Don't believe this stuff about Monta having issues with the team

by pree on Jun 27, 2007 4:41 PM PDT Comment 19 comments

Spending the second half of the season in that locker room, here are some things the Warriors players said about Monta in one-on-ones with me.

Baron Davis, when I asked if Monta can be a star: "He's great, a real good guy for us to have around here. He's one of the young, upcoming guards. He's seeing a lot more out there on the floor and he's got confidence and year by year you're going to grow and get more confident. That's what you're seeing in him and he's got a good head on his shoulders so you'll see more and more."
Don Nelson, when I asked him to give an assessment of Monta's progress: "I think you can see how much he means to our ball club."
Adonal Foyle, when I asked him just to give a summary on his thoughts on Monta: "He works hard and he's always been an incredibly fast player. Given his natural skill in this offense, his emergence was almost inevitable because of the way coach is playing and he's put in the work to get the coach's confidence."
Ike Diogu, two weeks before the trade, in talking about Monta's role: "He's one of the go-to guys because on the court he's a real calm scorer. He doesn't make mistakes like you'd expect young guards to make because he stays in his game."
Al Harrington, in talking about Monta's late season struggles: "He'll come around. Dude's mature and trusts himself. Just give it time."

Admittedly, none of these guys are going to put Monta on blast to the media, but when they're mentioning work ethic, maturity, and how important he is to the team, this "story" of a clash with Don Nelson and Chris Mullin seems fishy to me.

I will say this, though - Monta is a little bit of a loner on the squad .. he doesn't hang out with the guys from what I've seen and he is usually the first to leave after games. Does it matter? Probably not, but it does seem like he isn't as close with everyone else. No biggie, though.

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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by jrizzle on Jun 27, 2007 4:44 PM PDT reply actions 0 recs

Monta

If we can get a top 6 pick in this draft and all we have to give up is Monta, the 18th and some garbage I would do it in a second. I love Monta, since he first started getting some PT, but he's not the next Gil unless he becomes a consistent shooter. We can't rely on him to make open jumpers and that will kill his game. The postseason showed alot I think.

by 650GSdubsfan on Jun 27, 2007 4:50 PM PDT reply actions 0 recs

The kid is

well... a kid. Hes young, yea hes gonna have some maturity issues. Will he eventually get better, who knows? But I agree with pree here that any huge 'clashes' are probably an exaggeration.

by FoyledAgain on Jun 27, 2007 4:56 PM PDT reply actions 0 recs

yeah i'm not buying all that talk...

everything i've observed of monta since he's been here gives the impression he's an alright, humble dude...and the furthest thing from a jr rider in the making. now he might not be the most well-spoken guy on the squad but that doesn't equate to being a problem.

i think a lot of these so-called insiders are just using their imagination.

the crowning achievement of ira newble's illustrious career

by JudBooshlur on Jun 27, 2007 5:32 PM PDT reply actions 0 recs

That's rad you worked in the locker room...

You shared some great info, we got a humble team that doesn't try to shine so hard onto the limelight! Were you like an athletic Trainer or a Towel Boy?

by Tony.psd on Jun 27, 2007 5:43 PM PDT reply actions 0 recs

Haha

I'm a reporter for Basketball News.

by pree on Jun 27, 2007 8:36 PM PDT up reply actions 0 recs

Pree what is your opinion on Monta and

if the Warriors should trade him for he mentioned rumored deals. I think monta has a lot of upside because of his quickness ala Parker and we shouldnt give up on him ala Parker. Your thoughts?

by dallaswarrior on Jun 27, 2007 6:59 PM PDT reply actions 0 recs

Well

I'd be more open to moving Monta than anyone else on the team. Packaged with the 18, he can get you something down low, but you'd obviously have to move him to a team under the cap because you don't want to match salaries in this scenario.

I think he does have potential, but I think his body is going to betray him at some point. He's a small guy and the way he plays is going to lead to him getting banged up at some point, I think, and he isn't a pure point guard with the passing skills of someone like Parker. He can develop those skills, and if he does he really can be a dominant player.

