Warriors News

"Monta Ellis is a walking contradiction, an oxymoron in the flesh. His game is explosive and captivating, yet his demeanor is tranquil and reserved. His build is slight, fragile looking. Yet he's proved tough and durable. But there is something more curious yet about Ellis, who faces his biggest challenge this coming season in replacing Baron Davis as the Warriors' starting point guard. He has natural abilities most basketball players dream about, but he also has an incredible work ethic. "Monta is quietly confident, and it comes from getting his work done and not talking about it," said Warriors executive vice president of basketball operations Chris Mullin, who drafted Ellis No. 40 ..."

"The NBA released its schedule for the 2008-09 season Tuesday, and the Warriors will spend the majority of November and December on the road. The Warriors begin their post-Baron Davis era Oct. 29 at Oracle Arena when they host Chris Paul and the New Orleans Hornets. Then they play 21 of the remaining 33 games during this calendar year on the road, including five games in seven days in late November that will take the Warriors to Philadelphia, Washington, Boston, Cleveland and New York. Golden State will have its second and final five-game road trip in mid-December before returning home to host the world champion Boston Celtics. Paul Pierce and company make their only stop in Oakland on ..."

"The NBA today released its complete game schedule and broadcast schedules of ABC, TNT, ESPN and NBA on ESPN Radio for the 2008-09 season. The NBA's Countdown to Tip-Off 08 presented by Kia Motors has begun with opening night 83 days away. The 2008-09 season tips off on TNT, which marks Turner Sports’ 25th season of NBA game action, with a doubleheader on Tuesday, Oct. 28, that features the Boston Celtics opening up defense of their NBA championship by hosting 2007-08 NBA scoring champion LeBron James and the Cleveland Cavaliers at 8 p.m. ET. The second game features the first regular season game for the top overall selection in the 2007 NBA Draft presented by Sprite Greg Oden and the ..."

"Center Andris Biedrins joked that he'll use the hefty new contract he signed with the Warriors on Sunday to buy a car and more hair gel, but his first dozen purchases were quite a bit more admirable. Biedrins, known for his spiked blond hair, took 12 children from an after-summer-school program in Walnut Creek out for pizza and bought them tickets to the Disney movie "WALL-E" on Thursday. After serving the children popcorn and sodas, Biedrins held court with members of the local media for the first time since signing a six-year, $54 million deal. The contract can jump to as much as $62 million if a number of incentives kick in, and Biedrins has a player option after the fifth year of the ..."

"Warriors coach Don Nelson won an emphatic legal victory Thursday, when an arbitrator ruled that the Dallas Mavericks must pay Nelson nearly $6.3 million stemming from his tenure as their coach and general manager. Retired judge Glen M. Ashworth issued his ruling in the wake of an arbitration hearing in June. Ashworth granted Nelson's breach-of-contract claim against Mavericks owner Mark Cuban and denied Cuban's counter-claims that Nelson breached the agreement by accepting the Warriors' job and used proprietary information in guiding Golden State to its landmark playoff upset of the Mavs in 2007. "This was not so much a legal defeat for Cuban as it was an old-fashioned ass-whupping," said ..."

"Thursday was Mark Cuban's 50th birthday ... and a day of hearty celebration for Don Nelson. That's because Thursday was also the day that a Dallas-based arbitrator ruled that Nelson will indeed receive nearly $6.3 million in deferred payments from his time as coach of Cuban's Dallas Mavericks. Retired judge Glen M. Ashworth rejected Cuban's claims that his former coach should have to forfeit some or all of that amount because he breached his Mavericks contract in returning to the Golden State Warriors. Ashworth instead ruled heavily in favor of Nelson's breach-of-contract claim against the Mavericks' loquacious owner, dismissing Cuban's counter-claims that Nelson violated a non-compete ..."

"The Don Nelson-Mark Cuban feud, if not in a civil manner, finally came to a legal close Thursday. Retired Judge Glen M. Ashworth, arbitrator of the case during a June hearing, ruled in Nelson's favor. The decision will reap the former Dallas Mavericks' coach $6.3 million of the $6.5 million he sued Cuban for in late 2006. Nelson claimed he was due $6.5 million in deferred payments dating to the Ross Perot Jr. ownership group. Cuban contended that Nelson forfeited the money when he took the Golden State head coaching job in August 2006 because it violated a "non-compete" clause in Nelson's Mavs contract. Nelson was serving as a consultant at the time. "Nellie prevailed in every claim 100 ..."

