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Around SBN: The Most Dangerous Division in Sports

Win Now or Win Later

Coming into this offseason, it looks like the Warriors have most of the starting rotation locked up.  David Lee is signed to a maximum deal.  Monta Ellis and Steph Curry are locked into Warriors backcourt, and Dorell Wright is the starting small forward.  The only question mark is the center spot, which may be taken by Udoh or may be answered though the draft.  By all respects, it looks as though the Warriors are gearing up for a few postseason runs.

Star-divide

However, the one glaring weakness of this rotation is defense.  Monta Ellis and Steph Curry are not even average defenders, and easily get abused by other guards.  David Lee has never been known for his post-up defense, and isn't much of a shot-blocker.  The only player who plays some semblance of solid defense is Ekpe Udoh,  While the Warriors could try to draft a defensive player in the upcoming draft, unless he has a Dwight Howard (or Andrew Bogut)-esque impact on defense, the Warriors guards are going to be exposed.  And therein lies the question Joe Lacob needs to address this offseason.

Joe Lacob has a big decision to make - whether he wants to stick with this no-defense, all-offense lineup, or to blow it up.  While this lineup certainly has the offense to win now, it doesn't have the defense to be anything more than a first or second round flameout.  He needs show, through his actions, whether he truly wants to build a championship contender.  Lacob has to show that he is willing to trade players he previously said were untouchable - like Monta Ellis - and give up winning now for winning in the future.  Championships are won with defense, not offense. 

This season, the Warriors made a lot of noise close to the trade deadline, and did nothing.  Hopefully, next season the Warriors actually work towards building a true championship contender.

Poll
The Warriors should...
Win Now
62 votes
Win Later
55 votes

117 votes | Poll has closed

This FanPost is a submission from a member of the mighty Golden State of Mind community. While we're all here to throw up that W, these words do not necessarily reflect the views of the GSoM Crew. Still, chances are the preceding post is Unstoppable Baby!

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It is my opinion that the Warriors need to change their back court

add a little more bench depth and grab up a competent center. This might be too tall an order for one off-season. It seems as though Lacob is going to try though.

by brutusbrutus on May 24, 2011 4:16 PM PDT reply actions  

win now...youknow, as much as possible

no pick next year, we have a couple of expendable players (or at least replaceable)…there’s no reason to just start sucking worse.

Long-term, all else being equal, I would say yeah, it is time to blow the team up. But all else is not equal and at this point “blowing up the roster” = trading Steph and Monta

Monta will go because he wont endure another roster rebuild, and I think the evidence continues to mount that although he is an awesome basketball player, he does not really contribute towards a winning team.
And Steph is our most valuable asset, not sure what sort of half-assed rebuild project we would be stuck with unless we are willing to part with Steph

So, I say we are pretty screwed, but we may as well go down swinging. The near-term future has been written already by the new owners (build around Steph and David Lee…maybe Monta, maybe not) and although I don’t agree that we are anywhere near a championship I do think we have a marginal playoff team…a tweak or two (if done correctly) could push this team into the playoffs next year for sure

…any talk of championship, heck even conference finals is just crazy talk; trade machine speak

"There’s no such thing as off the charts, just get a bigger piece of paper. If you can’t figure that out you shouldn’t be charting anything" - Skep

by Duby Dub Dubs on May 25, 2011 9:35 AM PDT up reply actions  

not sure what sort of half-assed rebuild project we would be stuck with unless we are willing to part with Steph

YES

If we want to fully rebuild we must trade our assets, stock pile picks and then trade th picks along with some assets for something big (DWill trade)

‎"There is nothing like a wise phrase or quote to help convince others that your decision makes sense." - Anon

"If you're ever in a fair fight, then your tactics suck." ಠ_ಠ

by dubzfan on May 25, 2011 9:59 AM PDT up reply actions  

no pick next year

top 7 protected.

by homer simpson on May 25, 2011 10:34 AM PDT up reply actions  

yar, that's correct

top 7 protected…
I’ve already written it off, it’s pretty clear to me that the Dubs aren’t bad enough for me to rely on “earning” a pick in that range

"There’s no such thing as off the charts, just get a bigger piece of paper. If you can’t figure that out you shouldn’t be charting anything" - Skep

by Duby Dub Dubs on May 25, 2011 12:37 PM PDT up reply actions  

well technically

the warriors can still barely miss the playoffs, get really lucky in the lottery, and be left with a top 3 pick which is protected.

by bigkino217 on May 25, 2011 12:54 PM PDT up reply actions  

However, the one glaring weakness of this rotation is defense.

it’s just half the game, no big whoop

_______________________________________________________________
The City: A Golden State Warriors-Centric NBA Blog

"It’s not all about stats…you’ve probably never played basketball in your life. There are things called intangibles. He is what you call a winner. Led his team to a national title. We need people who know how to win. He obviously has to be doing something right." (dhod)

"When you can measure what you are speaking about, and express it in numbers, you know something about it; but when you cannot express it in numbers, your knowledge is of a meager and unsatisfactory kind; it may be the beginning of knowledge, but you have scarcely in your thoughts advanced to the state of science." (Lord Kelvin)

by Evanz on May 24, 2011 4:24 PM PDT reply actions  

Your cup is half full.

Type the words RUN TMC in Ebay!
Type the words RUN TMC in Ebay!
Raider fans copy & paste 140552609938 in Ebay!
Raider fans copy & paste 140552609938 in Ebay!

by JonDoe on May 25, 2011 9:25 AM PDT up reply actions  

Defense to the Warriors is like Hitting and Fielding to this year’s Athletics.

It’s just not happening.

