Warriors, based on the movie?
The Warriors is a semi-famous entertaining b-movie. The Golden State Warriors are now a semi-pro but entertaining b-team. With their inexplicable trade of Al Harrington for Jamal Crawford, the Warriors have cemented themselves to the lottery, and their cap situation cements them there for a few years at least.
On one hand, Crawford does fit Don Nelson's style: he loves taking the first available shot. Of course, that's also his (and Nellie's system's) major flaw. Crawford doesn't seem to understand the concept of shot selection, let alone the concept of team basketball. He's not a good passer and he doesn't play a lick of defense. He is not, by any stretch of the imagination, a point guard. All of those things make him, at best, a nice guy to put on your second unit but you can't really afford to do that since he makes 10 million dollars a year.
Even stranger for the Warriors, Crawford is an undersized 2-guard which makes him just like Golden State's big ticket item, Monta Ellis. Could this trade mark the end of the Ellis Era in Golden State? There are some reports that Monta could be on the move and this deal, to me, makes it seem more probable. Why add Crawford for double digit millions when you just signed Ellis and Maggette to big deals and recently extended Stephen Jackson?
Oh, and how about that backcourt? Crawford, Maggette, and Jackson? Even if you add Monta Ellis that is hardly anything but mediocre and is a group that will chuck more shots than a team of Antoine Walkers. There's almost no need to mention anyone else on the team because with Crawford and Maggette controlling the ball, will anyone else see it?
The most depressing thing for Warriors fans has to be that Golden State was sitting pretty in trade possibilities and now are somewhat screwed. They had two guys who ended before the 2010 Free Agency market (Harrington and Jackson) and a number of prospects to package. Now they've extended SJax and replaced Harrington with Crawford's crap contract. It just became exponentially harder not just to make a deal but to get equal value for their youngsters. Even Ellis's trade value has taken a hit with his contract, injury, and subsequent handling of said injury.On the bright side, the Celtics might want to see if they could snag Kelenna Azubuike from the Warriors. I still think he the Warriors second best swingman in terms of all-around talent (SJax is #1). I wouldn't be stunned if Veal and Big Baby might be able to get it done. Who knows with the state of the Warriors and their front office.
There are more rumblings surrounding both the Knicks and Warriors and their needs to be; both teams are in shambles and need some major moves to make their rosters look the least bit logical, nevermind good.