"IT'S ALWAYS RISKY to tinker with talent. To request those with specific natural gifts to compromise them for, you know, the good of the ol' company. For a variety of reasons, it rarely works. That's why a good football coordinator may not make a good head coach, why a hurdler doesn't pole vault, why an aggressive cleanup batter probably won't thrive at the leadoff spot. Which brings us to the Warriors and Monta Ellis. And, finally, to Marcus Williams. When Baron Davis unexpectedly parachuted out of the organization a few weeks back, the Dubs were left without a point guard. Scrambling to recover, they handed the job to Ellis, a natural shooting guard. It's an ill-conceived idea, spawned by ..."

"Monta Ellis sat with his chin up and posture straight, his white T-shirt giving all the attention to his beaming smile. He looked like the face of the franchise. He saluted his predecessor, point guard Baron Davis, embraced his increased responsibility and spoke with an obvious confidence. He sounded like the face of the franchise. Ellis gave his first public interview since signing a six-year, $66 million contract with the Warriors last week, and he was hardly the shy kid they drafted in 2005 out of Lanier High School in Jackson, Miss. He seemed comfortable in his first appearance as the franchise's premier player. Still, hold off on crowning him king, he requests. "I have to do more, but ..."

"Warriors guard Monta Ellis provided a variety of camera-ready facial expressions but insisted he's not the new face of the franchise Tuesday in his first public statements since signing a lucrative deal five days earlier. Ellis, a 6-foot-3, 177-pound fourth-year player, signed a six-year, $67 million deal Thursday. Whether he likes it or not, he's the highest-paid and most-featured player on the Golden State roster since Baron Davis bolted for the Los Angeles Clippers. Still, Ellis spent the majority of a 13-minute news conference juking eight variations of a question about being "the man," offering dramatic pauses and playing with verbiage. Here's a look at the ways he handled his ..."

"Count on Andris Biedrins, the Warriors' starting center, to turn into a diva. Now that he has his lucrative contract signed, expect him to skip practices, blow off his teammates and wear sunglasses indoors. "After this interview," Biedrins proclaimed through the phone, "I'm not talking to (the media) anymore." Yeah, that'll happen. "There is no risk in a situation like this. He's an exemplary guy," said Bill Duffy, Biedrins' agent. "He has the work ethic. He's compliant. He does the dirty work. He's unselfish. These are the guys who should be rewarded." Don't be fooled by Biedrins' humorous prima donna aside. The 6-foot-11, 230-pound center couldn't be a jerk if he tried. Not even being ..."

"The Warriors completed their mission of retaining their top two young players by reaching an agreement with Andris Biedrins on a six-year, $63 million deal Sunday. The Warriors had signed Monta Ellis, 22, on Thursday to a six-year, $67 million deal, and now they have come to terms with Biedrins, 22, avoiding a negotiations competition with some European clubs that showed interest in the 6-foot-11 center. Biedrins flew to the Bay Area on Sunday night, according to his agent Bill Duffy, and plans to sign the contract today. "This shows the Warriors following through on their commitment to Monta and Andris," Duffy said. "Andris is absolutely thrilled." The contract includes an option for ..."

"The Golden State Warriors have moved quickly to prevent Latvian center Andris Biedrins from seriously entertaining interest from deep-pocketed teams in Europe by reaching terms on a lucrative new contract with the restricted free agent. NBA front-office sources told ESPN.com that Biedrins was en route to Oakland on Sunday night after agreeing to a new six-year contract with the Warriors worth nearly $63 million. The contract, sources said, will likely be signed Monday and include a player option for Biedrins to return to the free-agent market in the summer of 2013 after completing five seasons. Biedrins is among a growing crop of NBA veterans -- not all European, as evidence by Josh ..."

"The writing was on the wall for Warriors swingman Kelenna Azubuike. Or so he'd thought. The Warriors, who signed him out of the NBA Development League in January 2007, went out and threw a bunch of money at Los Angeles Clippers leading scorer Corey Maggette, who plays the same position. They also courted Orlando Magic free agent Maurice Evans, who also plays the same position. Azubuike had his heart prepared for the end of his Warriors career and was looking forward to his move to SoCal. "At first I thought the Clippers would be a better situation," Azubuike said during a phone interview Friday. "I thought the Warriors weren't looking at me anymore." Obviously, Azubuike found out he was ..."

