Kawakami: Dealing J-Rich is paying off for Warriors
ENTER ELLIS, WRIGHT FOR THE WARRIORS
By Tim Kawakami
Mercury News Sports Columnist
Article Launched: 03/04/2008 01:37:14 AM PST
What are the two most exciting, significant things that have happened to the Warriors over the past few weeks as they've crept to a 36-22 record? That's easy:
1. Monta Ellis, at 22, tuning up, plugging in and going on a five-week rampage of high-efficiency offensive output that has NBA executives murmuring.
2. Brandan Wright, at 20, finally getting action and blocking shots, running the floor and doing things no young Warriors big man has done in more than a decade.
What's the common thread in those two developments? Neither could've happened if the Warriors had not traded franchise stalwart Jason Richardson for Wright on draft night last June.
• It was a good trade the moment Chris Mullin made it, with some built-in risks. Now, with Ellis starring at Richardson's old off-guard spot and Wright showing that he might fill the Warriors' greatest void, it's looking like an almost-perfect deal.
Not that Richardson's a terrible player. After a slow start in Charlotte he's averaging 20.4 points, 5 rebounds and 3 assists and shooting 43.3 percent, all close to his career numbers.
But the trade cleared out the $40 million Richardson is owed over the next three seasons and opened up plenty of cash for the Warriors to pay Ellis, Andris Biedrins and Baron Davis in the coming years. Plus, if the Warriors go for broke, they can use the $10 million trade exception acquired in the deal to go shopping for an available star this summer to try to join the West elite.
• OK, yes, obviously, Ellis has regressed on defense this season - he has trouble staying with his man and huge trouble on the screen-and-roll, a problem Davis avoids because he's big enough to switch over to the screener.
Ellis is too small to switch, and recently has been too slow or too tentative to stay with his man. Opposing teams know it, and they are taking advantage, over and over.
But Ellis' defense is no worse than Richardson's. In fact, Ellis' struggles seem to have little effect on the team's general defense - Warriors opponents score 2.23 points per minute when Ellis is in the game and 2.23 points per minute when he's out.
• On my Webber Meter, I've got Chris Webber at minus-5 (six bad games, one good game, three neutrals). With his left knee sore and test results to come, wouldn't it be better for all involved if Webber just took a pass on the rest of the season?
You know: Good effort, nice to patch old wounds with Don Nelson, better luck next career.
• Let's circle the March 13 game in Phoenix. If the Warriors get hot on this upcoming four-game trip (starting today in Atlanta) and beat Toronto at home March 12, they could be 40-24 heading to Phoenix.
And if Phoenix continues to slide with Shaquille O'Neal on board (2-4 with the Diesel so far), the Suns could go 1-4 between now and March 13. That'd make them also 40-24.
Which would be fascinating.