The Warriors Are the Biggest Mess in the NBA
It’s not SJack’s faultYou know things are bad in Golden State when they’re taking cues from the 49ers. Don Nelson’s decision to appoint assistant Keith Smart as the team’s new “defensive coordinator,” and Sidney Moncrief as their “offensive coordinator” is suspect to say the least.
“I’ve decided to identify one of my weaknesses at this point in my life. I’m not tough enough anymore. I’m soft as I get older. I feel like I haven’t done a very good job defensively this year.”
Is Nellie just passing off responsibility to Smart and Moncrief, or is he actually going to have those guys calling plays for the offense and defense? Next thing you know, Nellie’s going to be talking about the line of scrimmage and mixing up the “backcourt” with the “backfield.”
Add this awesome development to the Robert Rowell-Chris Mullin tiff that’s been going on all year long, Monta’s scandalous moped incident, the fact that Corey Maggette hasn’t exactly been pretty to watch, and it’s easy to see how the Warriors could be called the biggest mess in the League.
And if that wasn’t enough, throw this into the mix: on Friday, ESPN’s Chris Broussard mentioned on a broadcast that Nellie told Anthony Randolph that he’d better start thinking about a trade because things just weren’t working out.
Then, Nellie clarified his remarks, saying, “He’s got to work harder in practice. He’s got to do some things to get better. That’s all that was about. I wanted to sit down with he and his agent. So that’s not true.”
Two points here: first of all, coaches don’t want to “sit down” with players and their agents unless they’re pissed. And second of all, there’s obviously a pattern of attitude issues with Randolph. He’s got great physical tools, but he’s left a sour taste with a lot of people.
Is there another team in the NBA who can challenge Golden State as being the biggest mess?
Source: Rotoworld and Berryessa Sun
December 22nd, 2008 at 12:52 pm
JCARR "K1N6" says:
Knicks
December 22nd, 2008 at 12:55 pm
Drink the Haterade (KB24 Chip 09) says:
“Add this awesome development to the Robert Rowell-Chris Mullin tiff that’s been going on all year long, Monta’s scandalous moped incident, the fact that Corey Maggette hasn’t exactly been pretty to watch, and it’s easy to see how the Warriors could be called the biggest mess in the League”.
The Warriors are last years Knicks, S0Jax will end up in some truck story and Nellie will be involved in law suit with some young blonde.
December 22nd, 2008 at 12:56 pm
JCARR "K1N6" says:
so is Don Nelson going to be paid just to sit on the bench?
Soon enough he’s going to be in one of the luxury box seats in Oracle Arena, and the assistant coaches are going to use a phone to get in contact with him. (Challange)
December 22nd, 2008 at 12:57 pm
Big North says:
OK, why is Don Nelson so teflon? Has this guy won anything of substance? Aside for players wanting to play in his helter skelter system is there any value to having him as a coach?
December 22nd, 2008 at 1:05 pm
dmitry of jersey says:
Yes - exciting teams sell tickets and merchandise and get people watching on the TV. Nellie has done a great job in years past when his roster wasn’t 80% shooting guards.
December 22nd, 2008 at 1:10 pm
Dime Magazine says:
JCARR,
I can see why you say New York, but here’s why I think that they’re a distant second to Golden State:
Nobody thought they’d be decent this season. They’re admittedly in complete rebuilding mode. Even if those trades were bogus, they were still within the team’s “vision.”
I guess you can’t say that the Steph saga fits into that same category. But that drama has been going on for so long now, that it almost feels like an ignorable undercurrent.
On the other hand, the Warriors don’t seem to have any real direction. They’re supposed to be contending for a playoff spot - that’s why they went after Maggette in the first place. But they’ve devolved into a total shitshow, and now their only “calling card,” Nellie’s coaching style, could be in jeopardy.
- AK
December 22nd, 2008 at 1:15 pm
rob stewart says:
I don’t know what this is worth but both Sidney Moncrief and Keith Smart share the same birthday! September 21st! This is also the date that Pistol Pete got married. I’m just full of random inforation.
December 22nd, 2008 at 1:28 pm
YOUNGFED..."Just too show off I hang my wrist out the window" says:
I thought the Seattle, oops (Sorry Austin) I meant OKC Thunder were the biggest mess right now. I’m pretty sure I’m right.
