Warriors Nation has spoken and given the Warriors (mis)management a big Thumbs Up for the recent Derek Fisher trade in which the Dubs picked up Devin Brown, Keith McLeod, and Andre Owens (read: salary dump). Only 31% of you gave the trade a Thumbs Down.
Thanks to all 511 of you who voted! That eclipses our previous record of 435 votes for the Warriors 2006 draft grade. GSoM is growing fast (over 3,000 hits a day!) and we just wanted to send a special thank you to everyone in the community. Your comments, diaries, and enthusiasm are what keep us passionate about this blog. Let's keep going strong (spread the word!) and we'll raise enough money to buy a bunch of season tickets for the GSoM community in no time. Just imagine a whole dedicated GSoM section in the arena!
So let's dive a little deeper into the Derek Fisher era in Golden State. Kelly Dwyer of SI.com recently ranked the Fish and Foyle signings as the 9th worst free agent signing since 1996.
One gone, one to go. [Photo: John Biever/SI, Greg Nelson/SI]
Dwyer's take on the ridiculous free agent contracts Chris and Rod handed out to Fish and Foyle is pure comedy:
Adonal Foyle, Golden State Warriors, 2004: six years, $42 million
Derek Fisher, Golden State Warriors, 2004: six years, $37 million
If a deal seems ghastly to most observers on the day it's announced, things usually fail to turn out well for any involved party. Fisher and Foyle parlayed healthy attitudes and defensive mind-sets into outrageous deals in Chris Mullin's first offseason as el jefe in Golden State. Mullin was lucky enough to rid himself of Fisher's baggage this summer (traded to Utah for expiring deals), but Golden State still owes Foyle another three years at nearly $9 million per. It should be noted that the Warriors still hold a team option for Foyle in '09-10 for $10.5 million, just in case he becomes an All-Star at age 35.
Your next question is probably did any other Warriors or former Warriors make the list? But of course! Finally Warriors Nation can have a good laugh at the expense of some other team's fan base. Coming in at #7 Joe Smith in 1999 to the Minne-snow-ta Timberwolves for one year at $1.75 million (i.e. Kevin McHale's shady under the table deal). The Warriors threw away one pick on Mr. or Mrs. Smith, but the Timberwolves threw away three! Good times in the Bay.
Definitely check out the rest of SI's list of Worst Free Agent Signings Since 1996.
3 years from now how do you think we'll remember the Derek Fisher era in the Bay?