<div class="quote_poster">Quote:</div><div class="quote_post">MEMPHIS, Tenn. -- The way rookie guard Kelenna Azubuike is playing, the Warriors are going to have a tough decision to make come Jan. 10. Or, maybe it won't be that tough. Azubuike, whom the Warriors signed from the NBA Development League on Tuesday, is making a strong case to stick around. Warriors coach Don Nelson gave him his first NBA start Wednesday at Memphis. Azubuike responded with 15 points, five rebounds, a steal and a block in 24 minutes. "You take it game-by-game," Azubuike said. "But at the same time, you have it in the back of your mind that you want to stay. That's my goal. It's looking good right now. Hopefully, it stays that way." The Warriors will likely cut him Tuesday, the day before all contracts become guaranteed for the rest of the season, and sign him to a 10-day contract, giving the team more time to see if they want to keep him. They can sign him to two 10-day contracts before having to pay him for the remainder of the season. But because the Warriors are so close to paying a luxury tax, if not already over, they likely would want to chop salary to make room for Azubuike. That means third-string shooting guard Anthony Roberson, who missed his fifth consecutive game Wednesday with a sprained left big toe, is in danger. "There's nothing I can do about it," said Roberson, a training camp invitee who shot his way onto the Warriors roster. "I did everything I could." Roberson is perhaps the team's best pure shooter, but he's shooting only 42.3 percent from the field, 38.2 percent from behind the arc. He hasn't done too much of anything else, though he averages only 11.4 minutes. His recent injury hasn't helped his cause. Remember, Azubuike hasn't practiced with the Warriors, has had very little time to even see the offense, and is a relative stranger to his teammates. But he has already impressed Nelson. Azubuike's size -- 6-foot-5, 220 pounds (Roberson is 6-2, 180) -- and athleticism stand out in the Warriors backcourt. He makes good decisions and is surprisingly poised considering just Tuesday he was a Fort Worth Flyer. He's also shown he can finish, penetrate, rebound, and he gives effort on defense. It may not be a tough decision after all.</div> Source
Since Roberson's gotten hurt and hasn't been progressing enough he will likely go. He just hasn't done enough imo to warrant receiving a guaranteed contract. Of course, he could be brought back on temporary contracts to avoid the guaranteed contract. With the way Azubuike has played so far, he looks like he's got a regular spot. Unless his performance drops drastically, he has made the team it appears and has squeezed Roberson out.
Obviously Nelson likes this guy better than McLeod and possibly even more than Roberson. So I think he will more than likely stick around, unless if he completely struggles or gets injured from now until January 10th or the 20th.
Well he's a natural plus for Nellie in that he's a solid rebounder. This team needs that desperately, and if the PFs can't do it, might as well get some from a guard. I really like his fit on the team... hope he sticks around.
<div class="quote_poster">AlleyOop Wrote</div><div class="quote_post">Well he's a natural plus for Nellie in that he's a solid rebounder. This team needs that desperately, and if the PFs can't do it, might as well get some from a guard. I really like his fit on the team... hope he sticks around.</div> Power F's? You mean the ones on the bench?
<div class="quote_poster">Warriorfansnc93 Wrote</div><div class="quote_post">I wish we could cut McLeod and keep Roberson. I swear that guy is worse than Fisher...</div> I'm glad I'm not the only one who's feeling this way. He's my least favorite player on the team, and that includes Foyle! He's a point guard who doesn't know how to play the point guard position -- that's a bad mix.
<div class="quote_poster">Warriorfansnc93 Wrote</div><div class="quote_post">I wish we could cut McLeod and keep Roberson. I swear that guy is worse than Fisher...</div> I don't think we'd get any cap relief though since McLeod's contract is probably guaranteed. I like Roberson more than McLeod but ultimately neither will be around next year so might as well lose Roberson so we can keep Azy.
Yeah.... i thought the dubbing of Mcleod.... Mclang was hilarious... it seemed every shot he took for the first month was a brick. I think the guy has started to fit in and play better.... but i am not a fan either of Keith's.
I am not talking about cap relief, I am talking about getting him out of here so we have one less crappy player. I like Roberson. I dont see what the big deal with AZ is. He scored 15pts, but his percentage was horrible. I think he has potential, but is overhyped right now.