"FOR THE WARRIORS to avoid embarrassment, Corey Maggette has to be good. Not necessarily All-Star good, but worthy of consideration. That he can do. For the Warriors to win more than they lose, Monta Ellis has to be better. He doesn't have to mimic Baron Davis, or become a classic point guard. But Ellis must show a knack for orchestrating an offense. That he can do. I think. But the Warriors can't make a serious run for the playoffs unless their most essential piece is at the very top of his game. That would be Don Nelson. If Nelson isn't incredible, among the top candidates for NBA Coach of the Year, the Warriors will be in too deep to be saved by Maggette and Ellis. It won't matter what ..."

"The Warriors continued to add players to their roster, signing Summer League standout Anthony Morrow to a contract Friday.A 6-foot-5 guard from Georgia Tech, Morrow has averaged 18.6 points in six Summer League games with the Warriors (Las Vegas and Utah).Additionally, he has converted 16-of-19 3-pointers for Golden State this summer, and 27-of-39 3-pointers overall (.692) if you include his stint in the Orlando Summer League two weeks ago (with the Miami Heat)."

"The Warriors locked up restricted free-agent guard Monta Ellis with a six-year deal worth $66 million, according to an NBA insider. However, Golden State could be in danger of losing Andris Biedrins, their remaining restricted free agent.The fourth-year player out of Lanier High in Mississippi is now the highest-paid Warrior, and is expected to be the starting point guard.Meanwhile, a source close to Biedrins said the fifth-year center is being pursued heavily by European teams.The Latvia native is drawing strong interest in a couple of Russian clubs, according to the source, who added that teams are willing to sign him for 3-5 years for what amounts to more than $10 million per year.This ..."

"The Golden State Warriors' front office ran the fast break Thursday as well as its team on the court. It was a frenetic day for the Warriors, as they re-signed Monta Ellis to a multiyear contract, matched the Clippers' offer sheet to Kelenna Azubuike and also signed second-round pick Richard Hendrix out of Alabama. Ellis' contract is expected to be in the 6-year, $66 million neighborhood. "Despite the tremendous interest from many teams throughout this entire process, Monta seems to have a special affinity with the Bay Area fans," Ellis' agent Jeff Fried said. "I know the Warriors received many calls, but at the end of the day, Monta's preference was to play before the Bay Area fans." ..."

"Monta Ellis' signing by the Warriors to be Baron II is no surprise. He had no other offers, the Warriors had no alternatives, the Greeks hadn't settled on a playmate for Josh Childress - why, it was a marriage made in heaven, if heaven is defined as a fait accompli. But as the new face of the franchise, Ellis is about to find out how much his narrow shoulders can bear, and then what three times that weighs. This, boys, girls and undecideds, is about to get very interesting. Ellis' career has been made in large part by drafting behind bigger cars - Davis, Stephen Jackson, Don Nelson, even Troy Murphy and Mike Dunleavy. He has been the youngest child, the one everyone finds irresistibly ..."

"The Clippers lost a chance to bolster their backcourt when the Golden State Warriors today matched their three-year, $9-million deal for restricted free agent Kelenna Azubuike. Azubuike, 24, has played two seasons for the Warriors. Last year, the 6-foot-5 guard averaged 8.5 points and four rebounds in 81 games. The London-born Azubuike, who played for Kentucky, joined the Warriors after playing in the NBA Development League. "He's a young and talented player who has continued to improve during his two seasons with our team. His versatility, athleticism and ability to shoot the three-pointer certainly fit our style of play," said Chris Mullin, the Warriors' executive vice president of ..."

"The Warriors locked up restricted free-agent guard Monta Ellis with a six-year deal worth $66 million, according to an NBA insider. However, Golden State could be in danger of losing Andris Biedrins, their remaining restricted free agent.The fourth-year player out of Lanier High in Mississippi is now the highest-paid Warrior, and is expected to be the starting point guard.Meanwhile, a source close to Biedrins said the fifth-year center is being pursued heavily by European teams.The Latvia native is drawing strong interest in a couple of Russian clubs, according to the source, who added that teams are willing to sign him for 3-5 years for what amounts to more than $10 million per year.This ..."

"Maybe it's Kelenna Azubuike. Maybe it's Maurice Evans. Maybe it's a mystery player. Warriors vice president Chris Mullin said Wednesday that the signing of a wing player essentially would end the team's whirlwind offseason and complete the roster. In a 25-minute talk, Mullin said a decision on Azubuike is a "Friday thing," admitted pursuing Evans and treaded around the idea that the summer workings could be done. A decision on whether to match the Clippers' multiyear offer to Azubuike doesn't have to - and probably won't - happen until Friday. Evans is a 6-foot-5 wing, noted as a defender and a three-point shooter who averaged 9.3 points in 68 games for Orlando in 2007-08. "We're having ..."

