Mullin tells Ford and Tim K. Wright is going nowhere

[NW]

From Ford's latest notes

A Warriors representative shot down an assertion made in a couple of my columns that the team was looking to move Brandan Wright. He especially took umbrage at the report that the team coveted Milwaukee's Yi Jianlian. I've been assured that Warriors GM Chris Mullin, who makes the final decisions at Golden State, isn't trading Wright for Yi.

* http://blogs.mercurynews.com/kawakami/2 ... te-greene/

[GSWhoopfan]

i love what Mullin says...now i hope he can do something dramtic this offseason

Sheed and/or Artest, and Alexander...this would be my pipe dream...apparently Mullin is in the same belief as me...

id rather have Artest first because the league is getting smaller and faster...but Sheed and Biedrins would be legit out west.

Nellie returning for more possible years after not out of the question...Diddy is our best player and still has more good years ahead of him...im smelling a 3-4 extension at one point for both

[Twinkie defense]

Uh-oh, this means Wright is traded...

[floppymoose]

Nice to see the "we will match anything" mantra coming out of the FO for Bullet and Goose. If this plays out like last year there will be no bidding war.

[old rem]

Nice to see the "we will match anything" mantra coming out of the FO for Bullet and Goose. If this plays out like last year there will be no bidding war.

I really don't expect a bidding war on Monta-Beans. It's common knowledge we match unless some team goes totally crazy....and hardly anyone HAS that option. I could see some try at snatching Azu. Most teams can chase an MLE. Probably he returns. We'd be dumb to let him go cheap,but if he got a full MLE offer-then we might just let him get away.

I never believed GSW was hot for Yi. Yi got minutes but I still see more upside in wright.

[old rem]

Overall...pretty sensible. the Donte Greene bit is scary. This kid was really flinging 3's like a guy who actually MAKES 3's....which he isn't.

The We will match,was pretty firm. Forget about the fears Mully wimps and the Griz or ? snatch either.

Nellie's future...door left open,it's up to Nellie's whims. Baron? Mullin hints at a wait + see,not too committed either way.

Trade? Mullin want's to deal. It sounds like Ellis-Biedrins-wright are very NOT on the block and I don't think trading Baron is on this summer's menu. jax or Harrington/ #14? those are the most likely trade chips and it will come down to us getting a definite GOOD deal...or we pass.

Us paying #14 to rent player X a year? No point. Youth is economical and can be a "window of opportunity" in that we accumulate more talent around a core that can be quality for 10 more years.

I can't see us chasing Artest or Wallace. Jax has enouth mood swings and impulsiveness. You don't want to be worrying that a regular is gonna flip out every few games. Further...neither has much long range future for us,and both are pretty high $.

I still think getting an efficient rebounder has to be a priority. While TK hinted...Mullin was not looking to show his cards.

[Sleepy51]

Sounds like Kelenna will be brought back. Mullin dropped his name in there with the core guys pretty confidently. "Interesting" that Mullin saw Dre as a SF when he was in Europe. . Mullin's talent evaluation is something of a broken clock.

I'm strangely excited at the prospect of Nellie running a "development" priority team this season. I truly felt all along last year that many of Nellie's decisions were inspired by this tug of war with the front office over the mandate to make the playoffs with an undermanned squad. I knew we didn't have enough talent, he knew we didn't have enough talent, but the salesmen and beancounters didn't seem to care that we didn't have enough talent. Nellie coached "desperate" a lot of the time, reactive rather than proactive in a lot of ways, but when he was proactive it looked like throwing darts.

I think a lot of us folks who grew dissatisfied with Nellie's stewardship in 08 will be pleasantly surprised when he takes on the mantle of teacher again, rather than marketing consultant. Dre and Brandan are talented bigs but with unconventional "speed" approaches. They are guys who could have played with Nellie's Celtics back before the game got uglied up by fat guys. I think with a season to teach during the games he will fall in love with these guys as much as he has with Monta. Having two athletic altitude players who are willing to move without the ball, run plays, use agility and positioning gives the coach some fun toys for the sandbox. I would hope for a thicker playbook, and more discipline on the backcourt gunning. We don't need the wins at this point. We're not in contention position, and maybe by running everyone to death last season, he finally convinced the front office to lay off the salesmanship, and start planning for the future.

As long as we don't do anything stupid with the talent we've already got, this year is gonna be fun and pressure free. No playoffs, but maybe March and April will be watchable, because we will have gotten BETTER over the course of hte year rather than Worse.

