Steinmetz blog: Not an easy decision but Warriors and Azub..

Not an easy decision but Warriors and Azubuike aren't a match
POSTED July 17, 6:35 PM


The Warriors will have seven days to determine whether or not to match
the Clippers’ multiyear offer for a reported $3 million per season to
swingman Kelenna Azubuike.

That’s ample time to take stock of Azubuike’s game, where it might
heading and whether or not it’s worth it to give him what many are
assuming to be a three-year deal at $9-ish or $10 mill.

Me, on the other hand, am taking only seven minutes to make the call:
I would not match that kind of offer for Azubuike. I like Azubuike and
respect the impact he’s made in his year and a half in the league, but
…

? $3, $3.5, $4 million, whatever, that’s not chump change,
particularly when you need every red cent to make sure you can re-sign
the players you HAVE to re-sign. And …

? Because players such as Azubuike, with all due respect, are the most
common to find at the pro level.

Azubuike was called up from the D-League last season and ended up
contributing sporadically to the Warriors’ success. But I’m not
convinced he can get any better in this system at this time, and
that’s why I’d have to say no can do.

Some see Azubuike as a borderline starter, but I see him as a
borderline rotation player. While $3 million is pretty reasonable, it
isn’t for the Warriors right now. Azubuike might be worth that kind
of money to the Clippers _ and clearly he is _ but he’s just another
guy lingering on the perimeter to the Warriors.

Any way you cut it, Monta Ellis, Marco Belinelli (if everyone is
telling the truth), Corey Maggette and Stephen Jackson have a lot of
minutes locked up at the shooting guard and small forward next season.

The other thing about Azubuike is he doesn’t do anything exceptionally
well. He’s a good rebounder for his size and solid spot-up shooter.
But he’s not a good defender, only an average ballhandler, not much of
a creator and an OK foul shooter.

Throughout his coaching career, Don Nelson always has found players
such as Azubuike, guys who fit nicely into his system, and he ends up
getting something out of them. Off the top of my head I’m thinking a
Vincent Askew, Tom Tolbert or even Matt Barnes.

I guarantee you Nelson believes he can find someone as useful as
Azubuike and at a much lower price, too. He’s done it since he began
coaching three decades ago.

Azubuike has turned into a nice player and a nice story: From
undrafted to on the verge of a multimillion dollar deal. He’s earned
it.

But just because Azubuike deserves it doesn’t mean the Warriors have
to be the ones to pay it.

"Allen" <lonewolfbear RemoveThis @gmail.com> wrote in message
news:49e6c100-ef11-4803-8ddd-b3614aed7a00@a2g2000prm.googlegroups.com...

>Not an easy decision but Warriors and Azubuike aren't a match
>POSTED July 17, 6:35 PM

>But he’s not a good defender


This isn't true.

--Robin