Q&A: Tim Kawakami (Mercury News) :: 2009-2010 Golden State Warriors Preseason (Part 3 of 4)

by Atma Brother ONE on Oct 8, 2009 11:30 AM PDT in Interviews

You've read Part 1 and Part 2 and now it's time for numero tres.

Jump for some thoughts around the league about everyone's favorite Golden State Warriors executive Robert Rowell and Andris Biedrins who seems to be actively shopped around by the Dubs.

Golden State of Mind: To put it lightly Robert Rowell did not exactly have a sparkling resume in terms of academic background or work experience prior to coming to the Warriors, yet he was able to make the ascension to President of the Warriors fairly quickly. To say he isn't exactly the most popular or highly regarded executive amongst fans and media alike would be an understatement. Let's say Cohan unexpectedly (or the Warriors next owner) cut ties with Rowell. Would any other team in the league hire him in any capacity? What are the thoughts across the league about Rowell's abilities and previous body of work with the Warriors?

Tim Kawakami: I know a few high-powered NBA people who have offered some words of support for some of the things Rowell has done--the way the arena is set up, the lively game-night experience, the fiscal moves of a few years ago... things like that.

But there is no support for him as a franchise-runner and everybody knows he's not good at handling people, despite the handful of loyalists who remain in the Warriors employ, There's definitely zero respect for the public front-office chicanery/zaniness of the last year or so.

In fact, I got calls from NBA execs wondering what Rowell was doing when he signed Jackson to the three-year extension, and got calls from the same guys laughing their butts off when Jackson made his public trade request. His dance with Nelson, also, is amusing to NBA folks who know Nelson well.

So no, I don't think Rowell would get a job in any high position in the NBA if Cohan would grant him free agency. Maybe he could be a marketing guy for a D-League team?

Golden State of Mind: In your blog post at the end of last season My Warriors' 2008-09 honor roll: Turiaf, Azubuike and Randolph you noted that Biedrins had the worst season plus/ minus on the team and that another season like that one would make his contract look very awful. In hindsight do the Warriors regret extending him before he became a free agent in the summer of 2008? Also the Warriors seemed very willing to trade Andris Biedrins this past summer. What does this say about how much they value his game and projections of his unrealized potential?

Tim Kawakami: Don't know if regret is the right word for the Biedrins deal, because he's a young big man with a great attitude who the Warriors thought they couldn't lose, even if Nelson wasn't enamored with a center who can't shoot. Biedrins had a value, and the Warriors matched it or slightly exceeded it, with an agent in Bill Duffy that they like.

But they also got caught up in standard sports uh-oh: The situation changed. A lot. Biedrins was a centepierce of a certain kind of Warriors team, along with Monta, and that team has changed. Now that long, expensive deal doesn't look so good, ESPECIALLY since Nelson continues not to be enamored with a center who can't shoot.

We could write 10 thesis papers on how much the departure of Baron Davis changed things for the Warriors. But the departure of Al Harrington changed things a bit, too: He was a shooting 4 who could play with Biedrins. Without a shooting 4, I don't know how much Nelson wants to play Randolph with Biedrins.

Which led to the Warriors dangling Biedrins in trade talks with Phoenix. (Biedrins wouldn't have minded that deal at all.) I think they'll keep dangling Biedrins, because of his salary, because other teams like him, and because they don't have the right Nellie fit in the frontcourt if Randolph is going to get the lion's share of power-forward minutes.

**********

Keep your Internet dial on GSoM for the final installment!

Tim Kawakami (Mercury News): 2009-2010 Golden State Warriors Preseason (Part 2 of 4)- Part I | II | III | IV

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Comments

Biedrins

I’ll agree that for the right deal, moving Biedrins would be a good move, I just don’t see the Warriors being able to get that type of player.
I think having Randolph up front will help Biedrins this season as well as having Curry dropping him the rock instead of relying on Ellis or Jackson to thread a pass in the lane.
That being said, you hope the Warriors drive his stock up and make him even more attractive to teams that can offer us something of value.
I personally am surprised the Warriors haven’t brought in a big man coach to help develop Biedrins, Wright and Randolph’s game. It would probably be a good investment. Randolph seems to be doing fine on his own, but it couldn’t hurt in his development.

by ajtrinc on Oct 8, 2009 2:12 PM PDT reply actions

Scott Roth

was the other main addition (w. Cheaney) to the coaching staff over the summer. He has had good results with the big guys, P.Gasol, Nowitski (Roth worked for Nelson in Dal), and Thabeet among his trainees. Since he was recently the coach of the d-league all stars who competed in the L.V. summer league, under other circumstances he could probably get some interesting players invited to training camp, but that one-for-two trade with Atl sucked away all roster flexibility. Mid-season moves could change that of course.

by the.monk on Oct 8, 2009 2:40 PM PDT reply actions

Beans value is in the hands of Randolph

If Randolph develops that jumper he appears to have the basics of, he will make the trio of Randolph, Beans, and Turiaf look really good. They can lock down the paint, score inside effectively, and stretch the defense if Randolph is shooting well.
of course, that is one more lets wait and see thing to add to this team. Just what we need!

by warriorsvictim on Oct 8, 2009 3:14 PM PDT reply actions

Nelson wasn't enamored with a center who can't shoot.

