NBA golden state Warriors

There's still a lot we don't know about the Stephen Curry/Warriors/Suns thing. But one thing we do know is that Warriors general manager Larry Riley and coach Don Nelson are saying in no uncertain terms: Curry ain't going anywhere.

The Warriors continue to staunchly maintain that they did not select Curry to be part of a future deal for Amar'e Stoudemire. And it was tough not to believe them on Friday afternoon, as they went about the process of introducing Curry to the Bay Area media – in front of Curry's mom, dad, girlfriend, family and even more than a dozen kids from a local youth group.

If the Warriors are lying, they're surely going above and beyond at this point.

Jamal Crawford finally has the opportunity to compete with a playoff-caliber team; the oft-traveled guard landed in Atlanta on Thursday in a three-player trade, with Acie Law and Speedy Claxton headed to Golden State.

When reached by FanHouse, Crawford was thrilled about the chance to return to the Eastern Conference and play with a club that has advanced to the playoffs the past two seasons. Crawford said he signed an agreement that he would not opt out of the final two years of his contract, as was his option by June 30.

"This is what I've been searching for, I didn't think it would happen like this or this fast but I am excited," said Crawford, who has played 597 games with no playoff appearances. "My agents called me [Wednesday] and said it was close and it was Atlanta. I was just ecstatic. They are an up-and-coming team, and I want to see if I fit in there."

The NBA Draft started with a no-brainer -- Blake Griffin going No. 1 overall to the Los Angeles Clippers. Then, the fun happened, with Memphis taking Hasheem Thabeet and the Timberwolves' vexing decision to horde as many point guards as they could. A few other teams lucked out when players dropped down the board and into their laps. Check out the grades for the Western Conference after the jump.

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When it comes to whether or not Amar'e Stoudemire will end up a Golden State Warrior within the week, the answer is: probably.

But it's not quite a done deal at this point. There seems to be that little matter of Stephen Curry, whom the Warriors plucked with the No. 7 pick in Thursday's draft. Apparently, that's a player the Suns like and want included in the deal.

It looks like Warriors general manager Larry Riley likes Curry, too. A lot.

The Warriors surprisingly took Stephen Curry at No. 7, leaving supposed heartthrob Jordan Hill on the board. (Hill went one pick later to New York.) Curry had refused to work out for Golden State during the workout season, and the hubbub followed that the Warriors would avoid a point guard to avoid angering Monta Ellis, who fancies himself a modern day Cousy.

But there's a twist: all evening, a rumor that Phoenix is working on sending Amar'e Stoudemire to Oakland for a package of the No. 7 (Curry), Andris Biedrins, Brandan Wright and Marco Bellineli, has circulated. Marcus Thompson of the Contra Costa Times reports that Golden State may already be working on a tentative extension agreement with Stoudemire, who will be a free agent in 2010. Stay tuned.

Warriors coach Don Nelson made it clear to Jamal Crawford late in the season that if Crawford didn't exercise his early termination option, the Warriors would look to move him.

Apparently, Crawford isn't going to walk away from the $19 million left on his contract, because the Warriors are in fact looking to move him. According to ESPN.com, the Warriors and Hawks are close to a deal that will send Crawford to Atlanta for Speedy Claxton and Acie Law.

A Hawks source has confirmed to FanHouse, though, that the trade is still in the discussion stages and no deal has been struck.

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Two weeks ago, Orlando assistant general manager Dave Twardzik was talking about the NBA Draft when he shook his head a little and said: "It's a tough one."

When a questioner wanted to know whether that meant Twardzik thought there would be hits and misses all over the place in the first round, he responded: "Yes."

On Monday, Warriors general manager Larry Riley was asked about the uncertainty of this year's draft and had this to say:

Guard Monta Ellis went on a Bay Area radio station on Thursday, and said he and the organization are on the same page and that he'd like to retire a Golden State Warrior.

Ellis said in an interview with KNBR that general manager Larry Riley and coach Don Nelson had flown east to meet him and that the get-together "really put us on the same page."

According to DraftExpress' Jonathan Givony and the San Jose Mercury News' Tim Kawakami, Ellis was upset that the Warriors apparently were planning on selecting a point guard with the No. 7 pick in next Thursday's NBA draft.

Over the next six days, we'll take a look at each team's needs heading into the NBA Draft on Thursday, June 25.

First up, the NBA's Pacific Division:

Golden State Warriors

Picks: No. 7 (first round); none in second round.
Needs: A true point guard; a decision-maker/passer/high basketball IQ type, and it wouldn't hurt to have another big body up front.
Possibilities: Stephen Curry, Brandon Jennings, Jonny Flynn, Tyreke Evans (pictured), Jordan Hill.
Put it into the equation: For more than a year now, the Warriors have been wrestling with the issue of whether or not Monta Ellis can play point guard. If they end up drafting one, that will tell exactly what the Warriors think.

Conventional wisdom to this point has Golden State looking point guard at No. 7 in next week's NBA Draft. As I joked a few weeks ago, everyone but Monta Ellis realized this season that Monta Ellis is not an NBA point guard, even for a team as epileptic as the Warriors. With a stable of young big men (Andris Biedrins, Anthony Randolph, Brandan Wright) and wings (Stephen Jackson, Jamal Crawford, Ellis), an offensive ringleader for this crew is what's needed. I think.

But Ellis still thinks he can be that dude. Hence the problem. Both DraftExpress' Jonathan Givony and the San Jose Mercury News' Tim Kawakami reported within hours of each other that Warriors coach Don Nelson and GM Larry Riley recently flew back east this month to diffuse the (re-)budding clash with Ellis. According to Kawakami, the team may have promised Ellis it would not draft a point guard. Givony thinks Golden State might prefer Arizona power forward Jordan Hill to the likes of Brandon Jennings and Jrue Holiday anyways.