SFGate
WARRIORS SEASON IN REVIEW
Warriors not about to become a one-man show
Mullin says Golden State will stress playing together as a team
Janny Hu, Chronicle Staff Writer
Friday, April 18, 2008
(04-17) 21:46 PDT -- Hours before the season came to a quiet close,
Chris Mullin leaned back in a courtside seat at Oracle Arena and
delivered his impromptu end-of-year address.
Look-ahead time had arrived, and asked if he believed that Golden
State had shifted toward becoming Monta Ellis' team, Mullin offered a
decisive "No."
"When we play together as a team, we're more successful. If it's
someone's team, not quite as successful," Mullin said. "The
development of our young guys is just going to add to the success of
our team. But it's not a team that is carried by one person."
In a way, Golden State's boss was right. The 48-win campaign that
brought the Warriors' oh-so-close to the playoffs this season was not
defined by the power of one, but the power of three.
Baron Davis, Stephen Jackson and Ellis all had career years under
coach Don Nelson. This was their team, flawed as it was, and Nelson
exhausted his go-to threesome before their inevitable late-season
fade.
As the Warriors began scattering for the summer, Mullin and Nelson
agreed that giving their heavy-lifters a lighter load - by way of real
and consistent aid - is the key to improvement.
"We need some help," Nelson said. "To get deeper, to have a good
draft, to maybe get a player there and maybe some free agents, (and to
develop) our three rookies."
Mullin's intimidating summerlong project is to do that while avoiding
the luxury tax, which the Warriors breezed under by about $8 million
this season after the Jason Richardson trade.
Nearly $15 million is guaranteed to come off the books, but that will
be offset by new deals for Ellis and Biedrins, whom Mullin vowed
Wednesday to re-sign at whatever cost.
No such love exists for the rest of Golden State's free agents.
Forwards Mickael Pietrus and Matt Barnes are almost certainly gone
after their hugely-disappointing seasons. Same goes for center Patrick
O'Bryant, who barely got a whiff in two years under Nelson.
The Warriors would like to keep Kelenna Azubuike, but if the standout
reserve returns, it will be under a new contract. As expected,
Azubuike said that he will opt out of the final year of his minimum-
wage deal and test the market.
In essence, Golden State's bench will have to be rebuilt, and the team
is counting on rookies Brandan Wright, Marco Belinelli and even Kosta
Perovic to break into the rotation.
Mullin made multiple references to Wright, who missed the final week
with a strained groin, as a possible solution to the Warriors' long-
running weaknesses in shot-blocking, rebounding and post-play.
Belinelli, once penciled in by Nelson as Richardson's immediate
replacement, scored 17 points in Wednesday's season-ending loss to the
Sonics.
"I'm really encouraged by the way they've developed despite not
getting a lot of playing time," Mullin said. "Let's face it, there's
an opportunity there to feel discouraged, to give up, and they
haven't. I've seen a mind-set in those guys, Brandan, Marco, all our
young guys, to maintain, to work through that."
Wright and Belinelli are expected to be on the Warriors' summer league
team in July, while Perovic is probably bound for Serbian National
Team duty.
Outside help can come in several ways. The Warriors will probably end
up with the 14th pick in the June 26 draft. And though the salary-
capped team will not be able to sign a major free agent outright, it
still has a $10 million trade exception that expires just after the
draft.
If the Warriors choose to travel the trade route again, it's Al
Harrington who assumes Richardson's vulnerable position of being a
high-salaried player coming off an inconsistent season. But Harrington
hopes the core will return.
"There's a bunch of guys that like playing with each other," said
Harrington, who is due about $9.3 million next season.
"We had a lot of ingredients and tools this year to get there," Davis
added. "I think we just need a little bit more discipline as a team
and a little bit more maturity. But that all comes throughout the
course of a season."
And it starts with an offseason that came too soon for the Warriors'
liking.
Breaking down the Warriors' roster
Name Contract
status Janny Hu's comments
Kelenna Azubuike Will opt out and become restricted free agent
Should garner part of a team's midlevel exception
Matt Barnes Unrestricted free
agent Back to his journeyman ways, sadly
Marco Belinelli Signed through 08-09, team options for 09-10,
10-11 Can fan favorite become a Nellie favorite?
Andris Biedrins Restricted free
agent Huge finish with seven
straight double-doubles
Austin Croshere Unrestricted free
agent 11-year vet would like to be back
Baron Davis Can opt out and become unrestricted free agent
Unlikely to opt out - or get desired extension
Monta Ellis Restricted free
agent Will Memphis or Philly drive
up his price?
Al Harrington Signed through
09-10 Rough year for Mr. Nice Guy
Stephen Jackson Signed through
09-10 Also eligible for extension
Patrick O'Bryant Unrestricted free
agent Finally released from the
doghouse
Kosta Perovic Signed through 08-09, team option for 09-10 Well,
not bad against Shaquille O'Neal
Mickael Pietrus Unrestricted free
agent Au revoir et bonne chance
C.J. Watson Unrestricted free
agent Has toe in the NBA door
Brandan Wright Signed through 08-09, team options for 2009-10, 10-11
High hopes for raw rookie
E-mail Janny Hu at jhu@[EMAIL PROTECTED]
article appeared on page C - 1 of the San Francisco Chronicle
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