"I thought it was going in," Warriors center Chris Hunter said. "It looked like the invisible man tipped it away at the last second."

"He's chicken curry right now. He'll become beef curry a little later on."
-Keith Smart

by kenntoe on May 24, 2011 6:41 PM PDT up reply actions  

it's ironic

that the A’s have a guy named Ellis who’s pretty good defensively (from what I hear)

_______________________________________________________________
The City: A Golden State Warriors-Centric NBA Blog

"It’s not all about stats…you’ve probably never played basketball in your life. There are things called intangibles. He is what you call a winner. Led his team to a national title. We need people who know how to win. He obviously has to be doing something right." (dhod)

"When you can measure what you are speaking about, and express it in numbers, you know something about it; but when you cannot express it in numbers, your knowledge is of a meager and unsatisfactory kind; it may be the beginning of knowledge, but you have scarcely in your thoughts advanced to the state of science." (Lord Kelvin)

by Evanz on May 24, 2011 6:47 PM PDT up reply actions  

The Ben Wallace of baseball

go rowand

by lincypoo i wuv u on May 25, 2011 12:24 AM PDT up reply actions  

LOL, why didn't you add a poll?

"I thought it was going in," Warriors center Chris Hunter said. "It looked like the invisible man tipped it away at the last second."

"He's chicken curry right now. He'll become beef curry a little later on."
-Keith Smart

by kenntoe on May 24, 2011 6:40 PM PDT reply actions  

Sure, why not?

If you're watching a blowout, you can pass the time by counting the double teapots.
Samurai Champloo > Macross

by doubleteapot on May 24, 2011 6:49 PM PDT up reply actions  

Poll everything!

"I thought it was going in," Warriors center Chris Hunter said. "It looked like the invisible man tipped it away at the last second."

"He's chicken curry right now. He'll become beef curry a little later on."
-Keith Smart

by kenntoe on May 25, 2011 11:10 AM PDT up reply actions  

I say win later by getting as many first round picks as possible in next year’s draft. Like maybe Ellis is worth a pick and Dorell+filler equaling one pick, that’d be the dream for me lol. Build around Curry (or maybe the pick for next year), and then playoffs in the next 5 years like the Thunder. I’d like that a lot. Of course this is also assuming that Lee’s contract isn’t worth a pick.

by Prince.Charming on May 24, 2011 9:21 PM PDT reply actions  

I think that if we wanted to build around Curry we should have cleaned house last year

We should not have signed Lee, we should have traded Biedrins and Ellis. We should have intentionally had a worse roster and therefore worse record this year. Then we would have gotten a top 5 draft pick maybe and be able to pick up someone to compliment Curry.

Now Curry has one less year on his rookie contract, if he is going to resign we need to look like we are going somewhere. Last year was a building year we acquired Lee we signed D. Wright. Both moves were clearly made for the future, an abrupt turn around now to build around Curry would probably work against the franchise because it might alienate the very player we are trying to build around.

So therefore in this current situation we need to try and work with what we have to a degree. I hope this means turning this team into a more standard team without a small back court and with less defensive liabilities in general.

by brutusbrutus on May 24, 2011 9:57 PM PDT up reply actions  

we arent ready to LOSE next year but that is probably the best case scenario if it came in spades..

but OUCH another year of shitty bball. but , with a GOOD COACH and some developement of our youth/ unknowns including our draft pick and FA trade guys(s)

by PIRATEWARRIOR on May 25, 2011 2:25 AM PDT reply actions  

lolololol
By all respects, it looks as though the Warriors are gearing up for a few postseason runs.

by GameSix on May 25, 2011 8:38 AM PDT reply actions  

Win Now AND Later

Things won’t be fixed overnight if we add onto this current roster. But we can improve from last season and that’s what I’ll be looking for next season. However, if huge trade is made we can win now but at what cost is my question…

Type the words RUN TMC in Ebay!
Type the words RUN TMC in Ebay!
Raider fans copy & paste 140552609938 in Ebay!
Raider fans copy & paste 140552609938 in Ebay!

by JonDoe on May 25, 2011 9:28 AM PDT reply actions  

I think the team is going for it, now

Once the head coach is hired within the next couple weeks here, things will move quickly.

I think there is consensus forming on who to target in trades, FA and the draft.

My gut instinct is that they’ll trade Monta (and maybe AB if he can be added, but only if he’s part of a deal, nobody wants him straight up.)

Depending on who they get/think they’ll get soon regarding trades/FA, they’ll draft the best big guy they can find, or if that guy isn’t there at #11 someone like Leonard (or Burks if that’s the plan to replace Monta if he’s traded.)

I wouldn’t be surprised if they trade up.

I think they all see Monta’s combination of being a badass, but not a great fit, that his value is likely at an all time high, and that there are opportunities to trade him right now (minny for #2 if they don’t end up with a better offer.)

Whether all this sees us ending up with a Nene, or Marc Gasol…or Williams in the draft…i don’t know. But i do sense, most of you likely do too, a strong wind of change coming, soon.

It all lines up. They have teams ahead of them in the draft with needs that don’t fit their draft slot. They have West on board who keeps saying smart and aggressive is the way to go. They need to get bigger quick.

This should be a great next few months. (as long as the labor crap doesn’t, in oh so warriors luck fashion, get in the way.)

I cannot wait to see who we put out on the floor next season.

by supersugarCrisp on May 25, 2011 3:11 PM PDT reply actions  

OK

In listening to all the audio with West and Lacob i have to say i said the above post before hearing them basically say big changes are coming. So, obviously most of us think big changes are coming at this point.

Great time to be a Warriors fan.

by supersugarCrisp on May 25, 2011 4:25 PM PDT up reply actions  

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