Do We Have to Make a Trade Now That We Have Monta?

First, I'm eating major crow on saying Monta cannot play PG. He's been *Montazing* in just two games back. The team is moving the ball better, getting better looks, overall flow and chemistry is up, and Mags looks like a keeper as sixth man at the PF spot . Jax looks great bringing the ball up, too, when Monta isn't. The only complaints I have is we have a logjam in the back court, AR needs *more* seasoning, and Nelson needs to play a big lineup up front sometimes. The only trade I can think of is trading Marcus Williams.

This team looks like it's set with:
PG: Monta/Jax, CJ, Marco
SG: Craw, Morrow, Buke
SF: Jax, Buke, AR
PF: Wright (starter), Mags, Davidson
C: AB, Rony, Kurz

 

It's true that Monta brings added dimensions to the team and fuels the fast break, which has been M.I.A. most of the year. But, I'm not sold yet on him being a full-time PG. If I could have anything I wanted, I'd take a true PG and leave him at SG, but that's not going to happen...yet, anyway. Of course he's basically starting from scratch, having missed the whole preseason and more, so I don't think we'll have a good idea until the end of this year. Regardless of whether he's a PG or SG though, I agree that the logjam needs to be cleared. AT LEAST one of Crawford, Maggette, Jackson, or Azubuike has to go, and I doubt Jackson is going anywhere. Belinelli and Wright may also be trade bait as we approach the playoffs and enter the offseason/draft.

 

Monta has been a great addition, his running the wing on the break has been sorely missing; if anything, I don't think the W's gave it to him enough on the wing in early offense. His jumper will come back.

Trade? Anyone but Belinelli or Wright. No way you keep Morrow and trade Belinelli. That's just stupid. Belinelli plays better D and makes better plays.

 

Keep this core: Monta, Wright, Randolph, Belinelli, Biedrins

That's who I hope is the starting lineup one day. You get quickness, creativity, and finesse with Monta, Belinelli in the backcourt. You get great length and quickness in the frontcourt with Wright and Randolph. And finally you get Biedrins in the middle who is simply a fantastic rebounder due to his hard work, toughness, smarts, quickness and great balance for a 7 footer. Wright, with his footwork and potential could be an invaluable player to put next to Biedrins.

It'll be a quick team with plenty of matchups to exploit. The 3/4 matchup will be really interesting since Wright and Randolph could be used together to change shots inside and move off the ball like few forwards can. (and they both have post games too) Randolph as a small forward could create lots of matchup problems for the guy guarding him because he's too tall and he's really quick. Randolph would be like having a Kevin Durant/Lamar Odom of some sorts. Wright would be like having a second Biedrins or Turiaf in some ways because of changing shots, passing, ballhandling, and the ability to pound the glass and get putbacks. The matchups could work against us defensively due to skinnier bodies, but the length/quickness could allow us to play better defense provided the functional strength is there. Chris Bosh is a twig, but he plays okay defense. Tayshaun Prince is super skinny yet he plays championship level defense.

This team definitely has potential and hopefully the young players all mesh together. They look like they all complement each other well.

one more thing: they all like to dunk. But right now it seems as if only Ellis can get all the way to the rim. Belinelli is more about deceptive quickness, Biedrins doesn't have it yet offensively but he's getting there, Wright doesn't have the ball enough to show off his fancy footwork and his leg strength might not be there yet, and Randolph can get to the rim, but he's got the tendency to lose the ball or get out of control.

 

I totally agree, CR2. My only difference is that I would add Morrow to that list. to me, there's no way you can move a shooter with his potential to become great.
As far as the starting 5, that would be sweet. Just on paper, it looks a lot more fun to watch than a lineup with Crafword, Maggette, Jax, and other ball hogs. Those 5 you mention would be awesome together, once they develop Chemistry. And, honestly, they'd be a defensive nightmare, too.


I just don't like the idea of Crawford coming back to the starting lineup. Sure, he scores 20ppg, but to me, scoring is the most overrated aspect of a player's profile. Fitz always notes the guys who are out with injury, and says stuff like "that's 60 points the team is missing!" Well it's not. It's just FG attempts. It's how many go up and how many go in. If you take those 20 FG attempts from Crawford, and give them to someone else, chances are that person will probably hit a similar if not better percentage than Crawford.

So his scoring will not be missed, IMO. Give those extra shots to Monta, Azibuike, Morrow, and of course Biedrins, and the same amount if not more points will go up on the board. The real question that needs to be asked is "what else does this player bring to the game? And when you look at Crawford, it's fair to answer that with "not much else." He does create nice dribble penetration; that would be fine, if he played like a PG and passed more often then shot. But he doesn't do that. He gets his penetration, like Jax, but then he forces up shots or shoots seven straight jumpers that don't go in. So that penetration, all that hard work -- to me it's wasted. It falls on deaf ears. Other than that, he plays NO defense, no rebounding, no boxing out, NEVER sets a screen for anyone esle (for fear of getting blown up, I presume). Really, this guy is pretty overrated.

So Crawford should go.

P.S. Maggette can go right behind him.

 

Well... Crawford is underrated when it comes to clutchness and dribble drive penetration. He has saved the warriors butts on several occasions in the short time he's been a warrior. Without Sjax, he's the only one that can facilitate offense because he's gifted enough to break down defenses off the dribble and he's got the talent to play a true combo guard. But I agree that the shooting guard position needs to be much more dynamic than just playing the offensive end. Plus, shot selection can be a concern...

