Yesterday was the writing on the wall...Pietrus will be gone.

It's sad about Pietrus. His first year, he looked like he could become one of the league's elite defenders. He stopped T-Mac, Arenas, Crybaby Steve Francis and more. He deluded himself into becoming more of a scorer which is good but didn't play with the same defensive intensity which is not good. If he simply played tough D and calmed down on the offensive side, he probably would have closed games with the rest of the bunch.

With his back against the wall maybe he'll blow up this year.

 

If Diogu turns out to be a beast down low (like Ben Wallace but better offensively) how cool of a line up would it be to have

Baron
Jrich
MP
Dun
Diogu

 

i still haven't lost faith in Pietrus' game. We'll see what happens.

 

I'm with Clif and Kwan here. I'm not too happy we made a move when we didn't have to. And now we definitely run out of options with Zarko and Pietrus. This just sucks. It doesn't pay to have a 6'10 glue guy that can't light it up on offense every night or at least play some defense. Just how slow does our team plan to get to the point where we can't play any defense to save our lives. I think the general management is forgetting that Jason Richardson and Baron Davis are stars for a reason. They've got the skills and the tools. There hasn't been a great player since Mullin and Larry Bird in a long while and I think it will stay that way until a player comes along that will just carry a team on its shoulders with its shooting and shot creation. Most of the league's best shooters are marginal role players and that's pretty much how Dunleavy could be viewed when you consider him 3rd or 4th option on this team. There were guys in the draft like Danny Granger, Antoine Wright, Franciso Garcia, etc that could all turn out better than Dunleavy and have more potential to be good defenders and team players with verstatility and scoring as well. Time will tell, but I will be upset if any of those guys or future mid-late round guys in the next drafts are better than Dunleavy and play all around ball and get paid less so we can add more talent later on.

Anyone with me on how Dunleavy can be viewed as totally overrated? Let's hope he plays ball like he did in April all season or we just wasted huge money.

 

I just don't see it as wasted money, he is our best shooter, second best passer and a solid rebounder. He is a smart player who makes players around him better and plays better when surrounded by good players. Remember he started slowly at Duke and improved every year, just like the NBA (and consider Muss probably stunted his growth a bit). I know a little about basketball, but Mullin and Jerry West and Mike Dunleavy Sr. and Jim Barnett each know a helluva lot more than all of us combined and they all jock him.

I can't wait for tonight!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

 

<div class="quote_poster">Quoting Mister Jennings:</div><div class="quote_post">I just don't see it as wasted money, he is our best shooter, second best passer and a solid rebounder. He is a smart player who makes players around him better and plays better when surrounded by good players. Remember he started slowly at Duke and improved every year, just like the NBA (and consider Muss probably stunted his growth a bit). I know a little about basketball, but Mullin and Jerry West and Mike Dunleavy Sr. and Jim Barnett each know a helluva lot more than all of us combined and they all jock him.

I can't wait for tonight!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!</div>

It's going to be fun!

I wonder what Charles Barkley, Kenny Smith, Mitch Richmond, and Magic Johnson think about Mike Dunleavy Jr?

Off topic, I like when the Chuckster responded to someone saying that "the Atlanta Hawks (or somebody) was on the right track, just not on the right train".

Funniest retort I've heard in a while.

 

pietrus came thru!!! All his haters came out of the woodwork in the pre-season i hope he proves them wrong.

 

<div class="quote_poster">Quoting jzblaze:</div><div class="quote_post">pietrus came thru!!! All his haters came out of the woodwork in the pre-season i hope he proves them wrong.</div>
Who hated him? Where the heck did that come from? Nobody here hates him. I know for a fact I love the guy. He's like Brian Cardinal, only more athletic, more raw and he's a swingman. I like how he's just on the floor all the time always moving. He also scores at a good time most of the time.

 

He's probably talking about those who say Dunleavy should start instead of Pietrus.

 

<div class="quote_poster">Quoting AnimeFANatic:</div><div class="quote_post">He's probably talking about those who say Dunleavy should start instead of Pietrus.</div>

Well that's true, Pietrus is the man off the bench. He just needs to get 30 minutes a game or more and let the guys who know ball set him up for an easy score or wide open shot. He can go hard on the baseline and demonstrates a good crossover dribble and he can sink the wide open 3. He can't shoot consistently off the dribble and he's not good with making decisions with the ball and sometimes he doesn't know where to be off of it. Those are his faults and it's true. But once he develops he will be a second Jrich, better in some ways, not as good in some ways.

