Saltzman Says...Goodbye Monta Ellis

The Warriors were bought by Owners with a background in two things as it relates to sports: Owning teams, and building teams.

Peter Guber's Mandalay Entertainment owns several Minor League teams.

Joe Lacob owned part of the Boston Celtics and saw the internal workings of a organization that carved out a plan, stuck to it, and delivered a championship from it.

Bringing in Jerry West as an advisor to evaluate talent, Rick Welts to run the business side that bobby fowell used to, Bob Myers to help improve the Warriors standing with other GM's and agents, and Mark Jackson to build a team that relies on passing the basketball and defense. 

Everyone hired was hired for a purpose.

The team was not fully built by the time David Lee was traded for, but the move had the ok from ownership.  They traded three complimentary pieces:

Anthony Randolph, who is currently playing 12 minutes a game, scoring 5.9 PPG for Minnesota

Ronny Turiaf, who is currently averaging 1.2 PPG and 3 RPG for Washington

Kelenna Azubuike, who is not currently playing basketball.  

The Knicks, in essence, traded David Lee for cap space to pursue Amare Stoudemire and trade for Carmelo Anthony.  As good as they look on paper, especially now with Jeremy Lin, they aren't in any better shape than the Warriors currently.  

For all of David Lee's shortcomings on defense, he is an offensive force at times, and he has a consistent jumper that helps open the floor for his teammates.  He is also a willing passer.  It doesn't make up for his lack of defense, yet he is now going to be paired with Andrew Bogut.

Bottomline: Monta Ellis doesn't play defense.  Monta Ellis is not as good long term as Stephen Curry or Klay Thompson.  Monta Ellis is not as important to a playoff team as Andrew Bogut.

Every single Warrior that has been brought in plays defense since the front office was completely built.

Klay Thompson

Kwame Brown

Dominic McGuire

Brandon Rush

 

Nate Robinson

Andrew Bogut

Stephen Jackson

Every one of those players puts in work on the defensive side of the ball.

PG Stephen Curry (backed up by Nate Robinson)

SG Klay Thompson (backed up by Brandon Rush)

SF Dorell Wright (backed up by Stephen Jackson)

PF David Lee (backed up by Dominic McGuire)

C Andrew Bogut (backed up by Andris Biedrins)

{That would be a fun 5-on-5 to watch.}

with Charles Jenkins and Jeremy Tyler, that is a much more balanced team with a very talented bench.

If Stephen Jackson can embrace the 6th man type role that Nate Robinson has, we can be tough to beat next year.

We will certainly look to bring in a rookie or two to challenge for playing time

I could see the Warriors bringing in a rookie SF to make Stephen Jackson expendable.

(Ideally, Harrison Barnes or Michael Kidd-Gilchrist)

I could see the Warriors bringing in a rookie C to make Jeremy Tyler work and Andris more expendable.

I could even see the Warriors bring back Kwame Brown this off-season.

 

Saltzman Says...If the Warriors don't make a move at Deadline

If the Warriors don't make a move at the deadline, they will have about $7 million to play with next off-season and their mid-level exception, which should be about $5 million a year.

If the Warriors were to pay DeAndre Jordan $7 million a year and Luc Richard Mbah a Moute and our own restricted free agent Reggie Williams a share of the $5 million a year mid level exception, I think we could make the playoffs.  We should probably bring back Vladimir Radmanovic for the veteran's minimum too.

Jordan could be an intimidating presence in the middle for the Warriors

Jordan gives us a legit shot blocker who will push Biedrins for minutes and should start.

Mbah a Moute could start at SF for us, and allow Dorell Wright to win sixth man of the year.  He could finally give us a replacement for Stephen Jackson, as he has shown the versatility to guard Kobe Bryant, LeBron James and Dirk Nowitzki among others.

Would Mbah a Moute finally give us a defender like we had in Stephen Jackson?

Both can excel on the defensive end of the floor.  Both are restricted free agents for teams that have plenty of other big name free agents they might not be able to move (i.e. former Warriors Baron Davis and Corey Maggette respectively.)

If we draft a big point guard in June, we can give Curry someone to control the 2nd unit.

2011-12 Roster:
PG Stephen Curry
PG Draft pick
SG Monta Ellis
SG Reggie Williams (our own RFA)
SF Luc Richard Mbah a Moute
SF Dorell Wright
SF Vladimir Radmanovic (might be re-signed for vet's minimum)
PF David Lee
PF Ekpe Udoh 
C DeAndre Jordan
C Andris Biedrins
C Lou Admunson
----------------------------
If we are playing a big team, we could put out a 5 of Curry/Wright/Mbah a Moute/Udoh/Biedrins and have more length and quickness.

If we are playing a slow team, we could put Curry/Ellis/Wright/Lee/Jordan and run them out of the gym.

I think we are close to being a respectable team, and we don't yet have the talent to compete with the elite teams.  Ellis averaging 25 a game, Lee averaging a double-double, and Curry growing into a starting point guard role can all end up improving even more next year.  That, on top of the possible new additions next year could finally get us into the playoffs on a consistent basis.