Stringcheese wrote:-= original quote snipped =-
Actually, I think these Warriors fans just realize that Nellie is a hall of fame coach and knows more about who will fit into HIS system than a bunch of bums on a message board.
It's so funny when people talk as if Nellie is clueless even though they are the ones that are clueless. Tell me, which one of you forum posters knew who Matt Barnes was? Or Kelena Azubuike? You know, two key bench players averaging over 20 minutes a game and one of whom was a key playoff contributor last year?
The Wright stuff is especially classic. How many Warriors fans wanted Wright on draft day, or thought we'd get him? Oh yeah, about zero. And wait, wasn't it the Nellie Warriors who instructed the Bobcats to draft him so that they could trade J-Rich for him? I find it ironic how everyone says Nellie doesn't recognize Wright's talent when he's the one who drafted him.
First of all, Nellie might be a HOF coach but he's never even been in the Finals in his entire coaching career. He may have all those wins but he still has 0 championships and one of the most losses in NBA coaching history.
And about Barnes and Azubuike, it's just what 510 said:
He (Don Nelson) is great at ballmovement and mismatches.. and because of that, he helps players who are good with the ball in their hands. Anyone else? Zero...
Barnes and Azubuike thrive in Nellie's system because they have the green light to take any shot they want and they can handle the ball almost as much as they want. That's different with big men like Wright and O'Bryant. And Nellie even said that
Chris Webber is the best big man that he has on the team right now. Would you agree that Chris Webber is really the best big man that the Warriors have? That says a lot when it comes to what Nellie knows about big men.
And the Brandan Wright trade wasn't because Nellie focused all emphasis on his potential and talent. Trading Jason Richardson was a MUST. The Warriors organization knew that it was required to trade Jason Richardson so they can have the cap flexibility to resign both Monta Ellis and Andris Biedrins in the 08 offseason. It was just a matter of who they would trade J-Rich for. If Jason never had a big contract for the Warriors to worry about, I bet you he never would have gotten traded for Brandan Wright. It was basically a money move, with Brandan Wright's huge potential as a big bonus.
I'm not saying that I know more about basketball than Nellie. I would NEVER be able to do the things he does as a coach. I'm just saying that he needs to realize that his young big men like O'Bryant should have a chance to play. I hate how Nellie isn't playing POB just because Patrick looks "unmotivated". Look what happened to rookie Chris Webber when Nellie traded him just because he was "unmotivated" to play the center position. **** that emotional ****. Just play the players.