Saltzman Says... There is A New Era in Oakland...

Joe Lacob and Peter Guber will have some decisions to make about the new look Warriors.

1. Is Keith Smart the long term answer as coach.
2. Is Larry Riley the man that can bring in the talent to surround what we have.
3. How do you find a superstar and bring them in.
4. Who stays and who goes from Robert Rowell, who is excellent on the business side, and equally horrible on the basketball side, to Jeremy Lin, who is a clearly hear because he is local and he can bring in new fans.

My two cents...

Keith Smart can be the long term solution for this team and this city.  Smart tells it like it is, but works as hard as anyone to make is work.  He will instill the work ethic that the entire team needs.

Larry Riley clearly knows how to bring in pieces to help the coach, and not just be nice to Nellie. 

Dorrell Wright and David Lee are much better fits for what Smart wants to do on both ends of the floor.  Lee ability to get 20-10 trumps the offensive potential of Anthony Randolph and Kelenna Azubuike, who couldn't guard anyone.  It was tough to lose Ronny Turiaf, but Lou Admunson is a cheaper version of the same player.  While Rodney Carney isn't as good a scorer as Corey Maggette, he clearly is a better defender.  Dan Gadzuric and Charlie Bell, while overpaid for their roles on the team, clearly put a premium on defense.  Their contracts also give the team better flexibility than Maggette.

The result is 3 of the 5 starters being more defensive minded than offensive minded.  Curry and Ellis have length and size playing along side them.

Long term we have all 5 starters locked up for at least 3 years.  Reggie Williams, Rodney Carney, Lou Admunson, and Ekpe Udoh are all good inexpensive pieces.

Gadzuric, Brandan Wright and Vladamir Radmanovic all are in the last year of their contracts and could be moved at the trading deadline in February. Charlie Bell only has one year remaining.  There is a lot of flexibility on this year's roster.  It's nice to see after so many years of being over the cap without the talent to win, or sabotaging their only good team the last 15 years after we all believed.