"Got a question about the Warriors or about a pebble-grain rash? Ask Dr. Hoopz. Q: Doc, Chris Mullin, the Warriors' executive vice president, talked Wednesday about the team's "vision," which I assume means its master plan. What is that vision? A: What the Warriors are doing is shuffling the deck so furiously that it will be November before anyone notices Baron Davis is no longer around. It's an old casino trick. Some dealers actually toss the deck into the ceiling fan. Barring a monumental run of good luck, there's no way the Warriors have covered the loss of Davis. Q: So you're saying the Warriors made a mistake by not offering Davis what the Clippers gave him? A: Lord, no. There is a 1 ..."

"On the heels of adding point guard Marcus Williams, the Warriors have reportedly added free agent forward Maurice Evans, who played for both the Lakers and Magic last season. Golden State has signed Evans to a three-year, $6.4 million deal, according to the Riverside Press-Enterprise. By adding Evans, it more than likely means the Warriors will not match the three-year, $9 million contract restricted free agent Kelenna Azubuike signed with the Los Angeles Clippers last week. Golden State have until Friday to match Azubuike's deal, but Evans represents a cheaper _ and perhaps better _ alternative."

"Losing Baron Davis left the Warriors without a true point guard on the roster, a cause to fret considering the expected starter, Monta Ellis, is inexperienced at the position. But the Warriors allayed that concern Monday, trading for another Los Angeles-bred dazzling playmaker with conditioning concerns: Marcus Williams. Golden State sent a conditional first-round pick to the New Jersey Nets for Williams, who became expendable when the Nets acquired Devin Harris from Dallas in February and Keyon Dooling from Orlando on Monday. "It's a lot better feeling now that I have a new opportunity, a fresh start," Williams said in a phone interview. "It wasn't about being (back in California). ..."

"The Warriors filled their most visible hole Tuesday, acquiring former University of Connecticut point guard Marcus Williams from New Jersey for a future, conditional first-round pick. Williams is a big guard (6-foot-3, 205 pounds) with good ballhandling skills, court vision and a pass-first mentality, all of which should help slightly built Monta Ellis with his transition from starting shooting guard to the point. "We are happy to add a player like Marcus to our roster," Warriors vice president Chris Mullin said in a news release. "We felt that we needed to acquire another point guard and a player who is capable of running our offense and expanding our depth. We feel that Marcus ..."

"Marcus Williams (r.) is the lastest Net to have to clean out his locker. The Nets aren't scheduled to move to Brooklyn for at least two more years, but their identity continues to change dramatically. The team continued its extreme makeover Tuesday, trading backup point guard Marcus Williams to Golden State for a possible future first-round draft pick"

"The Warriors reportedly have found another point guard to help out projected starter Monta Ellis. The New York Post is reporting that Golden State has acquired Marcus Williams from the New Jersey Nets for a future first-round pick. According to the Post, the pick the Warriors will send to the Nets is lottery protected for 2011, 2012 and 2013. If the Nets don't receive a pick by 2013, New Jersy would get second-round picks in both 2013 and 2015, the article says."

"Josh Childress, a Stanford All-American, has made one of the most patriotic gestures by an athlete since 1976, when center fielder Rick Monday rescued a flag from protesters intent on burning it at Dodger Stadium. Childress went to another country, looking for more money, lower taxes and the privilege of telling the Atlanta Hawks that they don't really own him. Childress, according to a story first reported by Yahoo, received an offer of $20 million for three years from the Greek team Olympiakos, and he flew to Europe for a Monday chat with club officials. The deal, which apparently would cover Greek taxes and reduce some of his IRS obligations, just might be a negotiating ploy to ..."

"The Warriors may be considering an offer sheet to 76ers restricted free agent Lou Williams, according to an ESPN.com report. The ESPN story quoted one “plugged-in” source as believing the Warriors “are planning to make a "big run' at (Williams).” Published reports show Golden State is roughly $4.5 million under the salary cap after the Lakers declined to match the Warriors' offer sheet to Ronny Turiaf, meaning it could offer Williams as much as $26 million over five years (counting annual raises of $350,000)."

"Warriors free agent forward Matt Barnes is switching to a Pacific Division rival. He said he is signing a one-year contract with the Phoenix Suns. Barnes agreed to a one-year deal for the minimum (which for him, as a sixth-year NBA player, is $926,678). He is flying to Phoenix today to take a physical examination. "I owe a lot to the Warriors organization," Barnes said via text message Sunday night. "They gave my career a chance. The fans were great. Could be the best fans in sports. But I just don't understand what went wrong.""