I'll try this new flavor of kool-aid. It tastes better than the last one.

[floppymoose]

If the Warriors are in the race at the break, the pressure to win will be just as intense as ever. So we have to hope the young guys get enough minutes before then that Nellie knows what he has and isn't afraid of using them.

[Head Leader]

Sounds like Kelenna will be brought back. Mullin dropped his name in there with the core guys pretty confidently. "Interesting" that Mullin saw Dre as a SF when he was in Europe. . Mullin's talent evaluation is something of a broken clock.

I'm strangely excited at the prospect of Nellie running a "development" priority team this season. I truly felt all along last year that many of Nellie's decisions were inspired by this tug of war with the front office over the mandate to make the playoffs with an undermanned squad. I knew we didn't have enough talent, he knew we didn't have enough talent, but the salesmen and beancounters didn't seem to care that we didn't have enough talent. Nellie coached "desperate" a lot of the time, reactive rather than proactive in a lot of ways, but when he was proactive it looked like throwing darts.

I think a lot of us folks who grew dissatisfied with Nellie's stewardship in 08 will be pleasantly surprised when he takes on the mantle of teacher again, rather than marketing consultant. Dre and Brandan are talented bigs but with unconventional "speed" approaches. They are guys who could have played with Nellie's Celtics back before the game got uglied up by fat guys. I think with a season to teach during the games he will fall in love with these guys as much as he has with Monta. Having two athletic altitude players who are willing to move without the ball, run plays, use agility and positioning gives the coach some fun toys for the sandbox. I would hope for a thicker playbook, and more discipline on the backcourt gunning. We don't need the wins at this point. We're not in contention position, and maybe by running everyone to death last season, he finally convinced the front office to lay off the salesmanship, and start planning for the future.

As long as we don't do anything stupid with the talent we've already got, this year is gonna be fun and pressure free. No playoffs, but maybe March and April will be watchable, because we will have gotten BETTER over the course of hte year rather than Worse.

I'll try this new flavor of kool-aid. It tastes better than the last one.

Great post Sleepy.

[Sid the Squid]

Azubuike's worth 5 mil a year to start

[FNQ]

Sounds like Kelenna will be brought back. Mullin dropped his name in there with the core guys pretty confidently. "Interesting" that Mullin saw Dre as a SF when he was in Europe. . Mullin's talent evaluation is something of a broken clock.

I'm strangely excited at the prospect of Nellie running a "development" priority team this season. I truly felt all along last year that many of Nellie's decisions were inspired by this tug of war with the front office over the mandate to make the playoffs with an undermanned squad. I knew we didn't have enough talent, he knew we didn't have enough talent, but the salesmen and beancounters didn't seem to care that we didn't have enough talent. Nellie coached "desperate" a lot of the time, reactive rather than proactive in a lot of ways, but when he was proactive it looked like throwing darts.

I think a lot of us folks who grew dissatisfied with Nellie's stewardship in 08 will be pleasantly surprised when he takes on the mantle of teacher again, rather than marketing consultant. Dre and Brandan are talented bigs but with unconventional "speed" approaches. They are guys who could have played with Nellie's Celtics back before the game got uglied up by fat guys. I think with a season to teach during the games he will fall in love with these guys as much as he has with Monta. Having two athletic altitude players who are willing to move without the ball, run plays, use agility and positioning gives the coach some fun toys for the sandbox. I would hope for a thicker playbook, and more discipline on the backcourt gunning. We don't need the wins at this point. We're not in contention position, and maybe by running everyone to death last season, he finally convinced the front office to lay off the salesmanship, and start planning for the future.

As long as we don't do anything stupid with the talent we've already got, this year is gonna be fun and pressure free. No playoffs, but maybe March and April will be watchable, because we will have gotten BETTER over the course of hte year rather than Worse.

I'll try this new flavor of kool-aid. It tastes better than the last one.

So I'm guessing around late November you'll look back at this post and say "Damn, Nellie got me again."

I'd love to believe it... history has proven otherwise. Mullin and Nellie are lame ducks right now, so I really see no reason to buy the "we're looking to develop these players" angle. Inevitably Nellie will go back to what he knows...

Remember, Mullin's playing for his "GM" life and Nellie's thinking about his next payday.

The most concerning part is Mullin talking about Busty and Buke as core players... does that mean we're not looking to draft at that position in the 1st round? It also means we're trying to retain Buke, which = multi year contract, which =

[Left*My*Heart]

I recall Mullin making a statement of not trading JRich too. I find what comes out of these front office guy's mouths league wide regarding who is available etc, is just lip service. Anyone can be traded; it all depends on what the offer is.

