For eleven days beginning on December 18, Qualcomm Stadium, football home of the San Diego Chargers and San Diego State Aztecs, will carry a temporary new moniker: Snapdragon Stadium. Snapdragon processors by Qualcomm are the digital brains inside mobile devices made by top manufacturers like Samsung, LG, Nokia, and HTC. Snapdragon Stadium will host the Chargers-Ravens game on December 18, the Poinsettia Bowl on December 21, and the Holiday Bowl on December 28.
Personally, when i think of the term "core player" I think of a franchise cornerstone that you look to build a team around. When I look at the Warriors roster, it seems pretty clear that any conversation about core players should really begin and end with Steph Curry... But any conversation that begins and ends with one guy isn't a very interesting conversation. A team's core should really be more than one guy, so hit the jump for some other candidates, and make sure to give your pick in the comments for a chance to win a free Samsung Galaxy S II.
Monta Ellis: Many fans have viewed Monta as the heart and soul of this franchise for the last few seasons. Last year he led the league in minutes played, and led the team in points scored. Despite any questions about his defense, rebounding, and ability to pair well with Steph, you can make a case that the guy who spends the most time on the court and scores the most points is almost by definition your core player. I could just as easily see Monta as a core member of the team as I can being gone by the trade deadline. With the recent controversy around his sexual harassment case and the personal issues that are likely to come along with that, along with the new coaching staff, I really don't know what to expect from Monta this season.
David Lee: You could say that simply the size of David Lee's contract, and its effect on the team's ability to trade him would almost make him a core player by default, but there is probably a better case to be made for Lee. David Lee is a proven scorer and rebounder at the power forward spot, and easily our best option among big men when it comes to putting the ball in the basket. After a down year, it's easy to see why so many fans have been down on him lately, but all early signs point to the new coaching staff doing a much better job at putting Lee in a position to be effective on offense (rolling to the basket, and attacking in the paint) and hide his weaknesses on defense (better team defense in general). Not to mention the fact that he is clearly the most vocal leader among the team's tri-captians. It's not uncommon to see Lee call the team to huddle up on the court during a stop in play, and when he does he clearly commands their attention and respect. I can see this being a big bounce-back season for Lee.
Ekpe Udoh: This might be a less obvious choice, being that he is only a second year player and not expected to be in the starting line-up on opening night, but if a team needs a leader on offense and defense, then I think Udoh could be that leader on the defensive end. He might not throw up gaudy stat lines, but I can see him winning the starting center spot if the coaching staff is really as focused on defense as they say. On paper Udoh's strong and active help defense (and weak rebounding and scoring) pairs well with Lee's scoring and rebounding (and weak defense). As much as Lee might be primed for a bounce back-season, I think Udoh could just as easily have a break-out season that solidifies him as a core player for this franchise.
Check the give-away details below, and make sure to make your case for who the Warriors other core player is in the comments section.
Want a chance to win a Samsung Galaxy S II Skyrocket powered by Qualcomm's revolutionary Snapdragon multiprocessor? Just leave a comment on this post with who you think the team's core player is and why he's so important to their success. Vox Media will select one winner from among the participating SB Nation blogs. All entries subject to the official rules found here.