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Archive for July, 2012

Jarrett Jack on Warriors: “I’m Happy to Be Part of That Situation”

The Warriors are close to acquiring point guard Jarrett Jack from the New Orleans Hornets, league sources confirm. The deal is not official, one source warns, but Jack has already Tweeted his goodbye to Hornets fans.

Late Tuesday night into Wednesday morning, the reported trade that sent small forward Dorell Wright to Philadelphia morphed into a three-team trade withNew Orleans. Wright still goes to the 76ers. But the Hornets get the rights to Bosnian power forward Edin Bavcic and a $5.5 million trade exception. And the Warriors get one of the most-respected, little-known guards in the league.

“I’m happy to be part of that situation,” Jack, 28, said in a phone interview. “They traded for Andrew (Bogut). They drafted Harrison Barnes. Klay Thompson was the second-best rookie last year. It definitely looks like they’re serious about winning. I think we can make some noise.”

Jack has one year left on his deal, paying him about $5.5 million. The trade it seems leaves Golden State with about $3 million left to spend before reaching luxury tax zone. The Warriors are likely to look for front court help.

In many ways, Jack is exactly what Golden State needs. Last season with New Orleans, Jack averaged 15.6 points with 6.3 assists and 3.9 rebounds in 34 minutes — all career-highs.

He’s experienced, having started nearly half of his 532 career games over seven seasons with Portland, Indiana, Toronto and New Orleans. He can play both guard positions, so he can feasibly fill holes behind point guard Stephen Curry and shooting guard Klay Thompson.

He’s 6-foot-3, 202 pounds and reputed for being tough and playing hard. Most important, he’ll be able to defend both positions.

“I didn’t know I was a combo guard until I came into this league,” Jack said. “I just play hard. People know my M.O. As long as I’m on the court, I’m cool. I’m going to do whatever it takes.”

Posted on Wednesday, July 11th, 2012
Under: Uncategorized | 27 Comments »

Warriors in Talks to Get Hornets’ PG Jarrett Jack

The trade that sent Dorell Wright to Philadelphia morphed into a three-team trade last night, with the Warriors getting Jarrett Jack from New Orleans.

A source confirmed that the talks have progressed. But the source cautioned the deal was fragile and could fall apart. Wright would still go to Philadelphia. New Orleans would get a $5.1 million trade exception and Bosnian PF Edin Bavcic. Golden State would get Jack, one of the most respected little-known guards in the NBA.

Jack averaged 15.6 points and 6.3 assists last season for New Orleans.

 

Posted on Wednesday, July 11th, 2012
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A Familiar Name Might Be a Perfect Fit For Warriors

Ideally, the Warriors can get their hands on a guard who can play both positions. Someone who can reliably run the point when Stephen Curry is out the game, but someone who can also eat some minutes behind Klay Thompson. It would be good if he can shoot and play some defense, and of course he’d have to come at a right price.

Andre Miller is gone. So is Jerryd Bayless. So is Kirk Hinrich. Raymond Felton may cost too much. O.J. Mayo will cost too much and really isn’t a point guard option. Ditto for Courtney Lee.

But there is one familiar name who may be the perfect fit: C.J. Watson.

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Posted on Wednesday, July 11th, 2012
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Warriors Current Salary Cap Situation

It’s confusing, frustrating and largely secretive. Figuring out exceptions, cap space and potential moves sometimes feels like double majoring in chemistry and calculus.

It’s impossible to know for sure without the actual numbers. So, to better help you prognosticate, here is my best attempt at the Warriors’ salary cap situation, including cap holds.

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Posted on Tuesday, July 10th, 2012
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Warriors Sitting A Bit Prettier After Trading Dorell Wright

Don’t expect the Warriors to sign anyone when the NBA’s moratorium lifts on Wednesday.

Warriors general manager Bob Myers said the Warriors have been aggressive in their pursuit of players. He said they even came close on a few players. But nothing is imminent. Myers said the Warriors will continue the aggressive pursuit, but caustiously.

“We’ve been very focused with things that line up with what we need,” Myers said. “We’re in it, but we’re prudently in it. … We are not going to do a bad deal.”

Perhaps what matters most is that the Warriors can be even more aggressive now that they’ve agreed to trade small forward Dorell Wright, according to league sources. In exchange, the Warriors will receive a $4.1 million trade exception and the rights to Edin Bavcic, a 28-year-old Bosnian power forward who will likely never play for the Warriors.

Most important, though, was that the Warriors dumped Wright’s salary, giving them some $8 million of breathing room below the luxury tax line.  The Warriors can now re-sign restricted free agent swingman Brandon Rush and sign two free agents without paying a penalty.

