Kawakami: How did Giants get in this mess? Go to December '06
Remembering decisions and signings that left Giants on path to ruin
By Tim Kawakami
Mercury News Sports Columnist
Article Launched: 07/23/2008 01:35:56 AM PDT
[Giants stuff snipped]
. Picking up point guard Marcus Williams from New Jersey for a first-round
pick semi-protected from 2011 through 2013 isn't a bad risk for the
Warriors.
He has a very manageable salary (about $1.2 million this season and a team
option next season) and he might be an interesting backup and possible
partner for Monta Ellis as Ellis takes over the point position.
But there are strong reasons why Williams was available and why no other
team made a serious move for him: He's a horrible defensive player, he's
erratic, and he has shown no NBA talent for setting up his teammates.
Nobody's perfect, I guess.
.. This is a pure Don Nelson-style trade: Williams was taken 13 slots behind
Patrick O'Bryant in the 2006 draft, will make less money than O'Bryant
would've if the Warriors kept the stolid center, and actually plays an
important position for Nelson.
So if you look at it as fitting Williams into the roster slot of O'Bryant
(now with Boston), that's a positive move for the Warriors.
.. Are the Warriors just about done for the summer? Possibly. Chris Mullin
still has a few days to decide whether to match the Clippers' three-year
offer sheet for Kelenna Azubuike; the cheap Williams acquisition certainly
frees up cash for Azubuike, if that's how Mullin wants to play it.
Assuming the re-signings of restricted free agents Ellis and Andris
Biedrins, the Warriors have gone from a scrambling, exhausted and
often-dangerous seven-man team (totally dependent on Baron Davis) to a
potentially complete eight-, nine- or maybe even 10-man rotation (without a
true leader).
Here's how the rotation could look, counting Williams and Azubuike . . .
Starters: Ellis about 33 minutes (down from almost 38 last season); Corey
Maggette about 33 minutes; Stephen Jackson about 34 minutes (down from 39);
Biedrins about 28 minutes; Al Harrington about 22 minutes.
Second unit: Ronny Turiaf about 24 minutes; Brandan Wright about 22 minutes;
Azubuike, Anthony Randolph or someone else about 14 minutes; Marco Belinelli
about 16 minutes; Williams about 14 minutes.
Without Baron, they probably won't be better than last season.
But they'll be deeper, fresher and a whole lot less dependent on the play -
and moods - of a single dominant force.
Check out Tim Kawakami's Talking Points blog at
www.mercextra.com/blogs/
kawakami. Contact him at tkawakami.DeleteThis@mercurynews.com or (408) 920-5442.
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