, Which Makes This Whole Pistons Thing Kind of Spicy originally appeared on NBA FanHouse on Wed, 25 Jun 2008 22:45:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Are the Pistons Pursuing Baron Davis?

Matt Watson — Wed, 25 Jun 2008 17:00:00 EST

Filed under: Pistons, Warriors, Eastern, Western, NBA Rumors, Detroit, Oakland

When Joe Dumars put his entire roster on the block, he opened the door for a summer of crazy rumors. First came the Carmelo Anthony rumors, which became so rampant that 'Melo demanded an explanation from Denver's front office. Today's speculation du jour? Baron Davis to Detroit.

Geoff Lepper of the Contra Costa Times got the ball rollling by citing an unnamed source within the Warriors who indicates that the Pistons "are now looking at Davis" and would be willing to offer Chauncey Billups and Rasheed Wallace in return. In order to get the money right, Lepper speculates that Al Harrington, who's already thinking about requesting a trade, would be thrown into the mix.

As Tim Kawakami correctly notes, the Pistons would be getting the short end of the talent stick in a Davis/Harrington for Chauncey/Rasheed swap. Could the Warriors sweeten the pot by throwing in the 14th overall pick? Well, possibly, but this deal can't happen on draft day (read: tomorrow!) since Davis has until July 9 to decide if he's going to opt out of the final year of his contract. So unless the Warriors happen to pick someone the Pistons really like, that's a dead end, too.

In other words, there are simply too many moving parts in this deal to think everything could line up perfectly. Chris McCosky of the Detroit News called this rumor "a total fabrication." I won't go quite that far -- Lepper's source isn't just making things up for fun, right? -- but it's possible Detroit's interest has been exagerrated or distorted, much like their alleged "pursuit" of Anthony.

Are the Pistons Pursuing Baron Davis? originally appeared on NBA FanHouse on Wed, 25 Jun 2008 17:00:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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NBA Draft Crystal Ballin': Golden St. Warriors

Tom Ziller — Mon, 23 Jun 2008 11:30:00 EST

Filed under: Warriors, NBA Draft, Oakland

Crystal Ballin' takes a team-by-team look at what should, could, and probably will happen in the June 26th NBA Draft.

Golden State's preparing for Nellieball's Last Stand, which means Chris Mullin could continue to annoy Don Nelson with high-value rookies (bah!) or mix things up to land a veteran banger. Or one of 5,765 scenarios could play out. Where "Who the heck knows what's going to happen?!?" happens.

Picks: #14, #49.

Needs: The Warriors need, and publicly pray for, rebounding help. Andris Biedrins does a fine job, but plays sparingly (commensurate to his talent). Nellie, you imagine, would be more likely to call on a banger who can run and shoot. Depth in the point guard ranks seems important too, given Baron Davis' tenuous tenure beyond June 30 and Monta Ellis' two-guard stylings.

Best case scenario: Darrell Arthur, without question, would be a dream for Nellieball. Arthur was a good rebounder and post scorer at Kansas; his versatile offensive skills might also allow him to play next to Brandan Wright in the future as a big, Odomish three. Adding a contributing swingman to help assuage the likely losses of at least two of Kelenna Azubuike, Matt Barnes and Mickael Pietrus would be swell; Davon Jefferson or J.R. Giddens are possibilities.

More likely scenario: Arthur might not survive the 12th pick; as such, Kosta Koufos could be the next option, or maybe a reliable guard like Mario Chalmers.

Please don't take: JaVale McGee. Why? Nellie will take one look at him and insert him as the opening day starter over Biedrins. Friends don't let friends get obsessed with a Spiderman like McGee.

Trade possibilities: It seems simmering resentment could grease up a potential (post-dated) Baron trade. Wouldn't count on it -- or any other major moves -- though.

NBA Draft Crystal Ballin': Golden St. Warriors originally appeared on NBA FanHouse on Mon, 23 Jun 2008 11:30:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Baron Gets His Karma On

Tom Ziller — Sat, 14 Jun 2008 11:55:00 EST

Filed under: Warriors, NBA Fans, NBA Videos, Oakland, San Francisco

The enterprising gents at Fear the Beard hooked up with namesake Baron Davis, offering the suggestion that some random acts of Bay Area kindness could boost his 'contract karma.' The results are something awesome.

The sheer number of San Franciscans who ignore Boom outright seems astonishing, but as a BART commuter I understand the tunnel vision down in those stations. And it's not just the Bay -- a Washington Post experiment last year found D.C. Metro commuters rarely stopped to listen to one of the world's top classic violinists, who busked at a few stations.

