Key Offseason Additions: Stephen Curry, Mikki Moore’s snake (SFW), Mikki Moore, Monta Ellis’ ankle, Acie Law, Speedy Claxton, Devean George
Life hasn't been all roller staking and boom-boxing for the Warriors lately...
The Lowdown: It’s becoming more evident that the Warriors’ magical 2007 playoff run was nothing more than a fun and exciting anomaly for a franchise that has now missed the postseason in 14 of the last 15 years. In 2008/09, Golden State was second in the league in scoring, but also finished dead last in points allowed and ninth-worst in turnovers. Ah, good ol’ Nellie Ball (notice the absence of the “d”).
Don Nelson has won 1,309 games over his storied career, but has developed just as many irreparable rifts with both players and owners through his unpredictable lineup shuffling, leading to the departures of Baron Davis, Al Harrington, and Jamal Crawford from Warrior-land. Although the team has yet to honor Stephen Jackson’s trade demand, his days in Golden State are clearly numbered, and Monta “Pinocchio” Ellis is likely not far behind. If Nellie pushes Anthony Randolph out of town, there will be a violent uproar in Oakland…well, a bigger one than usual.
After a head-scratching trade that sent third-year guard Marco Belinelli to Toronto for a Spice Girls CD and the Contra cheat code Devean George, the biggest question centers around the Warriors’ direction for the future. Is this a team in the midst of rebuilding or trying to win now? For all of the talent, Nellie’s style of play makes a deep playoff run highly improbable, while the team can’t fully rebuild with so many long-term contracts still on the books.
The Good: The Warriors are certainly not lacking firepower, and we’re not just talking about what’s in Stephen Jackson’s glove compartment. With the addition of sharp-shooter Stephen Curry and the continued development of Ellis, Randolph, and Andris Biedrins, Golden State will rarely struggle to score over 100 points (while giving up 120), and remains one of the most entertaining teams to watch on the court.
Even after losing Brendan Wright to injury, the Warriors are still arguably the deepest and most versatile team in the league. Nelson’s bread and butter over the years (and the man knows his bread and butter) has been creating match-up difficulties for his opponents, and with a roster full of athletic swingmen, Golden State will continue to surprise teams with different offensive schemes and unconventional lineups.
Fantasy Sleeper Alert: In 16 starts last season, Anthony Morrow averaged 15.6 points (47% FG), 4.1 rebounds, 2.1 threes, and 1.1 steals per game. The world-renowned record-holder for most points in a Summer League game (47) is slated to come off the bench behind Corey Maggette, but should have a bigger role on offense as the Warriors’ best outside shooter after the departure of Belinelli. Plus, Maggette just pulled a hamstring reading this post.
Prediction: 32-50 — 3rd in Pacific Division, 12th in Western Conference