I'm still very concerned about Biedrins.

If a positive deal from the Warriors' standpoint can be made for Baron this summer, it will happen. I don't see Baron playing for the Warriors long term.

[GswStorm3]

Wright isn't a cap casualty unlike J Rich was. Two different scenario's which is why I'll definitely take Mully's word that Wright is off limits.

[Sleepy51]

Remember, Mullin's playing for his "GM" life and Nellie's thinking about his next payday.

I think the downside of that dynamic is highly overplayed around here. The best way for either of them to secure their next job is to do a good job at the one they've got. If Mullin and Nelson are currently pushing a PR program about rebuilding and developing quality young talent, those are likely thier marching orders (FINALLY.) If they do a good job with that mandate, despite not securing a meaningless 8 seed in the stacked west, that competence is likely to be rewarded in the NBA job marketplace.

P.S. I'm not saying that Mullin and Nellie are the I'm just saying that they aren't nearly as crappy as we state when they are in the midst of driving us nuts.

P.P.S. Bukie as a "core" player scares the bejeezus out of me. Thus thre "broken clock" comment.

[FNQ]

I think thats logical, thus, it wont happen. We're the Warriors.

It does make sense that they would go towards that goal since they've pretty much said they would. But that can lead me in several directions - for example, why are we not looking to trade Baron if we're getting younger? Is he really part of our core? It also reminds me of the giant piles of crap we've read in every offseason since what, 89?

Nellie always says the right things in the offseason.... but has it really ever altered his coaching style? And I dont think his payday comes anywhere but from here... and I'm not going to believe that Cohan will take 30 wins, some player development, and missing the playoffs as success.

[turk3d]

I think that Mullin and Nellie are looking to make a significant move this season (they did the year before but were unable to do anything significant this past season after the KG deal flopped). I'm happy they did what they did (not making a major move) since there was probably one that would have made them better off by giving away one of their three youngsters (that's what all the other teams were after). This year there will not only be a lot of teams looking to move high paid stars, the free agent market will be significant (with guys like Arenas available (who already opted out) and a number of others. The Warriors are a prime location for someone who is in this category as they are really only one "star" away from moving into the upper echelon of the West as long as they don't have to give up any of their top 4 players(which are Monta, Baron, Biedrens and Wright longterm). The reason I include Wright is because he's what helps to insure their longterm success so that they won't wind up a "one season wonder". This is very important as far as a free agent who's looking to move somewhere is concerned.

With a number of players with options: Marion, Brand, Artest and the number of guys who their respective teams will be looking to trade or be traded (this is an even bigger list):
Rasheed, Odom, O'Neal, Kirilenko (and even Boozer) and the fact that as we seen last year (with the much less than equal value those teams trading their superstars received in return) it will be a huge buyers market this offseason. So I think if the Warriors play their cards right this time around, they may wind up with a very good pickup without losing their future in the process and could be much improved next year as a result. Don't forget, this is likely to be Nellie's last hurrah and we all know Mullin is on the cusp as well. I don't think either one of them are planning to go into this season standing pat and I believe the FO has instructed them that they are not to dismantle the future just to make a one year run. Mullin may feel the same way on that, especially if he is planning on returning the year after and likely for years to come. Unlike Nellie, he's not intending to ride off into the sunset.

[Sleepy51]

This year there will not only be a lot of teams looking to move high paid stars, the free agent market will be significant (with guys like Arenas available (who already opted out) and a number of others. The Warriors are a prime location for someone who is in this category as they are really only one "star" away from moving into the upper echelon of the West

Um . . . no we're not. We've missed the playoffs 13 of the last 14 years and we have a 5 deep roster, 6 on a good day right now. We're nobody's destination, and good players don't move via free agency very often anyway. Getting a star through FA is not a practical expectation to bank on changing the fortunes of your team. Teams don't let stars leave for nothing.

[St.Nick]

So much wild speculation here...

Here is what is likely going to happen:

We move Al at some point before the end of next season
We draft an athletic SG/SF at #19 and acquire a big guy to play backup PF/C (cross fingers for Varejao)
We re-sign Kelenna, Andris, and Monta
We do not trade anyone under the age of 25
We keep Baron unless someone blows us away with a trade offer

Pretty simple stuff. Play winning basketball, develop the young core that we have got, and dont shake things up as we have what looks like a good thing going on here. Its economical enough for the front office and wise enough for the future state of the team.