You'd expect Baron to be more recognizable than a concert musician, but you'd be surprised how easy it is not to look at a stranger's face when they start talking to you at random. But hey Boom!, you can buy me a sandwich! I'm hungry, man.

Baron Gets His Karma On originally appeared on NBA FanHouse on Sat, 14 Jun 2008 11:55:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Nellie (Quietly) Sticks in Golden State

Tom Ziller — Sun, 01 Jun 2008 15:19:00 EST

Filed under: Warriors, Oakland

The first of a gaggle of serious, serious questions regarding the future of the Golden State Warriors has apparently been answered: coach Don Nelson will in fact stick around for one more season, reports Santa Rosa Press Democrat Lowell Cohn (via GSoM).

Nelson told Cohn he agreed to return to the Warriors two weeks ago. (The Warriors picked up Nellie's $5 million option for 2008-09 during the middle of the season; Nelson, however, said he needed to think about it. He has been in Maui since.) Considering how detailed the day-to-day reporting on last summer's Nellie-GSW stand-off had been, it's a minor miracle the team managed to keep this quiet ... without any indication they actually wanted to keep mum, save the lack of a press announcement.

Nellie is the media's best friend in the Bay Area. His personality is a boon for everyone in the journalism business; he's sort-of a rock star in radio and TV appearances. (Example: Cohn's column reveals Nellie often plays poker on Maui with Willie Nelson, Owen Wilson and Woody Harrelson. !)

So how did this stay unknown? Did no one call him until Cohn did? Did folks know and keep quiet, just so Nelson wouldn't have to leave Maui early to come back and do the whole press conference thing? (Cohn says Nellie's now back on the mainland for draft prep.)

Or is something more sinister -- possibly waiting for Baron Davis to make a decision on opting out -- at play? Peter Vescey was one scribe who insisted beef between Boom and Nelson, though P.V. had Golden State losing Nellie to save Davis. Apparently, that's not happening.

Nellie (Quietly) Sticks in Golden State originally appeared on NBA FanHouse on Sun, 01 Jun 2008 15:19:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Warriors' Backcourt Has Eyes for D'Antoni

Matt Watson — Fri, 23 May 2008 17:37:00 EST

Filed under: Knicks, Warriors, Eastern, Western, NBA Rumors, New York, Oakland

Well, that didn't take long. It was just a few months ago that the Knicks were the laughingstock of the entire league, but after hiring Donnie Walsh and Mike D'Antoni, it sounds like they're quickly becoming a chic destination for free agents.

Alan Hahn of Newsday cites "a person with knowledge of the situation" who claims Baron Davis has made inquiries around the league, including with the Knicks, to gauge interest should he opt out and test free agency. Hahn also has "a league source" who tells the (shocking!) news that the Warriors' other guard, the uber-athletic Monta Ellis, would also enjoy playing in D'Antoni's system.

Could both Warriors end up trading the Bay Area for the Big Apple? Actually no, that would be just about impossible -- it's be an either/or scenario for New York, and that's if they're somehow able to dump enough salary to get into the hunt. Plus, Ellis is a restricted free agent, meaning the Warriors have the right to match any offer he receives, and if Davis walks, there's not an offer big enough that the Warriors wouldn't match.

But here's the thing: the fact that potential free agents are even thinking about going to the Knicks is outstanding news for the franchise. Players love playing in D'Antoni's system, so much that guys like Grant Hill have accepted below-market contracts just for a chance to contribute. Granted, the chance to contend for a title was likely just as much of a factor, but if D'Antoni can get the Knicks headed in the right direction, New York's salary cap nightmare may not be quite as much of a hinderence to getting over the hump as people think.

(via TrueHoop)

Warriors' Backcourt Has Eyes for D'Antoni originally appeared on NBA FanHouse on Fri, 23 May 2008 17:37:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Vecsey: Warriors May Buy Out Don Nelson

Matt Watson — Fri, 16 May 2008 18:05:00 EST

Filed under: Warriors, Western, NBA Rumors, Oakland

Peter Vecsey presents a handful of interesting theories about Don Nelson and the Warriors today. In the span of several paragraphs, he suggests the following theories, all of which need to be taken with a bowling-ball-sized grain of salt:

The Warriors are thinking of buying out Nelson rather than risk player mutiny next season;
Nelson benched Baron Davis in the pivotal second-to-last game of the season because he was angry Davis "partied" the night before;
Nelson benched Davis in a passive aggressive attempt at getting fired so tha he can retire while still collecting his salary;
Nelson benched Davis with the Warriors "unspoken blessing" in a passive aggressive attempt to anger Davis enough to opt-out of his contract and leave.