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Posted on Tuesday, July 10th, 2012
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Warriors Trade SF Dorell Wright to Philly

The Warriors have agreed to trade Dorell Wright to the Philadelphia 76ers, according to league sources. In return, Golden State gets the rights to a player Philadelphia previously stashed overseas.  (Previously reported it was for a future draft pick. That was not correct)

Trading Wright, the starting small forward the last two seasons, frees up $4 million off the Warriors’ salary cap. They now have about $8 million to of space before going over the luxury tax. That will help Golden State address other needs, such as front line help, a back-up point guard and a veteran scorer off the bench.

Golden State had been shut out of the free agency period thus far, largely because of limited salary cap space. But this trade allows for the Warriors to use their mid-level exception and bi-annual exceptions, or take on some $8 million of salary in a trade.

Wright’s grip on the starting small forward job,  furnished by a breakout season under Keith Smart in 2010-11, had loosened thanks to the play of Brandon Rush and Dominic McGuire. After the Warriors’ drafted rookie small forward Harrison Barnes with the No. 7 overall pick, the writing was on the wall. Wright, because of his expiring contract, was the obvious choice for the Warriors to trade.

Posted on Tuesday, July 10th, 2012
Under: Uncategorized | 19 Comments »

Warriors Forced to Be Patient, Hope For Something to Fall in Their Lap

The NBA moratorium ends tomorrow, meaning free agents can officially sign contracts and offer sheets, and the Warriors aren’t close to signing anyone.

Some of it is a result of getting stiff-armed by a few players. Some of it is a calculated decision to be patient. Either way, it seems to be shaping out to not be the worst thing in the world.

The Warriors are still in need of front court help, a back-up point guard and a veteran who can score off the bench. They’re probably going to have to try to fill those voids with two players instead of three, considering their limited funds. The Warriors best play just might be to sit back while the wheeling and dealing is rampant, then see what is leftover. Based on the luck of new general manager Bob Myers (who won a tie-breaker, wound up keeping the No. 7 pick, and had Harrison Barnes fall to him in the lottery), it’s not far fetched to think the Warriors could find a gem toward the end of July. You know how it goes. There’ll be some players who didn’t get the offers he thought he deserved, decided to hold out for something better and ended up settling for a bargain price after all the money is dried up. That’s when the Warriors can swoop in.

That seems to be the best play. Because the Warriors simply have two many obstacles to be a real player on the free agent market. For a few reasons, waiting is just the best play.

* They don’t have the money. Despite having the mid-level and the bi-annual exception to spend, Golden State’s salary cap figure is at about $66 million. If they used the full mid-level exception and the bi-annual exception right now, that could put them close to $73 million. That would be a $3 million luxury tax penalty. So if the Warriors are to avoid the tax, which it is clear Lacob wants to do, they can only spend about $4 million of the mid-level.

(SIDE NOTE: Why is Joe Lacob willing spend a couple million for the rights to Jeremy Tyler, willing to add extra salary for Richard Jefferson all to get a first-round pick, willing to pay $500 million for a new arena, but not willing to pay a few million in luxury tax? … Perhaps, if there was a player Myers really loved and would make the difference, he would. But it’s just odd to hear the big spender worrying about a couple million.)

* They don’t have the appeal. Some of their targets clearly just didn’t want to play for Golden State. Andre Miller, Jason Kidd, Kirk Hinrich since they accepted deals the Warriors could afford with another team (Miller in Denver, Kidd inNew York, Hinrich in Chicago).

* Dorell Wright doesn’t have much value. It figured Wright, a productive player who at the very least is a good reserve, would be an attractive piece. Throw in an expiring contract (albeit worth just four million), you’d think the Warriors would have some takes. But as it’s turned out, Wright has little to no trade value. He wasn’t enough to help the Warriors move up in the draft, nor enough to help the Warriors fill some of the holes they have. Perhaps his value will increase after teams have spent all their cap space and is looking for a nice piece to add at a good price. Then, Golden State may be able to use Wright to get a point guard or a back-up big man, then use their available salary cap space for another player.

It’s all adding up for the Warriors to sit it out early on and hope some edible scraps are left over. But based on the prices (Ryan Anderson got $9 million per year; Brandon Roy got $10 million with bad knees), that certainly isn’t the worst thing.

Posted on Tuesday, July 10th, 2012
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Brandon Roy Gets Two Years, $10 Million From Timberwolves, Which Means the Warriors Never Had a Chance

The Oregonian broke the news that former Portland All-Star Brandon Roy, who the Warriors had been courting, agreed to a two-year deal with Minnesota reportedly worth just over $10 million.

You read that right. A two-year contract. Ten million dollars.

That only means the Warriors never really had a chance. Not only were the Warriors not able to pay anything near $5 million per year. Nor, according to one source, were the Warriors prepared to guarantee a second year for Roy.