 

<div class="quote_poster">Quoting custodianrules2:</div><div class="quote_post">Who hated him? Where the heck did that come from? Nobody here hates him. I know for a fact I love the guy. He's like Brian Cardinal, only more athletic, more raw and he's a swingman. I like how he's just on the floor all the time always moving. He also scores at a good time most of the time.</div>

I like his swagger and confidence when he is hitting his shots. But lets all be honest, if he was missing his shots like he was in pre season, we would all be saying something kind of like how we are somewhat ripping Dunleavy.

I will say this about Dunleavy however: Tim Roye was praising his defense and from what I have seen, he seems to be putting out more effort which is commendable. I think he was pressing a bit to prove he is going to be worth his contract like Jrich and Murphy did to start the year last year. I think the whole team was pressing a bit in the first half to prove they are going to be a team to reckon with this year. Just let the game come to you...

 

<div class="quote_poster">Quoting custodianrules2:</div><div class="quote_post">Who hated him? Where the heck did that come from? Nobody here hates him. I know for a fact I love the guy. He's like Brian Cardinal, only more athletic, more raw and he's a swingman. I like how he's just on the floor all the time always moving. He also scores at a good time most of the time.</div>


he's been ripped pretty hard all across the forums after his pre-season.

 

<div class="quote_poster">Quoting jzblaze:</div><div class="quote_post">he's been ripped pretty hard all across the forums after his pre-season.</div>

I agree there has been some mixed reviews about him. Some people wanted him to start over Dunleavy but then people would say he looked lost and is not ready to start over Dunleavy...

 

Well, to be fair, Pietrus did have pretty bad preseason, and even I can't find a good reason to choose Pietrus over Dunleavy based on preseason result. But, when the real season started, he dropped 20 pts in 24 mins. Even Zarko scored 9 pts in 7 mins instead of 9 TOs like how he did in preseason, and Taft came out from nowhere as well. If Taft can continue defending like that, we can part Foyle much easier, if there is any taker that is...

 

Oh yeah, Pietrus' shooting percentage was horrible and I was disappointed. I was hoping he would challenge Dunleavy for the starting SF position....

 

Pietrus really does make the most of his mins. Squeezes every point he can per minute. Now, if only we can convince Monty to put Cheaney in the DNP list or whatever. I mean, I'm sure Ellis (who was benched) can produce more than Mr. Happy to Have a Job.

 

<div class="quote_poster">Quoting Warriorfansnc93:</div><div class="quote_post">I like his swagger and confidence when he is hitting his shots. But lets all be honest, if he was missing his shots like he was in pre season, we would all be saying something kind of like how we are somewhat ripping Dunleavy.

I will say this about Dunleavy however: Tim Roye was praising his defense and from what I have seen, he seems to be putting out more effort which is commendable. I think he was pressing a bit to prove he is going to be worth his contract like Jrich and Murphy did to start the year last year. I think the whole team was pressing a bit in the first half to prove they are going to be a team to reckon with this year. Just let the game come to you...</div>
I wasn't too worried about Pietrus sucking in preseason at all because he's delivered a lot more times during the regular season. He was certainly more noticeable than Dunleavy ever was when making defensive stops and scoring at a good time (like Brian Cardinal type noticeable). Guys like Pietrus who have been playing all year ball start to feel those effects which is why I think guys like Pau Gasol and Yao Ming played tired in past seasons and have been inconsistent or lacking in certain areas. Once Pietrus puts his game together and is healthy, he'll be damn good. He's sort of like how I envision guys like Tony Allen and Dahntay Jones to look after they get more playing time and possibly work there way into becoming starters.

I agree the team was pressin', especially Dunleavy who signed that fat contract. He tried to do too much.

 

<div class="quote_poster">Quoting jzblaze:</div><div class="quote_post">he's been ripped pretty hard all across the forums after his pre-season.</div>
Oh, I guess I sort of tune them out.

I think we need Pietrus to come out and play the important minutes at either guard or forward or point guard (Dunleavy or Richardson obviously will be the real point guards if we're doing a big lineup). It's not who starts, but who closes. Dunleavy on his way to 9 turnovers and poor shooting proved he doesn't always make smart decisions, but then people can argue it was a miscommunication where people were going to be on offense and it historically takes him a while to get in rhythm. That's why I'm glad we have Pietrus to just be in the action when we start running and Dunleavy in the right place to initiate the break himself or pass it to Davis or Richardson.

 

I still expect Mike Pete to be starting around midseason,and Dun to be a 6th man. We need an agressive,fast,penetrating F and he can be it. I have seen quite a few games now where the other side has no defense for Air France and resorts to flagrents and cheap shots. Pietrus,like other young players is accumulating experiance and skills and,in that respect,Dun had a big head start but the gap has closed,and Pietrus already has stuff Dun will never have.

