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NFL Mock Draft 2009 Draft of 2009 Lacks Star Power NFL Draft 2009: Getting Started Super Bowl Well Worth Tuning In For
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Prospects On Center Stage NBA Preview 2008/09: Final Call
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New Look Warriors By Ron Jumper At first, I looked at the trade between Golden State and Indiana as a crazy move by the Warriors. I wondered if Chris Mullin could ever get it done. I wondered if maybe not even Don Nelson could right the ship in Golden State. For some reason, when this trade occurred it fascinated me. I kept looking at it trying to make sense of it for both teams. I asked questions like “why would the Warriors give up Ike Diogu and take on Stephen Jackson’s baggage?” or maybe “why would the Pacers give up so much to get Mike Dunleavy and Troy Murphy?” Well, let me try to explain….  First thing, just in case you’ve forgotten, let’s refresh your mind on all the pieces involved in the trade. Pacers get: Troy Murphy Mike Dunleavy Ike Diogu Keith McLeod Warriors get: Al Harrington Stephen Jackson Sarunas Jasikevicius Josh Powell The second thing you need to do is pay no attention to Keith McLeod and Josh Powell exchanging rosters, they were just thrown in to make the numbers work. Okay, now for the breakdown of what took place… The Golden State Warriors GM Chris Mullin had been known to want to move Dunleavy and Murphy for quite some time. It also had been reported since the preseason that Ike Diogu was struggling to pick up Don Nelson’s system. Then in one clean sweep, all three are out of there. For the Pacers, Stephen Jackson needed a clean slate somewhere else. Al Harrington was the part of this trade the puzzled me. Why would you give him up, especially after the hassle you went through to get him this summer? You have to know he is the most talented of the 8 players involved in this trade. Even Jasikevicius has shown some promise early in his career. Let’s examine the new lineups: Golden State: *Jason Richardson is currently on the injured list PG Baron Davis SG Stephen Jackson SF Mickeal Pietrus PF Al Harrington C Andris Beidrins Indiana: PG Jamal Tinsley SG Mike Dunleavy SF Danny Granger PF Troy Murphy C Jermaine O’Neal The Warriors are starting a smaller, quicker lineup while the Pacers seem to have one too many big guys starting in that lineup. The big steal of this trade is Al Harrington for two reasons: he was the best player in the deal and he is a great fit for Golden State. In Harrington’s last three games he has scored 30, 29,and 28. Those are pretty solid numbers. What allowed this trade to happen is the faith the Warriors have in Andris Beidrins. Beidrins had been very inconsistent in his young career before this season. After a breakout season, he has given the Warriors enough reason to believe he is the answer inside. The Warriors wouldn’t have given up Diogu and Murphy if they didn’t believe in what Beidrins could do. The unsung player for the Warriors is without a question Mikael Pietrus. Pietrus has averaged a rock-solid 13 points and 5 boards. Sometimes the Warriors go small and leave him in at the power forward position. He gives them a lot of freedom. He also fits in with Nelson’s system, as he shoots 37% from the 3-point line. With the injury of Jason Richardson, it has been fortunate for the Warriors to get production out of the man from Les Abymes, Guadeloupe. The biggest surprise for the Warriors has been Matt Barnes. The former UCLA product has averaged 14.8 points and 7.5 rebounds this month. This production comes from a guy that wasn’t even sure if he was going to make the roster in training camp. Barnes has been an NBA journeyman during his 4-year career that has seen him play with 5 teams. Currently, the Warriors sit just 1 game out of the playoffs. With the Clippers surging, the Warriors have no time to waste getting acquainted with another. I picked them to make the playoffs at the beginning of the year and I intend to stick with that choice.  January 30, 2007 |
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Be Careful What You Wish For
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Jumpology: My Bracket Jumpology: Scouting The Heavyweights Jumpology: Reviewing The Bracket
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