RealGM

This thread is a joke.

So the Warriors have one of the best futures in the league because of:

A) A mid lotto pick who's career highs are 17-4-3 (all on different nights), and averaged les than 3-.5-.5

B)A mid-lotto pick whos career highs are 13-7-2 (all on different nights) that didnt get into half of his games as a rookie on a team that didnt make the playoffs/

C) a lae lotto pick that hasnt played a single NBA game

ReddBogutCharlieV wrote:I never thought I'd see Ariza mentioned in this thread.

Alot more surprising than the players who hasn't even played in the league right?

The Warriors lineup has A LOT of potential. We know what Ellis and Biedrins are capable of. We don't know what Wright, Randolph, and Belinelli are capable of though. I think all of them will be great players. Even though I don't think their future will be as good as the Blazers' future, the OP has a point.

joeyyowee wrote:The Warriors lineup has A LOT of potential. We know what Ellis and Biedrins are capable of. We don't know what Wright, Randolph, and Belinelli are capable of though. I think all of them will be great players. Even though I don't think their future will be as good as the Blazers' future, the OP has a point.

Yeah, but "potential" is fools gold, especially when you have a bunch of guys that have shown absolutely nothing in the NBA that points to them doing it any time soon. Even if guys like Bellinelli and reach their potential (unlikely), they arent going to do it until they are up for contract extensions.

Look at the Bulls a few years ago....they had more "potential" than any team in the NBA. But Curry didnt pan out and was shipped out, and Chandler was a huge bust until he got traded.

Potential is such a loaded term. There is always room to improve, human potential is never maximized. Michael Jordan didn't fulfill all of his potential even though he exceeded expectations for his career. Potential and a predicted outcome are different things.

Players like Kobe and TD have taken advantage of their tremendous potential and become great players. Players like Shawn Kemp and JR Rider squandered their talent while others have exceeded expectations.

Unless you've already got a couple of extraordinary players to build around, I'd take the team with higher upside.

Yeah, but "potential" is fools gold, especially when you have a bunch of guys that have shown absolutely nothing in the NBA that points to them doing it any time soon. Even if guys like Bellinelli and reach their potential (unlikely), they arent going to do it until they are up for contract extensions.

I think this comment is pretty far off. How do you know Belinelli/Wright/Randolph won't significantly improve before their rookie contracts are up? I'd put money on Wright improving quite a bit over the next 2-3 years. Travis Outlaw finally started putting it together last year, his 5th year in the league. It takes most players a while to adjust and you're criticizing last years rookies for not showing that they'll become great players.

If potential is "fool's gold," how should young players be evaluated, on where their game is currently at? Please explain.

dont think so......

I can think of teams have better young core than the Warriors.

Like Portland, Bulls, Hawks.....

.

Warriors aren't doing anything next season or in the foreseeable future. They'll be at the bottom of the west for quite some time.

Yangsing wrote:Warriors aren't doing anything next season or in the foreseeable future. They'll be at the bottom of the west for quite some time.

Next season they'll still be better than Minny, Seattle, MAYBE Memphis

I guess that's an accomplishment?

I don't think the talent is very close when it comes to portland's and goldent state's youngsters (I am no genius for figuring that one out). And with all the rookies coming in for portland next year I think talent gap will even widen. Here is a 2008-2009 rookie of the year race from ESPN. I don't think I have ever seen one team with so many ROY candidates as portland will have next year (according to this article at least).

http://sports.espn.go.com/nba/columns/story?columnist=thorpe_david&page=Rookies-080627

Now this thread is just silly thanks to Baron.

In the title, replace "Warriors" with "Clippers"

I only read this mindless drivel until page 6 and this is all the input I have:

Monta Ellis is the **** truth. I live in Cali so I get to catch a lot of Ws games, and the kid is amazing. No one, I repeat, no one can guard him. He gets to the rim AT WILL, and is a very good shoot all the way out to about 1 or 2 steps inside the three point line. Once he develops his 3-point shot and looks to find his teammates more on the drive he will be more unstoppable. He's already got a better midrange game than Tony Parker did when he came into the league, and as such Monta projects very well since he's also WAY more athletic than TP. I can see him getting 25+ PPG, 4-5 boards, and 6 assists as well as 2+ steals. Not a true PG, but a great scorer who can handle the ball well and find teammates when he needs to.

mr_sunshine wrote:I only read this mindless drivel until page 6 and this is all the input I have:

Monta Ellis is the **** truth. I live in Cali so I get to catch a lot of Ws games, and the kid is amazing. No one, I repeat, no one can guard him. He gets to the rim AT WILL, and is a very good shoot all the way out to about 1 or 2 steps inside the three point line. Once he develops his 3-point shot and looks to find his teammates more on the drive he will be more unstoppable. He's already got a better midrange game than Tony Parker did when he came into the league, and as such Monta projects very well since he's also WAY more athletic than TP. I can see him getting 25+ PPG, 4-5 boards, and 6 assists as well as 2+ steals. Not a true PG, but a great scorer who can handle the ball well and find teammates when he needs to.

Yeah I covered that somewhere in this thread. A lot of people don't realize how great Monta will be.

26ppg on over 60% shooting for the entire month of February, also scoring 36 points in a game without even attempting a FT or 3pointer. Great shot selection, chooses not to shoot 3s even though he's on a team with a giant green light to do so. He'll be crazy by the time he's around 24 years old and has a 3 point shot.