Mully and Monty may expect,so far,Dun to come out on top...or not,but either way,their pride and paychecks are linked to winning. Over the next few weeks,they will be making notes about who gives a winning edge. Those decisions/opinions won't be totally based on last year or the last game or the preseason,and I doubt anything will be carved in stone. As Andy Biedrens and Taft gain experiance,as Ike gets in the flow and Miles,Ellis have some production,we could see some evolution we don't all expect now.
We got a win over a team that's building and still pretty helter skelter,but we did see several things that should make us feel pretty good. Our bench,depth,played much better than in the preseason. The rookies at the bottom of the roster got action and were a plus. Murph had a strong game-and yet really wasn't on the floor long. Our top 2 rookies didn't even play yet.

Pietrus re-sign is not nessicerily going to be a problem,and it's off in the future. By then...who knows. The Lux-tax,Cap,cutoffs may go up. There could be a significant swap. Cohen could tell Mully,use the Bird rights,don't sweat the $$$,we get a couple rounds into the playoffs and we add revenue.

 

At this point, signing Pietrus would be next to impossible, unless Cohan decide to eat significant chunk of luxury tax.

http://www.hoopshype.com/salaries/golden_state.htm

`Our existing 6 contracts alone will eat up about 58 mils after two years. 60 mils after three years, 63 mils after 4th years, and 41 mils after 5th years without Davis and Foyle contracts.
`I seriously doubt that we will let Ike or Biedrine go after 2 years, so that's additional 5 mils. (8 players)
`Monta and Taft will probably get very little. About a mil each? (10 players).
`Let's assume that we have two future first rounders, since keeping them are the cheapest way to fill the roster. About 3 mils for two players (12 players).
`Even if we assume that we don't add any significant contract and be cheapest possible, it becomes 68+ mils for 12 men roster. And, 68 mils figure is quite optimistic figure. Around 70 at that time?
`Current luxury tax line is 62 mils. Yes, it will increase little bit, but it won't suddenly shoot up 10 mils or so. At least until next CBA. Around 65 in two years?

Barring from miracle (like tax line shoot up by 10 mils or Cohan decide to be Cuban jr.), unless we dump salaries, there is basically no chance of resigning Pietrus. Even without Pietrus or Zarko's contract, we will be in luxury tax territory and possibly well inside of the territory. So, only way to keep Pietrus is by dumping salaries. Davis is certainly not going anywhere, and same goes with Dunleavy, either because of lovefest of Mullin and Monty or BYC status. We CAN swap Richardson for Pietrus rather easily, but I wouldn't want to imagine our team without Richardson. And, at this point, I don't know why that will be an upgrade. That leaves Fisher, Foyle, and Murphy. Yes, we may be able to squeeze Pietrus if we can write off any of those contracts, but are we really going to sign small players like Davis, Richardson, Pietrus, Fisher, Dunleavy with big money, while spending basically nothing at 4 and 5? I seriously doubt that that's the way to go, so the only viable contract to remove for Pietrus is Fisher's one. Of course, Pietrus' contract will be bigger than Fisher's one, and I still don't see the way to resign Biedrins, Monta and Taft.

Aside from financial problem, I just don't think either Mullin or Monty want to keep Pietrus. Not only Pietrus was not Mullin's choice in draft day, existance of Pietrus is a potential threat to Dunleavy. Dunleavy is Mullin's pet project, and I seriously doubt that Mullin will do something to endanger his pet project. Also, for some reason, Monty just don't like high production with not so graceful players like Pietrus or Zarko. Sometimes, I am really baffled by Zarko's min. In one night, he dropped like 15 pts in 12 mins with perfect from the field. Next game, he received whopping 0 mins. Same with Pietrus. No matter how many pts he dropped in last game, that performance doens't guarentee next game's mins when it comes to Pietrus or Zarko. Also, whenever I hear Mullin or Monty's interview, they basically never give any favor toward Pietrus beside usual GM or headcoach interview lines. For those reasons, I just don't think they will go over the limb and try to resign Pietrus, or Zarko for that matter, unless they agree to work for couple peanuts.

I seriously doubt that Dunleavy will be benched in favor of Pietrus, unless Dunleavy averages 5 pts with 50 TOs per game while Pietrus score 30 pts per game. That would be Monty's ultimate slap in the face to Mullin, especially when he just signed the big extension, and you can see Monty being fired regardless our rec. Yes, it may not be fair, but that's just what big contracts or draft positions do...