Friday, April 24, 2009
http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?f=/c/a/2009/04/24/SPL6178HO6.DTL&feed=rss.warriors
There's a lot of Andre Miller conversation in the Warriors' chatrooms, and rightly so. It's always nice to watch someone who knows how to run an offense, and as an unrestricted free agent, Miller is free to sign with any team this summer if he chooses to leave the Philadelphia 76ers.
Chicago's Kirk Hinrich will most likely be available, maybe a few others, but Miller will be the best option among veteran point guards. With his substantial quickness and defensive mindset, he's a youthful 33 (Chauncey Billups is just six months younger) and making the painfully ordinary 76ers look respectable as a playoff entry.
It seems clear that while the Warriors haven't said so outright - do they ever say anything outright? - they'll be seeking a point guard who can free Monta Ellis to play the "2," his natural position. It also seems clear that coach Don Nelson, after a grumpy and tumultuous season, could be a major obstacle to this plan.
As one critic mentioned in cyberspace, "Why would anyone want to come and play for Nelson right now?" Perhaps a veteran, such as Miller, could see the bigger picture and recall the exciting, high-energy Warriors in better times. After running a Philadelphia team that doesn't have much future, he could see the beauty in working with Ellis,Anthony Randolph and Andris Biedrins in a very up-tempo mood. Then again, Miller could ponder the fate of Jamal Crawford, who joined the Warriors in a swirl of optimism and became a veritable dead man walking.
To afford Miller, the Warriors would have to cut through a salary-cap mess forged by the unwieldy contracts of Crawford, Stephen Jackson and Corey Maggette. Which raises another question: If they choose the draft to land a point guard, would he be mentally strong enough to survive the inevitable first-year torment under Nelson?
History shows that NBA championships are often won by freaks of nature: the oppressive defense of Bill Russell (never matched; not even close) or the otherworldly talent of a Michael Jordan or Kobe Bryant. For teams dealing with the real world, it's all about point guards. Check around the playoffs: Billups, Deron Williams, Rajon Rondo, Derrick Rose, Mo Williams, Tony Parker, Chris Paul, Jason Kidd, Brandon Roy (not the point, technically, but running his team). That's where the stories are told, and that's where any proper foundation is built.
As for the upcoming draft, I can't recall a year with so many attractive options among pure point guards or potential team leaders: Ricky Rubio, Brandon Jennings, Patty Mills, Ty Lawson, Tyreke Evans, Willie Warren, Jonny Flynn, Stephen Curry, maybe a half-dozen more. It's just an astounding well of talent. Under a mellow, forgiving coach, most of those guys could step right in and run the Warriors. I'm a big Nelson guy, always have been, but with this team, at this stage of his life, I wonder if he's the right man for the job.
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