SFC: Warriors: Another offer sheet coming?

SFGate
Warriors: Another offer sheet coming?
Chronicle News Services
Sunday, July 20, 2008


(07-19) 19:37 PDT -- The Warriors, wanting to spare Monta Ellis from
inheriting all of Baron Davis' minutes at point guard, are seriously
considering signing Philadelphia guard Louis Williams to an offer
sheet, ESPN is reporting.

It's not yet clear whether Golden State would have enough leftover
salary-cap space to extend an offer to Williams sufficiently
prohibitive for the 76ers to match. The Warriors are expected to re-
sign restricted free agents Ellis and center Andris Biedrins.

Williams, 21, averaged 11.5 points and 3.2 assists last season.

The Warriors' acquisition of restricted free-agent forward Ronny
Turiaf has been finalized, vice president Chris Mullin said. The Los
Angeles Lakers declined their right, under terms of the collective
bargaining agreement, to match the Warriors' four-year, $17 million
offer for Turiaf by the end of the day Friday.

"We're fortunate to add a player with Ronny's intangibles to our
team," said Mullin. "He's a young, high-energy player who will provide
our squad with additional frontcourt depth, rebounding and interior
defense. He played a significant role and a lot of crucial minutes on
a team that advanced to the NBA Finals last season."

Turiaf, 25, appeared in 78 games (21 starts) last season with the
Lakers, averaging 6.6 points, 3.9 rebounds and 1.38 blocks in 18.7
minutes per game.

A native of the French Caribbean island of Martinique, Turiaf ranked
fifth in the NBA in blocked shots per 48 minutes played (3.56).

"There are emotional ties with Ronny that go beyond basketball,"
Lakers general manager Mitch Kupchak said on a conference call. "That
makes it difficult. I think organizations that draft players who turn
out to be good players, it's hard for them to let go of those players.
And if you know Ronny, you know he's a special kid."

A three-year NBA veteran, Turiaf owns career averages of 5.5 points,
3.5 rebounds, 1.13 blocks and 15.6 minutes with the Lakers. The 6-
foot-10, 250-pound graduate of Gonzaga has shot 50.4 percent from the
field and 70.3 percent from the free-throw line during his NBA career.

Briefly: Anthony Randolph had 26 points and 12 rebounds and Golden
State defeated Toronto 95-90 in the team's final game of the summer
league in Las Vegas. Forward Brandan Wright (sprained left foot) did
not play. The Warriors, 4-1 in Vegas, head to Utah to compete in the
Salt Lake Revue beginning Monday.

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