I'd still say that Crawford on this team is a much better fit now at starter than having Harrington because at least Crawford tries to make plays and he's clutch and he shoots free throws at more than 80%. Harrington was just super unlucky because he had to play center and power forward for Don Nelson. I think that's why Don Nelson loves second rounders and undrafted guys, because they are just damn grateful for getting playing time whereas as a vet may complain that he's not playing his natural position or he's not getting the ball enough... I kind of knew that Maggette would grumble about playing for Nelson because of being played at power forward when there were other power forwards available that were better for the job role.

I would really like to keep the veterans around provided that Nelly doesn't overplay them. Since he has the tendency to do so, it's probably better if we force Nelson to play the guys we like. Plus, Mags and Craw have never played for winners... I think it might be hard for them to lead the way if they don't know how to win (like play defense for example and make smart plays).

Maybe start the young guys, put Mags, Craw on the bench for super subs!

 

No I Don't Think It Is Necessary For The Warriors To Make A Trade Now That Monta Ellis Is Back.

 

I don't like Maggette's contract. So if his stock rises and the Warriors can get rid of his contract this season, then I'd definitely look into that.

I don't think a trade is necessary during this season/before the deadline. But for the long run, I think there are moves that should be considered for before the deadline, and perhaps even this offseason if somehow Maggette's stock completely soars and we can get something decent or cap relief.

 

Morrow would be a shooting guard or small forward? I'm guessing small forward. He could be our version of Michael Redd. He could be nice in matchups where Randolph is simply too big and slow to guard small forward. Or... he could be used when Belinelli starts getting inconsistent again. Morrow is probably the more consistent shooter...

 

I would worry that Wallace would then be used by Nelly as a power forward. Too bad we can't get Emeka Okafor.

Actually, Wallace wouldn't be that bad. If he's a defensive player of the year type of guy, we could really use his abilities to guard the other team's best perimeter guy. Plus, he's gifted enough to get all the way to the basket.

What about salary dump of Mags for Memphis' Marko Jaric?

 

First, I'd love to have Crash Wallace for Mags at SF (upgrade on 'D'), but with Nelson as coach I don't think he'll do it. Nelson loves Mags off the bench and at PF.

With Nelson's system, he's going to think along the lines of trading Wright, Randolph (unless he's willing to take Nelson's abuse and attend self-improvement classes), AND Marco. Defense is a third or fourth thought. Gulp. I think he'll want Crawford at SG to pair with Monta/Jax at PG. He won't deal Morrow. I'm not so sure about Buke, but with Buke's flexibility as SG or SF and rebounding, I think he'll keep him.

Nelson will make some kind of huge team chemistry and cap killing deal if he's unchecked, so I think dealing Wright, Randolph, and Marco for some poor man's version of Andrea Bargnani will do it.

Salary dump? Fergettaboutit when you only have two or three years to win a championship.

Personally, I rather keep things *as is* instead of leaving it up the Nelson/Riley.

 

Too bad we need new ownership and management and not so much players.

 

Crawford, Maggette, and Jackson for Amare Stoudemire! I'd do it.

 

Oh my goodness, in a heartbeat!!!

That's a double win -- shed the burdensome contracts and get a stud. - What more could you ask for!? Too bad it's a pipe dream

Imagine Stoudamire alongside Beans and Randolph, lol. Talk about three 6'11" pogo sticks!!

 

But the Suns get three capable scorers.

I wish that would happen. Best trade ever.

 

Unfortunately I don't think we are getting Amare without starting with Biedrins or Ellis PLUS Wright and/or Randolph, PLUS some other stuff (Belinelli, draft picks, etc.). Same as with Bosh. In other words, it's unlikely we're getting a superstar without giving up a lot of our young talent, and it's unlikely we're going to be able to do it while unloading some of these good-to-mediocre-talent big contracts (Crawford, Maggette, Jackson). I think 1.5-to-second-tier talent (G. Wallace for example) is the only way we can go...which isn't necessarily the worst thing because there's enough talent on this team to start winning next year, we just need to trade some square pegs for round ones to fit into the round holes.

 

I agree HiRez, plus between Ellis/Beans/Belly/Randolph, one of those player's could turn into a legit #1 superstar eventually. The right "2nd tier" pieces to support the young talent could make a perfect recipe for chemistry.

Right now, the chemistry is all fu**ed up, with Jax setting a lame-ass example for the young guys on how not to pass the basketball, with Crawford trying to figure out if this is his team or not, with Maggette trying to deal with being the first Warrior ever to get booed less than 40 games into his GSW career, and with Nelly screwing with the heads of all bench players.

Despite all that, the Warriors have been playing with some steam since Monta came back. Guys like Morrow -- he's probably the best player on the team as far as chemistry. See how excited he is to be on the floor? Turiaf, too. I mean, that to me is almost more valuable to PO chances than arbitrary scoring.


Jax/Mags/Crawford = tons of FG attempts and not much else

I think shedding Jax would be good to, because then the team could officially belong to Monta and Beans, which will need to happen sooner or later. Better sooner than later. Move Jax, Craw, and Mags, get some 2nd-Tier guys who are productive without needing 20 FG attempts, guys who defend and rebound, like Gerald Wallace, AK-47, Shane Battier, Udonis Haslem, and let them support and complement the true focal points of the team. Create a nest for Randolph/Wright/Belly/Beans to grow up in.

 

Jax/Mags/Crawford = Jax and Crawford have ability to make plays and they can shoot and deliver in the 4th. Mags knows how to earn his way to the line and score in multiple ways.

They got use, it's just how do we transition from old to young when we've got their contracts lasting for a while. That's the main problem. It's money. The ownership comes off as being cheap and foolish with their money at the same time. It's like they don't spend their money where they should and they overspend when they panic about the free agency market. The worst moves seem to be over. I'm happy with Mags, Sjax, and Turiaf versus Dunleavy, Foyle, and Fisher. That's for damned sure.