No real compliments, but it's a start GOLDEN STATE WARRIORS Their season started off in typical Warrior fashion. GM Chris Mullin overpaid Derek Fisher and Adonal Foyle in free agency, destroying all their cap flexibility, fired a good coach and replaced him with an inexperienced one, then watched his team actually take a few steps backward. But Mullin was finally able to do something his predecessor, Garry St. Jean, couldn't. He made a great trade. Mullin gave up very little to acquire a legit point guard in Baron Davis. He's made all the difference. Paired in the backcourt with Jason Richardson, the pair has been unstoppable. If the Warriors can find a way to land an athletic shot blocker up front via free agency or the draft, we might have to start talking about the playoffs next season. GRADE: B-
Yeah, Chad Ford is the "Simon Cowell" of Sports Writers. He gives out very little praise and instead you have to be satisfied with having the least amount of criticism. At least you know what you're getting.
<div class="quote_poster">Quoting CohanHater:</div><div class="quote_post">If the Warriors can find a way to land an athletic shot blocker up front via free agency or the draft, we might have to start talking about the playoffs next season. GRADE: B-</div> Didn't we do that last year in the draft? And he has done damn well considering his age and experience...give him another year to grow and get better and we have our center for the future...
Chad Ford's opinion doesn't mean a thing. His only use is that he has decent draft coverage - only because there are so few places to get it - but that is only because he has access to people and scouts around the league. All he actually does is relay the opinions of others in his articles. "Analysts" like Ford and Stephen A. Smith mask their lack of basketball knowledge by overly-criticizing teams, players and coaches and heaping praise on others. The Warriors are one of two youngest teams in the league, with a great team 1-4 with only one player of the group not locked into a long-term deal, in Dunleavy, as well as solid veterans in Fisher and Foyle and young players off the bench with Pietrus, Cabarkapa, and Biedrins. If the Warriors were in a city like Boston or Philadelphia people would be praising the hell out of the moves Mullin's made and talking about them as a legit playoff contender and a team with one of the best future's in the entire sport.
<div class="quote_poster">Quoting sactomofo:</div><div class="quote_post">Next year is the Warriors year.</div> Haven't i heard that one before?
<div class="quote_poster">Quoting Rudeezy:</div><div class="quote_post">Haven't i heard that one before? </div> .....well a few years back I think I said "Next year they won't suck so bad". I was too optimistic then. Mullin and Monty may not be smart enough to find ways to get even better,but they aren't dumb enough to backslide. As is,no significant deals,no early impact from rookies,this SHOULD be a playoff tem with some margin of error-or injuries. I think the W's can make some relatively safe moves and get a bit better. Considering that the current edition is winning about 65% lately,expecting a .500 year is no reach. Warriors history is such that it's easy to feel there is some jinx,some fate,but I don't really believe in such things...though I do joke...and Mullin/Monty had no hand in the fiascos of the past few decades.
We'll see. If Baron was as injured as he was this year, we could have some huge problems. I hope Mully finds a third guard, especially since Fisher's been aching lately.