Well Dris can’t shoot but he brings some other positive qualities that might balance that out? Not many centers are as efficient with their possessions and not many rebound at his rate, he’s also pretty good in the paint , considering how porous our perimeter defense is I guess he has no choice but to be :>)

Standing on the moon
Where talk is cheap and vision true
Standing on the moon
But I would rather be with you
Somewhere in San Francisco
On a back porch in July
Just looking up to heaven
At this crescent in the sky

by Skeptic con Urquell on Oct 8, 2009 3:30 PM PDT reply actions

But

we need to keep |Biedrins unless we get an even better Center than him

Die Hard Golden State Warrior Fan 4 Life!!!
The Golden Future
Curry-20pts,4rbs,10ast,2stl
Randolph-22pts,11rbs,3ast, 2blk
Morrow-18pts,5rbs,2ast,48 3pt%
Can't wait until GS make it to the PLAYOFFS!!
Living 4 a GSW Championship!!!

by GSW9 on Oct 8, 2009 6:21 PM PDT reply actions

His dance with Nelson, also, is amusing to NBA folks who know Nelson well.

What dance? Who are these people? Rhetorical questions. TK’s obvious beef with Nellie always comes through in these type of statements.

He’s like a kid who’s saying “well, he said it so it must be true!”

Confident Marco Belinelli supporter

by Doctor Kajita on Oct 8, 2009 8:00 PM PDT reply actions

finally

TK actually said something I could agree with: Harrington was the right kind of match for playing alongside Andris. It’s a small point, but bears rementioning: individual stats don’t tell the whole story – the whole tells the whole story, as in the sum of the parts. We can have scorers, rebounders, defenders (name two?) but unless we have players who’s skills complement each other it means little to add up stats that prove nothing other than what we could or should or might be.

I’m not against moving Harrington, or Andris, or Monta necessarily. But we need to have a whole that fits and works together. A year later, we are still little if any better off. In fact, we now have three centers who cannot really be expected to play alongside one another (Andris, Turiaf, MM) and who at first glance don’t complement AR’s skills either, while we don’t have a backup PF (MM or Turiaf are going to have to play that role unless we want Maggs there again). It’s about time that the FO finds the right fit …

by hardcore on Oct 8, 2009 9:52 PM PDT reply actions

yep

Al wasn’t a great or even good player, but Nellie knew exactly how to use him. That matters.

While Randolph did drain some jumpers yesterday, I have to admit, I was a little worried to see him on the outside so much. Randolph’s game works best inside — trying to turn him into Al 2.0 is a waste of his talents. I get that Nellie doesn’t want two non-shooting bigs out there at the same time, but Biedrins is a mobile guy who doesn’t require post position and is happy to set picks… there’s no reason why he and Randolph would have to clog each other up. Those two ought to be able to fit together just fine, even if it requires some subtle shifts on Nellie’s part. (And I actually think Turiaf would make a perfectly fine backup 4, a role he played on the Lakers more often than not.)

by onlxn on Oct 9, 2009 1:46 AM PDT up reply actions

I Still think we'll see a tight leash w/ randolph to avoid that

nellie will use maggette, buike, maybe bwright @pf in instances. I don’t mind wen he goes small for instances, its just when its a full time tactic it drives me crazy

by tafkasam on Oct 9, 2009 7:37 AM PDT up reply actions

Biedrins is a mobile guy who doesn’t require post position and is happy to set picks

He doesn’t require post position because… he has no post up game.

I would say Biedrins sets some pretty terrible picks from the perspective of the ball handler. He rolls way too early. His picks help him get baskets, but nothing else. They don’t create space for the ball handler or create a switch. I remember when Chris Webber played a few games in 2008- instantly you saw screens that actually helped the ball handler.

Biedrins is not a guy who should you look for someone to pair up with. It’s the other way around. Biedrins is a nice role player. You find your nice big man (hopefully it’s Anthony Randolph) and then complement him with Biedrins.

Golden State of Mind :: Always keeping it... "Unstoppable Baby!"

by Atma Brother ONE on Oct 9, 2009 8:03 AM PDT up reply actions