Meet your 2008-2009 Warriors…for now
Image details: Golden State Warriors v Los Angeles Clippers served by picapp.comFoyle’s contract still counts against the cap
No, Adonal Foyle will not be playing center for the Warriors next year, so you can breathe your sigh of relief right now. Unfortunately, and for some inexplicable reason, his original contract figure with the W’s will still count next year. Lucky for Chris Mullin and the organization, the team holds an option for the 2009-2010 season. Hopefully, they’ll cut him then, but you never can tell with the Warriors.
After viewing as many sources I could find, I’m relying on our sister site, Hoops Hype to be the reliable source for information. According to ’sis’, The W’s are on the hook for a little over $47 million next year. Baron Davis has a player option which if he exercises, will drop the payroll to $30 million.
Let’s pretend that where there’s smoke, there’s fire and assume that B-Diddy is fed up with Don Nelson’s coaching style. Because of this, he does opt out and the W’s decide to go with Monta Ellis at the point. That would then assume that the W’s re-sign Monta. This would be your Golden State Warriors prior to any other movement:
- Adonal Foyle - not the player, but the contract of $9.75 million!
- Al Harrington - It’s hard to believe that he’ll be paid more than any other Warrior on the roster at ~$9.3 million.
- Stephen Jackson - Captain Jackson will be making a little under $7.2 million.
- Andris Biedrins - He’ll probably make more, but he has a qualifying offer of $3.6 million.
- Brandan Wright - The sophomore will be making ~$2.5 million.
- Marco Belinelli - Another sophomore who’ll be making ~$1.5 million.
So this leaves the Warriors paying a center that’s no longer on the team, two power forwards that play like a small forwards, a small forward who can play shooting guard, a shooting guard who has had problems with the speed of the NBA, and a shooting guard who is unproven at the point.
What’s all of the spell? HOLES! HOLES! And more HOLES! The one, two/three, and five spots are fine, but they need a power forward and a small forward or shooting guard. Then they’ll need solid depth that can come in, play defense and score a little.
If the Warriors can get Wright to start playing like a power forward, then they can rotate Harrington, Jackson and Belinelli between the small forward and shooting guard positions. Ellis will have to play the point. With his size, he’s better suited to handle the ball. Biedrins is a great fit at the center position, but if the Warriors were able to get a bigger, stronger player to man that position, he could move between the power forward and center spots.
Most importantly for the Warriors will be to rebuild around this nucleus with players that Nelson will play and players that can come in and play Nelson’s famous style of run and gun. Over the past two years, the roster has been remade, but if the W’s are to truly become an elite team, this offseason is crucial.
Only time will tell, but the Warriors should probably put up a help wanted sign and place an ad. Maybe that add should read:
Help Wanted: Good pay and even better hours for athletic seven footer, several pure shooters, and a couple of hard working glass cleaners. There are also a few positions for role players available. Only hard working, high stamina need apply. Must be able to handle constructive criticism directly and indirectly and not take weeks of being in the doghouse personally.
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5 Responses to “Meet your 2008-2009 Warriors…for now”
April 23rd, 2008 at 11:47 am
First of all, if Baron leaves, it will most likely be via sign and trade. As I understand it, the only team that has cap room next season (and a potential interest in Baron) is Memphis. The 76ers have room, but they already have a PG they’re fond of. Baron’s going to need the Warrior’s help if he wants to leave and play for a contender, and he’s also going to have to take a pay cut if he wants to play somewhere else. I expect he’ll sign a contract extension and stay in Golden State, but it wouldn’t shock me if he’s traded (either as a sign and trade or a trade + extension).
Biedrins is going to get a big pay raise too - I doubt he’ll sign a qualifying offer. I think he’s worth $9-10 million a year all day long.
Harrington is going to be traded to somebody if Nelly returns. Nelly hates him. Harrington’s expiring contract ought to be enough to move him, not to mention all the skills that guy has.
I’d look for Nelly to try to get a helter-skelter player with a bad rep for a discount. Ron Artest fits the bill quite nicely, and Sacramento could use Harrington at the 4. It’s hard to imagine those two teams trading, but it would be a good decision for both teams. NY’s Zach Randolph is available, and he would address Golden State’s fundamental interior problems. He’d also fit in with the team. We’ll know more once the draft order has been set and free agency begins.
Golden State has a lot to be excited about, and in my opinion they can only get better this offseason.
April 23rd, 2008 at 11:48 am
Adonal was bought out at a lesser price than his original contract, and will not impact the Cap next season if my memory serves me well. I found this as well….
“He and the Warriors settled on a buyout, the club paying him $14 million of the $20 million it owed him on his original five-year $42 million contract. That allowed Foyle to sign a free-agent contract with the Orlando Magic.”
http://www.orlandosentinel.com/sports/orl-magicfoyle0407dec04,0,2284560.story
April 23rd, 2008 at 3:12 pm
JL - Good points about Davis. I’d pay Biedrins that too. Like you said, it could be great or real bad. I just hope that if they get one of those helter skelter guys like you mentioned, the Warriors aren’t tied to them for too long.
Spencer - What you say is true, but even though the W’s aren’t paying him this year, his original salary still counts against the cap. It’s part of the collective bargaining agreement that keeps the rich teams from just buying guys out and then signing the top free agent. I can’t wait to see what’s going to happen!
April 23rd, 2008 at 4:24 pm
Thanks Rob. As smart as Mullins has been about the cap in recent years, I doubt he’ll take on any bad contracts.
April 24th, 2008 at 12:06 am
The Warriors best shot at success for 2008-2009 is to find some way to move into the Eastern Conference. That might even be the Warriors best shot at facing a Western Conference opponent during the postseason.
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