Obviously a lot of these theories contradict each other, and even a careful examination of his column makes it difficult to figure out what's based on actual reporting and what's pure conjecture (a frequent problem when it comes to Vecsey). But assuming Nelson is on the way out, it'll be interesting to see if he becomes a candidate for any other job or simply (finally) retires.

Pretty much every team that had even a passing interest in Mike D'Antoni would have to consider Nelson, right? His teams won't play a lot of defense, but they'll score a ton points, put butts in the seats and do wonders for the local mock turtleneck economy. That has to count for something, right?

Vecsey: Warriors May Buy Out Don Nelson originally appeared on NBA FanHouse on Fri, 16 May 2008 18:05:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Don Nelson Will Mull His Future in Maui

Matt Watson — Thu, 17 Apr 2008 04:30:00 EST

Filed under: Warriors, Western, NBA Gossip, Oakland

If you told Don Nelson before the season started that the Warriors would win 48 games this year, he'd probably have been ecstatic. After all, it's a six-game improvement from last season and should be enough to secure a No. 5 or 6 seed, right?

Eh, you already know the answer to that: the Warriors are on the outside looking in after finishing two games shy of the "coveted" No. 8 seed. The Warriors capped things off by losing on Wednesday to the Sonics, although by that point it was merely academic as they had already been eliminated from the postseason.

So now, instead of getting excited for the playoffs, Warriors fans must now spend their offseason completely confused as to what in the world their team will look like next year. Nelson told reporters yesterday that he planned on going to Maui for the next six weeks or so before deciding whether he'd coach for one more year or retire. What, other than board shorts and tanning oil, might help him make up his mind?

For starters, the draft lottery occurs on May 20; you have to figure if by some stroke of luck the Warriors get a top 3 pick he'll jump at the chance to return. Also, he admitted that he'd like to defer making a decision until after his late June arbitration hearing with Mark Cuban and the Mavericks regarding $6.5 million of deferred compensation the Mavs feel he's no longer owed. But will the money actually play a factor in his decision? He says no, he just wants to get it off his mind. From Tim Kawakami of the San Jose Mercury News:

-Q: If you win your arbitration with Cuban, would you be more likely to retire?

-NELSON: You mean when I win the arbitration? Not necessarily, but that's probably the reason I'm going through all this. It's weighed heavily on me for almost three years now. Two years, anyway.

My mind would be freer after that.

Once Nelson makes up his mind, there's still a matter of Baron Davis decision if he wants to opt out. He obviously would prefer to sign an extension, but it's awfully hard to leave $17 million on the table if he can't hammer out a deal beforehand and tries to call Golden State's bluff. On a side note, I'm curious if enough time has passed for Davis to enjoy Nelson's humor from his pre-game meeting with reporters:

-Q: Do you have any regrets about this season?

-NELSON: Play Baron Davis last game. That's a joke.

My guess at what ultimately happens? Nelson puts off retirement, Davis returns sans an extension, the Warriors draft another guy like Brandon Wright who can't crack the rotation and you and I are having this exact same conversation 12 months from now.

Don Nelson Will Mull His Future in Maui originally appeared on NBA FanHouse on Thu, 17 Apr 2008 04:30:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Goodnight Golden State (Denver Wins)

Tom Ziller — Sun, 13 Apr 2008 23:38:00 EST

Filed under: Nuggets, Warriors, Rockets, NBA Playoffs, Denver, Houston, Oakland

Denver wrapped up a fairly stout home victory over the Rockets this evening, all but assuring the Nuggets' place in the Western Conference playoffs. Golden State has to pray for an improbable Grizzlies victory over the Nugs on Wednesday to stay alive ... which means the Warriors are basically dead (and possibly buried).

Tracy McGrady and Carmelo Anthony were able to bother each other all night, as Shane Battier sat out. But Houston's backcourt couldn't dream of containing Allen Iverson, who dropped 33 points on 20 shots with 7 assists. J.R. Smith and Linas Kleiza also had big nights off the bench, which is a good sign as Denver's going to need all hands on deck to survive the first round against the Lakers, Hornets, or Spurs.

Golden State lost this thing on Thursday, as everyone had already assumed. A perfect storm of sorts yesterday seemed to give the Warriors new hope this morning, but it was all a mirage. It's too bad, because the Dubs deserve it a lot more than a few Eastern teams.

Goodnight Golden State (Denver Wins) originally appeared on NBA FanHouse on Sun, 13 Apr 2008 23:38:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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