But it was good to see that some NBA people recognized Ellis' talent. Marv Albert saying that he has "future all-star written all over him", Reggie Miller saying that Ellis is on the same level as Rip Hamilton when it comes to mid range shooting. I think it was his bad performance in his first playoffs out of high school, that caused people to doubt him. That's probably the reason why no one thinks he'll be great, because there's not that much hype around Ellis.

The OP was premature to start this thread though, so I can see why people would laugh at it. A lot of the players that the OP mentioned haven't proven themselves yet; although a lot of people are giving those players an automatic 'disregard' since they are PLAYERS THAT THEY'VE NEVER HEARD OF BEFORE. People tend to only like players that get hyped up so much... that's why you get surprises in the league like Dwyane Wade who no one talked about coming into the NBA.

EDIT: Also, I noticed you said that no one can stop Ellis. I have to say that it is possible to stop Ellis before he gets going, it's obviously been done before; but once he starts his drive to the rim it's almost impossible to stop him. He's basically a taller, more athletic Tony Parker; he also has a little bit of D-Wade's ability to make way in mid air for athletic plays as well.

Watch this highlight video of him. Of course, a highlight video makes ANYONE look good, but you people can watch it to take a glance at how he drives to the basket.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wb3I80mts48
(Check out the 7:41 mark in the video. Should give a good showcase at Monta's ability to maneuver against a good defender in mid air)

It's just that Monta is SOOOO QUIET, he always got overshadowed by Baron Davis (not a bad thing, since it was Baron's team anyways) and the spotlight was always on BD instead.

mr_sunshine wrote:I only read this mindless drivel until page 6 and this is all the input I have:

Monta Ellis is the **** truth. I live in Cali so I get to catch a lot of Ws games, and the kid is amazing. No one, I repeat, no one can guard him. He gets to the rim AT WILL, and is a very good shoot all the way out to about 1 or 2 steps inside the three point line. Once he develops his 3-point shot and looks to find his teammates more on the drive he will be more unstoppable. He's already got a better midrange game than Tony Parker did when he came into the league, and as such Monta projects very well since he's also WAY more athletic than TP. I can see him getting 25+ PPG, 4-5 boards, and 6 assists as well as 2+ steals. Not a true PG, but a great scorer who can handle the ball well and find teammates when he needs to.

I agree sunshine. I watched him light up Portland the last couple of years.

As far as talent is concerned Ellis is still going to be a notch below Roy, DWilliams, CP3, Howard, and Durant. The truth is Ellis doesnt have much young talent around him either.

BTW...Portland just got better today. Signing a guy named Rudy Fernandez, who is the best player in Europe and was a 1st round pick last year. He is a PG/SG who is a lights out shooter from deep and has great court vision like BRoy. No question he is a better prospect than Gallinary.

EtchenBa wrote:Now this thread is just silly thanks to Baron.

In the title, replace "Warriors" with "Clippers"

Yes because Baron is obviously part of the Warriors young core right.

and 1 amare wrote:The OP was premature to start this thread though, so I can see why people would laugh at it. A lot of the players that the OP mentioned haven't proven themselves yet; although a lot of people are giving those players an automatic 'disregard' since they are PLAYERS THAT THEY'VE NEVER HEARD OF BEFORE.

I think you meant, 2 guys that have played less than 400 minutes in the NBA and one rookie. Ellis can become a franchise player, but Biedrins is overrated. Anyone can make uncontested layups off running pick'n'roll with Davis, he's a decent shot blocker but offers no defensive presence in the paint, he runs well, but can't score in half court without being fed a good pass. Biedrins is at best a solid role player until he expands his game.

Golden State needs a starting lineup that looks like this

Monta Ellis
Steven Jackson/PLAYER TBA
Al Harrington/PLAYER TBA
Wright
Biedrins

I would move Stack Jack to the 2 and Harrington to the 3 where he can present matchup problems for other SF and still float back for the 3 pointer. That is unless of course they get somebody like Ron Artest or Vince Carter than those two starting spots are swapped out with newly acquired FA.

I think the Golden State Warriors should consider a push for Gilbert Arenas.

Line-Up Next Year:

PG - Monta Ellis/C.J. Watson
SG - Kelenna Azubuike/Marco Bellinelli
SF - Stephen Jackson/Anthony Randolph
PF - Al Harrington/Brandan Wright
C - Andris Biendrins/Kosta Perovic

I think they need to look into another PG and C, two names that come to mind are Shaun Livingston and DeSanga Diop. I think they would fill out the roster and would be at least competitive next season.

[quote="kombayn"]I think the Golden State Warriors should consider a push for Gilbert Arenas.

Line-Up Next Year:

PG - Monta Ellis/C.J. Watson
SG - Kelenna Azubuike/Marco Bellinelli
SF - Stephen Jackson/Anthony Randolph
PF - Al Harrington/Brandan Wright
C - Andris Biendrins/Kosta Perovic

I think they need to look into another PG and C, two names that come to mind are Shaun Livingston and DeSanga Diop. I think they would fill out the roster and would be at least competitive next season.[/quote]

no way they start a lineup that small with a PG that can't open it up with the 3 pt shot for his teammates easy pick and roll baskets

thats why with baron gone and monta manning the PG they should run Jackson at the 2 since he is their best perimeter defender, and Al Harrington to the 3, this makes up for their mass deficiencies with Wright and Beidrins startings