I think AZ is better than Roberson just based on the fact that he is taller, bigger, more athletic, and plays better D than Roberson. The only thing Roberson can do is launch threes, so when he's not scoring, he's useless.
<div class="quote_poster">boogielew Wrote</div><div class="quote_post">Yeah.... i thought the dubbing of Mcleod.... Mclang was hilarious...</div> Thank you, thank you. I have to take credit for that one only because his continual Fisher-like bombardment of bricks made me ill.
<div class="quote_poster">AlleyOop Wrote</div><div class="quote_post">Thank you, thank you. I have to take credit for that one only because his continual Fisher-like bombardment of bricks made me ill. </div> At least Fisher made more of his shots than McKleod...
<div class="quote_poster">boogielew Wrote</div><div class="quote_post">Yeah.... i thought the dubbing of Mcleod.... Mclang was hilarious... it seemed every shot he took for the first month was a brick.</div> Lol, thats pretty good, I was talking to J_Ray a while back when we first acquired him and he said all the Jazz fans called him McBrick. McLang, McClank, McBrick, they'll all work fine.
Reading this whole thread made me laugh til my sides hurt. It was supposed to be about Azibuike, whom I think will stick around because of his rebounding, but it turned into a McLeod fest. It's only two games, so it's hard to judge how he will do shooting wise. Not McLeod (we already know that *clang*), but AZ. As for Roberson, I think he'll be given another chance. Remember he's supposed to be a better shooter than JRich representing Michigan.
<div class="quote_poster">jason voorhees Wrote</div><div class="quote_post">McLeod (we already know that *clang*)</div>He's actually having the best shooting year of his career. I knew he was bad but I checked and he's a career 35% FG shooter. Wow. I knew he was bad, but I had no idea just how bad. That's really terrible. Meanwhile, we have Ike and his 54% FG% sitting on the bench. In semi-related news, Andris now ranks #1 in the NBA in FG%.
<div class="quote_poster">Quote:</div><div class="quote_post">He's actually having the best shooting year of his career. I knew he was bad but I checked and he's a career 35% FG shooter. Wow. I knew he was bad, but I had no idea just how bad. That's really terrible. Meanwhile, we have Ike and his 54% FG% sitting on the bench.</div> If only Ike were a PG or SG, eh.
Good reads guys I think Keith McClunk, needs his own thread like our former top 3 favorite whipping boy, Derek Fisher. I still remember the tirades I had against Dfish. Despite being a great character, clutch, great catch and shoot role player, good basketball skills, very strong, our best free throw shooter ...he annoyed the heck out of me because of his crazy shot selection and how he is a slow, dumb player sometimes. When Fisher was dropping in shots so easily, it was like... why can't Dunleavy do that? But when Fisher was trying to drop shots off the dribble with 18 seconds left on the shotclock and no ball movement, some of us would probably appreciate Dunleavy more. The whole thing was like "what gives?" How can Montgomery approve of this and not knock some sense into this guy's head? Why won't he at least play Ellis or beg Mullin to find him a pure point guard? At least Ellis has some upside to get to the rim a lot better and the ability to stay in front of a defender. Fisher got burned so many times, we'd get defeated by the same play over and over like it was unexpected. It was another example of a slow guy who couldn't get to the rim, couldn't create his own shot, didn't pass, didn't stay in front on defense, didn't take much midrange stuff like the other warriors. Zones can be played effectively in college, but in the nba, there's no quickness to play the zone more tightly and expect to get out on shooters, run back on D after a long miss, or fill the lane up. But I'd rather have Dfish back over McLeod if Dfish's contract wasn't a problem. If we're caught in a drive and kick game, Fisher is the guy to hit so long as he has his feet set and he's not dribbling. He's everything we liked about Roberson's shooting during training camp/preseason.
<div class="quote_poster">Gohn Wrote</div><div class="quote_post">If only Ike were a PG or SG, eh.</div> Yeah, unfortunately in Nelson's system everyone plays one position or two higher. So maybe we'll see Ellis at small forward and Jrich at center. heh.