December 22nd, 2008 at 1:42 pm
Brown says:
These are bad times in Warriorland. I said before the season even started that the team was going to tank. When they let Baron go, I was ok with it because I thought they could use that money to sign or trade for someone who could help the team. Then they go and sign Maggette for $10 mil per and flush all that hope down the toilet. Maggette doesn’t bring anything to the table that the Warriors don’t already have - a swingman who likes to jack shots and doesn’t play defense. If that wasn’t enough, they go and trade for Jamal Crawford, another swingman and known jacker.
I knew it was going to be a bad season, but it just keeps getting worse. I still don’t understand why a team that can’t rebound refuses to play Brandan Wright.
Their cap situation isn’t good. The one tradeable contract they had (Harrington) brought them nothing. I doubt they’ll find a taker for Maggette, so they’re stuck with him.
Chris Mullin should just quit. Either he’s not the one really running the team any more or he’s a horrenous GM. Either way, it’s time to jump ship.
I’m a Warriors fan till the end, but I just can’t stand watching this team right now.
As for other teams that are a big hot mess, see Raptors, Toronto.
December 22nd, 2008 at 1:45 pm
Dime Magazine says:
YOUNGFED,
They’re showing signs of life. First they beat Toronto, and then Russell Westbrook hit two three’s in the same game for the second time this season in a surprisingly tight game against Cleveland.
And like I said above, they were expected to be horrible. They’re super young, and clearly not that good. But that doesn’t mean that they’re a “mess.” It just means that they stink.
- AK
December 22nd, 2008 at 1:48 pm
Kobeef says:
@Youngfed
No way.
Sure OKC loses a lot but they are a young team. They have a few young players that could be superstars(Durant, Westbrook) and lots of cap space. That is a rebuilding team which is a good place to be.
The biggest mess in the NBA? Easy: Toronto Raptors.
The team is over the cap for this season and next because of two huge contracts in Bosh and O’Neal plus the big contracts of Kopono, Bargnani and Calderon. $73 Million in salaries and they absolutely suck.
Outside of trading Bosh I really don’t see an exit strategy. Nobody is trading high for O’Neal, Calderon, Bargs or Kopono and they don’t have any other players with value.
December 22nd, 2008 at 1:59 pm
George W Kush Sr says:
OKC is not a mess, they’re expected to lose a shit load of games this year.
Knicks were a terrible mess last year. In the end, I’m so glad Thomas is out of there.
GS is probably the biggest mess. Raptors are suddenly becoming a mess, but not as big as GS, but the Raps have no direction anymore, they need to make a few trades ASAP.
Wizards are a pretty big mess also, but again not as big as GS. Detroit is also losing more than they’re supposed to, but its the fact that they’ll lose to bad teams that is worrying.
December 22nd, 2008 at 2:02 pm
Kobeef says:
@ AK
The Warriors aren’t really a mess.
They will be under the salary cap next season with a starting line of Monta, Crawford, SJax, Biendris and possibly Maggette/Turiaf. Signing Maggette was a really stupid move but the rest of that core is very good.
On top of that they have young, tradeable talent in Randlph and Wright and a few nice role players in Azbuike and Belinelli.
December 22nd, 2008 at 2:14 pm
the cynic says:
If they can trade Maggette’s contract they will be alright. This season needs to be all about developing Wright, Beindris, and Belinelli. Next season the line-up should be Monta, Crawford, Jackson, Wright, and Beindris with Azubuike, Belinelli, Turiaf, and Watson off the bench. If they don’t follow this path they’ll stink for the next 6 to 7 years
December 22nd, 2008 at 3:44 pm
Scott says:
I would have to agree with Kobeef, the Raps are definitely the biggest mess this year. At least the Warriors have talent they could move, and an excess of young guns they could move if need be. The Raps as its been well documented, don’t have those assets, and were really relying on the team to play as a team to find success, but without that mantra, and the fact that they’ve completely fallen apart, they are easily the biggest mess, I would say that maybe even BC’s job is getting close (if it isn’t already) to being on the line.
December 22nd, 2008 at 4:03 pm
Brown says:
@the cynic
Bravo. That’s better than I could have put it. What are the chances they follow this path though? If Vegas has odds on it, I want in. I don’t know why everyone on the outside sees what they should do, but the guys steering the ship don’t.
@kobeef
You’re bang-on about the Raps. I’ve come to the realization that the only way to improve the Raptors is to trade Bosh. I’m starting to see the writing on the wall that Bosh isn’t happy with the franchise, probably for the same reasons Vince was unhappy, and will end up leaving via free agency. There’s no way that in a year-and-a-half, the team will turn into a contender, unless they strike gold in the draft, which I wouldn’t count too heavily on.
It’ll be years before either team is relevant again.