"Matt Barnes appears to be closing in a contract with the Phoenix Suns, a source close to the Warriors' free-agent forward told The Chronicle on Sunday. The Warriors have shown no interest in re-signing Barnes, who was instrumental in their 2007 playoff upset of Dallas and averaged 6.7 points and 4.4 rebounds a game in 19.4 minutes."

"The Suns put a shot of adrenaline into their team and what had been a sleepy free-agency period by signing ex-Golden State small forward Matt Barnes to a one-year contract. The sixth-year NBA veteran signed for the league’s veteran minimum contract ($1.2 million, about $400,000 of which is paid by league funds) and will immediately step into the rotation as either a starter or bench player on the wing. He will be in Phoenix to take his physical on Monday morning and is expected to finalize his deal afterward."

"Free-agent forward Matt Barnes is scheduled to arrive in Phoenix Monday, expecting to sign a one-year veteran's minimum deal with the Suns after completing a physical. Barnes, 28, spent the past two seasons in a mostly reserve role with the Golden State Warriors. He collected a career-best 9.8 points and 4.6 rebounds in the 2006-07 season. Last season, he averaged 6.7 points and 4.4 rebounds in 19.4 minutes per game."

"He ain't Elton Brand, but he's going to have to do. Ronny Turiaf, the 6-foot-10, 250-pound big man, is officially a Warrior. The Los Angeles Lakers declined to match the four-year, $17 million offer sheet he signed with Golden State last week, letting their seven-day window expire. So Turiaf is bringing his caffeinated act to the electric atmosphere of Oracle Arena. After star point guard Baron Davis surprisingly opted out, after getting their big-money offers rejected by Brand and Gilbert Arenas, the Warriors' dramatic and hectic offseason is expected to calm down now that Turiaf is a Warrior. So, with the major moves in the rearview mirror — provided the Warriors don't pull off a ..."

"The Warriors, wanting to spare Monta Ellis from inheriting all of Baron Davis' minutes at point guard, are seriously considering signing Philadelphia guard Louis Williams to an offer sheet, ESPN is reporting. It's not yet clear whether Golden State would have enough leftover salary-cap space to extend an offer to Williams sufficiently prohibitive for the 76ers to match. The Warriors are expected to re-sign restricted free agents Ellis and center Andris Biedrins. Williams, 21, averaged 11.5 points and 3.2 assists last season."

"Ronny Turiaf is bringing his heart to the Bay Area. Turiaf officially joined the Golden State roster late Friday, when Los Angeles Lakers general manager Mitch Kupchak didn't match the Warriors' qualifying offer. The 25-year-old Turiaf is known more for his post-draft heart surgery in 2006 and his passionate style of play and cheerleading than his size (6-foot-10, 250 pounds) and statistics (6.6 points, 2.9 rebounds)."

"With great reluctance, the Los Angeles Lakers decided at Friday's deadline they wouldn't match Golden State's offer for Ronny Turiaf, meaning the former second-round draft choice will move up the California coast to play for the Warriors. The Warriors signed Turiaf, a restricted free agent, to a four-year, $17 million offer sheet last week. By rule, the Lakers had seven days to decide whether to match it. The three-year veteran from Gonzaga averaged 6.6 points and 3.9 rebounds in 78 games with the Western Conference champions last season, making 21 starts."

"Watching Warriors' second-year guard Marco Belinelli shoot, when he's feeling it, is like watching the sunrise at Pebble Beach. Breathtaking. Awe-inspiring. Beautiful. Just ask the onlookers at UNLV, site of the 2008 NBA Summer League. You can hear them gasp when Belinelli rises up suddenly rises up with his easy form and snaps the net. A chorus of ooohs follow every pull-up, every fade-away, every 3-pointer he takes with no regard for distance. It makes you wonder what team couldn't use a stroke like that. It doesn't seem to make sense that someone with such an outside touch could manage just 241 garbage-time minutes, as Belinelli did in his rookie season."

"Restricted free agent forward-center Ronny Turiaf officially became a member of the Golden State Warriors on Friday night, his four-season, $17-million contract simply too rich for the Lakers to match by the 9 p.m. deadline. The Lakers now will turn their attention to re-signing another restricted free agent, guard Sasha Vujacic, general manager Mitch Kupchak said. Kupchak had hoped to retain Turiaf and Vujacic, members of the Lakers' so-called "Bench Mob.""

