ESPN's Chad Ford is in Italy at the Reebok Eurocamp and has the scoop on the Golden State Warriors including Kosta Perovic, Don Nelson's frightening possible retirement, Mickael Pietrus resigning, and the Warriors looking to move Jason Richardson:
Warriors GM Chris Mullin showed up at the camp Monday. He's been in Serbia talking with last year's second-round pick, Kosta Perovic, about playing for the Warriors next season.
The Warriors have a full contingent of people here, with Baron Davis and Mickael Pietrus also showing up to talk to kids at the camp.
Pietrus said he's looking forward to testing the free agent waters this summer. He enjoyed playing for Don Nelson this year, saying it was "the most fun I've ever had playing basketball." But Pietrus said he's very concerned that Nelson will retire this summer -- a belief that several well-placed sources in the gym also held.
"I want to go to a place where I know I have a role and where I can improve my game," Pietrus said.
The Warriors, however, may want to hang on to him. Pietrus could play a bigger role in Golden State in the future. The talk here in Italy is that the Warriors are trying to move Jason Richardson and the No. 16 pick to move up higher into the draft to grab Yi Jianlian. Their targeted trade partners appear to be the Grizzlies (for Stromile Swift, Damon Stoudamire and the No. 4 pick), the Celtics (for Theo Ratliff and the No. 5) and the Bobcats.
Anyone think Kosta Perovic will be on the Warriors next season? I just hope he lives up to his nickname "Kosta Coast" at least once with the Dubs.
The thought of Nellie leaving the Warriors is more frightening than anything imaginable, so let's pretend MP2 never said he was worried about that.
Obviously the most intriguing part of Ford's notes on the Warriors are the rumored trade scenarios using fan favorite Jason Richardson to move up and grab Yi. I personally started The Yi Movement here at GSoM, but I wouldn't do any of those trades with the Grizzlies, Celtics, or Bobcats. In addition to getting Yi, the main goal of those scenarios seems to be to dump JRich's remaining $50+ million to open up some cap room which is a foolish move in itself. You don't create cap room by getting rid of guys like JRich. You create cap room so that you can get guys like JRich. Again, swap Monta Ellis for JRich in these trade scenarios and it makes sense basketball wise.
I'm worried that the Warriors might be getting too caught up in trying to open up cap space to resign Monta Ellis and Andris Biedrins neither of whom will ever be superstars or 1st or 2nd options on a contending ballclub. Monta will never be as good as JRich and Biedrins will most likely be a very flawed big man even in his prime. What does it tell you when neither of these players alone would be able to net you a top 7 and maybe not even a 10 selection in this year's draft? Their upsides are vastly overrated by many folks in Warriors Nation.
Would you do any of these trades with the Grizzlies, Celtics, or Bobcats? Post some scenarios in the comments section using ESPN's Trade Machine.
99% of rumors never happen, but 99% of them are fun to talk about!
More on Yi to the Warriors from around the web:
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Yi Jianlian and the Warriors: You can’t always get what you want [Talking Points with Tim Kawakami
I've talked to a few NBA sources and thought about this one for a week... And... hate to say it... but...
For all the interesting pieces to the Yi-to-Warriors scenario, there are probably too many barriers in the way, not the least being the simple fact that the Warriors don't have enough ammunition to feasibly move up into the top 7 or 8,and I think that's where they have to get to.
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Yi the X-factor in jackpot draft [People's Daily Online]
The more intriguing rumor, however, is that Golden State Warriors will trade up to get Yi. Under Don Nelson the Warriors play a free-wheeling offensive game that would suit Yi perfectly. The team is loaded with talent in a backcourt led by Jason Richardson and Baron Davis, but the team sorely lacks an athletic, scoring power forward.
In addition to this, the Bay Area is home to the biggest Chinese population in the US. The time difference across the Pacific means home games will be screened in China in the late morning, whereas if he went to the Eastern Conference home games are often prohibitively early.
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NBA DRAFT: China’s star-in-waiting Next Big Thing to hit pro game? Yi Jianlian rated 3rd-best prospect [SFGate]
Warriors special assistant Mitch Richmond saw Yi practice during a session for Chinese media, and a larger contingent from Golden State could be on its way should the Warriors explore the possibility of trading up.
- Warriors Want To Move Up [CelticsBlog]: Check out what Celtics' fans think about Jason Richardson.
The Yi Movement continues...
- 2007 NBA Draft: We want Yi Jian Lian!
- The Yi Movement Continues...
- Yi's Got Yao Ming and the Ladies Running!
- Yi Dropping Double Doubles
- Spanish Fly vs Yi Fly
- China vs USA- It's Yi Time!
- RECAP: Team USA 119, China 73
- Yi is FIBA's Interview of the (Long)Week
- Yi's a Sure Thing + Coast II Coast Bust
- Yi at FIBA and 2k7 Draft
- Yi in 2k7
- Yi's Sweeter than Mango Mochi Ice Cream
- Nellie Loves Chinese Ballas
- Yi Chat with Chad Ford
- Scouts LOVE Yi
- Is The Yi Movement Over?
- Rumor: Warriors are Yi "Approved"
- Rumor: Warriors and Bulls Want Yi
- Dwight Howard Endorses The Movement
- Yi's "a sight to behold"
- Rumor: Yi Could Pull a Fran Vazquez
- The Yi Movement Gets Junkdafied
- Rumor: Jason Richardson for 5th Pick (Yi Jianlian), Theo Ratliff, and Sebastian Telfair