If the Warriors can move him for the big man that they need, I'd certainly consider it and there's no problem in hanging on to him to see if he develops. This might be a wishy washy answer with a lot of "it depends" .. but the nice thing about having a guy like Monta is you can take a wait and see approach.

by pree on Jun 27, 2007 8:30 PM PDT up reply actions 0 recs

Pree read my mind

I think the problem with Monta is exactly what Pree said about his body and style of play. Monta had a serious knee operation in high school; he plays with reckless abandon and gives up his body in the same way Baron does. But he lacks Baron's size and strength.

I think moving Monta would simply depend on who we could get, the salary implications, and team chemistry. If we keep J-Rich, which right now seems likely, then keeping Monta isn't as important. If the right deal came along, I'd go for it.

by commish on Jun 27, 2007 9:10 PM PDT reply actions 0 recs

prob false, but just as a devil's advocate

the description of monta sounds a lot like a former bay area wide receiver named Terrell Owens before he became TO.

by the evil monkey on Jun 27, 2007 9:21 PM PDT reply actions 0 recs

Maybe

Ellis to the rim leaves hella early and doesn't chill with anyone because he's not even old enough to go buy a 6 pack, just a thought though.

by J Rich 4 MVP on Jun 27, 2007 10:09 PM PDT reply actions 0 recs

That's what I thought until ..

I realized that he's been 21 since last October.

by pree on Jun 27, 2007 10:46 PM PDT up reply actions 0 recs

Some more inside stuff about Monta

A few tidbits about the guy that are not public knowledge as far as I know. When he first moved out here he rented a car, and when it was returned, it was absolutely trashed. Inside, outside, and supposedly it smelled like weed and urine (I know the guy who rented it to him).

Also, my female friend was partying in SF and got hit on pretty hard by a very drunk Monta. Now admittedly, trashing cars and making drunken passes at girls are not out of the ordinary for NBA players. It's the norm, if anything. But for all his 'on court' maturity, he does not handle himself like a man off the court, which might influence Mully's willingness to shop him. On the other hand, we do have Jax...

by Willball31 on Jun 27, 2007 11:40 PM PDT reply actions 0 recs

and

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said
thatyouwearstinkingsocks

by Lat We N Trash on Jun 28, 2007 12:16 AM PDT up reply actions 0 recs

trashing cars and making drunken passes at girls

Sounds like me and all my friends, wat's the problema?

by Skeptic con Urquell on Jun 28, 2007 2:32 PM PDT up reply actions 0 recs

:DDD

insiders :D

blahblahblah
-all dos Baron, Nellie or Foyle frases what is writen here -means nothing

every proffesional sportsman knowz what he MUST say -because this is a part of teams PR
-if you ask some player to say something about (forexample) Jasikevichus -you will hear just the best things -nothin else

-Montas biggest problem is that he want to be a star befor he is -he is a bit too much concentrated to himself -someone must help him calm down and growup as a player out of all expectations -he'll gonna be a star for sure

by Lat We N Trash on Jun 28, 2007 12:14 AM PDT reply actions 0 recs

your comments aren't bad

the webpin is a little random, though

by OaktownWarrior on Jun 28, 2007 2:45 PM PDT up reply actions 0 recs

i just wantd show my face

now i've got new pin

-enjoy this one :)

by Lat We N Trash on Jun 29, 2007 2:26 AM PDT up reply actions 0 recs

on the topic of monta

in terms of the "inside scoop" regarding car rentals and such, if i were to think about some of the things i did as a youngster like monta, and if those things were broadcast to a larger community, i would be pretty embarassed. not to say the behavior is good, but it is predictable, not unusual, and not necessarily a sign of deeper character flaws.

i don't have the article on hand, but earlier this year the tribune wrote an article about monta's lifestyle, how he has an apartment in alameda, how he brought a cousin out to hang with him and help him keep his life steady, how he basically was going to practice, eating, playing video games and such. he sounded a bit out of place in the bay area, but there was nothing that made it seem like he was a megalomaniac or anything of that sort.

i agree with "lat we n trash" to the extent that a lot of this stuff seems like gossip and rumor, maybe even panic. i'd say monta has a lot of value, a lot of potential, and a lot of heart.

by OaktownWarrior on Jun 28, 2007 2:50 PM PDT reply actions 0 recs