"First, the Los Angeles Clippers signed point guard Baron Davis away from the Warriors. Golden State answered by signing swingman Corey Maggette away from Los Angeles. That means it's the Clippers' turn. And they obliged Thursday, signing Warriors restricted free-agent shooting guard Kelenna Azubuike to an offer sheet worth about $9 million over three years. A Warriors official said the Clippers wouldn't send the offer sheet until today, which means Golden State has until July 25 to match."

"Sometimes, it seems Warriors power forward Brandan Wright exists in a different realm, a much more pacified realm. His expressions are often mellow, his body language relaxed, his aura calm. These intangible attributes can come across as apathy. But sitting down with Wright, it becomes clear he's just a patient kind of fellow. Hear him talk about the heap of expectations being strapped to his 6-foot-9, 205-pound frame. "I don't really look at things like that," Wright said. "I just go out there and play my game, play ball. You can't really rush situations. This is only my second year in the league. I'm 20 years old. I'm going to continue to get better with my overall game. It's one ..."

"By the time the Warriors find out today if they can officially claim Lakers' forward Ronny Turiaf as one of their own, Golden State will have its own free-agent decision to make. Los Angeles' other team, the Clippers, continued their offseason wrangling with the Warriors by signing swingman Kelenna Azubuike to an offer sheet Thursday, according to league sources. The multi-year deal is believed to be worth $3 million a season - the amount the Clippers had left in salary cap space after trading for shot-blocker Marcus Camby earlier in the week."

"He's known as the Quiet Storm for the silent way he tears defenses apart. He even has the moniker tattooed on his right shoulder. But C.J. Watson, the Warriors' mild-mannered second-year point guard, needs to make some noise. Now. Golden State's need for a point guard — someone to support Monta Ellis, who is expected to replace Baron Davis as the Warriors' starter at the position — is well-documented. And Watson wants to be that guy. However, the Warriors are exploring free agents and trade options. His window of opportunity could be closing."

"Frankly, this deal was more Moneyball than basketball. The Golden State Warriors faced millions in NBA luxury tax, because of a bloated payroll. Jason Richardson was coming off a season of injury and another wing scorer, Monta Ellis, was emerging as the team's best young player. Ellis and center Andris Biedrins were going to demand big contracts in the coming years. And there were the Charlotte Bobcats, with a burning need for a scorer and abundant salary-cap room to absorb Richardson's $11million-plus salary last season."

"For all those who doubt Anthony Randolph, keep doubting. For all those who say he's too skinny, too raw, for the highest level of basketball, keep talking. He's listening. "It's motivation," Randolph said Tuesday. "People always have their opinions. I have so much to prove." Randolph, the 14th overall pick in the draft last month, has captured the eyes of many at the NBA Summer League in Las Vegas. He sat out Tuesday's game against Charlotte because of a sprained left ankle, but not before he solidified himself as one of the best young players of the bunch at UNLV."

"A fairly entertaining point-guard battle took place in the Warriors' summer league showdown against Charlotte on Tuesday at the Thomas"

"Warriors rookie Anthony Randolph celebrated his 19th birthday by officially becoming a pro. Golden State's No. 1 pick signed a two-year deal worth about $3.5 million Tuesday. As with all first-round contracts, the Warriors will hold options on the third and fourth seasons."

"In less than a year, Marco Belinelli went from summer-league phenomenon to cautionary tale. He is the player mentioned most in conjunction with Anthony Randolph's big debut Friday, mostly as a reminder to temper expectations. "There were a lot of problems," Belinelli said of his rookie season with the Warriors. "I started very well, but after that, I don't know why I didn't play that good basketball. I guess I probably need some defense ... but I try to do work every day and get ready for the season." For Belinelli, who got his driver's license two weeks ago, the challenge remains to navigate his way into coach Don Nelson's rotation. It helped that he scored a game-high 25 points ..."

"His signature small-ball just became about the incredibly shrinking roster. Don Nelson and the Golden State Warriors will have about five returnees from the rotation that won 48 games last season, with an overpaid free agent who won't defend, two 2007 first-round picks who didn't play before and a 2008 first-round pick who might not play now. Baron Davis is gone, the fallback position is being awkwardly moved into place, and it's hard to imagine a soft landing for the Warriors. They still need to fill the forever hole of a physical power forward, still need to re-sign free agents Monta Ellis, Andris Biedrins and Kelenna Azubuike, and now need to add a true point guard to at least ..."