December 22nd, 2008 at 4:13 pm
Brown says:
@Scott
I think Colangelo’s job is on the line too. I honestly don’t see much difference between him and Rob Babcock. BC was heralded as some basketball genius here to save the franchise. I don’t know how, but he somehow made it worse. Wait, yes I do. It was drafting Bargnani, a PF, with the #1 pick to play alongside franchise cornerstone Chris Bosh, a PF. Where’s the logic in that? Who does BC think he is, Kevin McHale?
December 22nd, 2008 at 4:13 pm
TD says:
Nellie’s system just doesn’t work with this personell. The Warriors rely on outscoring their opponents, but they don’t win because the can’t get the ball back after the other team misses. They can’t rebound, have way too many people that think they’re great shooters and aren’t (SJAX, Maggette & Crawford), and they’re not playing any of their young guys (randolph & wright). They need to get rid of Maggette by packaging him with one of their young guns to a team that needs scoring. Like the hot mess raptors, wizards, or the bucks. They need to build around Monta and Biedrins and get a good supporting cast around them over the next 2-3 years. But they won’t, cuz this cat Rowell that took over is trash and doesn’t understand that just because a player looks good on paper doesn’t mean he is good for your team.
December 22nd, 2008 at 4:22 pm
JCARR "K1N6" says:
@Dimemag’s AK
The knicks started of farely well and were expected to be much better than the New Jersey Nets… The resurrection of Zach Randolph was helping the Knicks, but they still trade him? Everyone in New York was hyped about the Knicks, the new coach and the media was even talking about a possible playoff spot. But i mean bringing guys like Tim Thomas and Al Harrington hurts to watch (i have to use eye drops).
As for Golden State they play in the West which is full of “organized” teams with talent. The warriors are sporadic they dont give the same guys the same amount of playing time and basically just let them play pick up games against other NBA teams.
I really thought before the season started that the Knicks would make the playoffs before the Warriors.
December 22nd, 2008 at 4:45 pm
Dime Magazine says:
JCARR -
I totally see what you’re saying - and I was the number one critic of the Knicks’ making that move (http://dimemag.com/2008/11/i-hate-the-knicks-trade/). But as I said above, there’s a vision for that team: they don’t want to compete this year. They made that clear. Maybe you’d say that therein lies an issue so big that they’re the biggest mess in the League bar none. And I wouldn’t be able to disagree with that.
But if you allow that they’re making moves with the goal of being good two years from now, then you have to agree that they’re simply executing their plan - no matter how f’d up it is to their fans.
On the other hand, the Warriors have had a vision - since they beat the Mavs in the first round, their vision has been to let Don Nelson work his magic. Robert Rowell wouldn’t resign Baron Davis because he believed that Nellie would be able to take another guard - Monta - and that the “system” would prevail.
BUT it hasn’t.
With the injuries, the front-office bickering between GM and owner, and some other reckless management (re: Anthony Randolph’s situation, and this “coordinator” business) that “philosophy” has simply not worked.
The Warriors have failed. The Knicks are currently succeeding in their plan.
- AK
December 22nd, 2008 at 5:11 pm
JCARR "K1N6" says:
@Dimemag’s AK
lol the knicks is plan is to just loose games and trade for players who are worth the minimum. I see your point. But what a dissapointment it would be if they dont manage to sign at least one marquee icon(LBJ, Bosh, etc).
The Knicks are notoriously known for not been able to negotiate elegantly.
What were your expectations for the Warriors this year? Seriously. After seeing Baron Davis leave i knew it was over. Only if they managed to sign Gilber Arenas(still adisappointment this year) i would have had more hope for them making the playoffs. I feel like Monta is still 2 years away from being able to be the face of the Warriors franchise. Maggate well… he’s just “bad porn”
I am not a fan of the knicks, but it hurts to see the mecca of basketball go through what they are going through. That’s why i would have them as the biggest mess.
December 22nd, 2008 at 8:05 pm
Dime Magazine says:
JCARR-
Well said. If the Knicks don’t land LeBron, these two years will be looked at with complete disgust. Even if they end up with Bosh, I think that this whole period was a failure.
ak
December 23rd, 2008 at 2:54 am
Shells says:
If I remembered clearly, the Warriors are listed under the ESPN for mock lottery pick, as the 5th. If that’s the case, they’re aren’t a mess. Andrew Katz apparently don’t know his stuff.
December 23rd, 2008 at 5:21 am
ML says:
have all of you forgotten about the T-WOLVES. those guys are the biggest mess of them all
December 23rd, 2008 at 5:34 pm
MSkittle says:
The Knicks anyone?