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Posted on Thursday, July 5th, 2012
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Warriors Announce Summer League Roster

The Warriors released their summer league roster. A couple of pre

* Bob Myers sounded as if he didn’t want Thompson to play. The second-year guard is in Las Vegas now practicing with Team USA, which ends for him on July 11 (the first day of the Warriors’ summer league squad’s practice). Not only will Thompson be coming off a grueling camp, Myers said the Warriors have already seen enough of the second-year guard and would prefer to see some of the less-experienced players.

* Don’t be surprised if Wendell McKines gets invited to training camp. I can see him being a summer league beast. He rebounds. He plays super hard. He finishes strong. He has all the tools to stand out in summer league if he gets the minutes. Since he can play power forward, he should get some minutes.

* Expect to see a lot of minutes for Jeremy Tyler. Myers said this is a big year for Tyler. He really needs to show the Warriors something. He’s probably fourth on the depth chart at center (behind Andrew Bogut, Andris Biedrins and rookie Festus Ezeli). So his best chance to play is at PF. That means he may have to show some skill development. Draymond Green is going to be tough for Tyler to pass up on the depth chart because Green has some skills. He can play the versatile PF the Warriors like. Tyler really needs to bring it

NO    PLAYER                POS     HT     WT     BORN         SCHOOL

11    Klay Thompson          F        6-7      220      2/8/90      Washington St.

22   Charles Jenkins          G       6-3      220     2/28/89     Hofstra

3    Jeremy Tyler              F       6-10     260     6/21/91        San Diego HS

33  Chris Wright               F        6-8      226     9/30/88      Dayton

40   Harrison Barnes          F        6-8      210     5/30/92    North Carolina

31   Festus Ezeli                C      6-11     255    10/21/89        Vanderbilt

23   Draymond Green        F        6-7      230      3/4/90      Michigan State

35   Wendell McKines       F        6-6      230     8/18/88     New Mexico St.

34  Kyle Weems               F        6-6      226     8/23/89       Missouri State

20   Kent Bazemore         G/F      6-5      195      7/1/89      Old Dominion

25   Justin Burrell              F        6-8      244     4/18/88     St. John’s

18   Justin Hurtt                 G       6-5      205     10/3/88     Tulsa

52   Dallas Lauderdale       F        6-8      260     9/11/88    Ohio State

21   Joe Ragland                G       6-0      185    11/11/89       Wichita State

7     Frank Robinson          G       6-4      220      6/1/84       CSU Fullerton

50  Rakim Sanders           F        6-5      228      7/8/89       Fairfield

6   Garrett Sim                 G       6-2      185     7/10/90         Oregon

45  Andre Smith               F        6-8      242     2/21/85       North Dakota St.

32  Dar Tucker                 G       6-4      205     4/11/88        DePaul

9   Maalik Wayns            G       6-2      200      5/2/91          Villanova

19  Andre Young             G       5-9      170     3/16/90          Clemson

 

And here is the schedule …

WARRIORS 2012 SUMMER LEAGUE SCHEDULE

DATE                            OPPONENT                     TIME              LOCATION

Friday, July 13                L.A. Lakers                        5:00 p.m.      COX Pavilion

Saturday, July 14            Denver Nuggets               3:00 p.m.      COX Pavilion

Wednesday, July 18       Miami Heat                       7:30 p.m.      Thomas & Mack

Friday, July 20                Chicago Bulls                    5:30 p.m.      Thomas & Mack

Saturday, July 21            New Orleans Hornets     3:30 p.m.      Thomas & Mack

 

Posted on Thursday, July 5th, 2012
Under: Uncategorized | 11 Comments »

SUMMER SLEEPER: Jamal Crawford

It’s been a while since Jamal Crawford has been wanted.

Once one of the league’s best-kept secrets, the last two seasons have been a gradual decline from the ranks of the beloved. Despite his talent and his production, and his affability, Crawford seemed to fade back into the realm of the slept on.

He’s still got the respect of NBA players, insiders and basketball junkies.That’s why he currently has five teams interested in adding him, including playoff clubs Boston, Philadelphia and Indianapolis. According to a league source, Crawford is weighing offers from the Los Angeles Clippers and Minnesota.

Wherever he signs, it probably won’t make that big a splash. But his new team may get one of the steals of free agency considering Crawford’s production-to-price ratio. He’s no longer commanding a double-figure salary, but if he can produce  like he believes, he’ll be a bargain.

“The team that signs me this next season is getting a team-first guy, a good locker room guy,  a competitor,” Crawford said via email. “Someone who will do whatever it takes, and can get you 17 to 20 points a game whether starting or coming off the bench.”

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Posted on Thursday, July 5th, 2012
Under: Uncategorized | 11 Comments »