Insider Special: Camp Battles ~ Warriors

[Weez]

Van Exel, J-Rich only sure things

By Terry Brown

NBA Insider

Tuesday, October 14

Updated: October 14

4:22 PM ET

It's one thing to be a bad team trying to rebuild. It's quite another to be a bad team trying to rebuild year after year.

But it's something else altogether to be a bad team year after year that thinks getting rid of Antawn Jamison, its best player, and Gilbert Arenas, the reigning Most Improved Player, for the likes of Avery Johnson, Evan Eschmeyer, Popeye Jones and Antoine Rigaudeau actually counts as rebuilding.

At least the Golden State Warriors got Nick Van Exel in the deal, too, so someone on this team will know the old guy with dirt on his chin at small forward still has more game than the young guy with the pedigree.

Golden State Warriors

Point guard Exp Ht '02-03 Stats Notes

Nick Van Exel 10 6-1 12.5 ppg,

4.3 apg Perhaps you remember Nick Van Exel for his long-range bombs with the clock running down. Or the playoff daggers he launched off the bench. Or maybe even his epic outbursts against referees and former head coaches. But at this stage of his career, with this type of team, perhaps we should remember that in 1997 with the Lakers, he averaged 8.5 assists per game. Or that in 2001 with the Nuggets, he also averaged 8.5 assists per game. Or that the year before that he averaged 9 assists per game.

Speedy Claxton 2 5-11 5.8 ppg,

2.5 apg Didn't get a good look at this kid until it mattered most, during last year's NBA Finals, and we're pretty sure we were as pleasantly surprised as he was. But three surgeries in three seasons have limited him to a total of 97 career games, hence the need for a back-up point guard for the back-up point guard.

Pepe Sanchez 2 6-4 0 ppg,

0.9 apg Insurance.

Avery Johnson 15 5-11 3.3 ppg,

1.3 apg Trade filler who'll be doing more coaching than dribbling.

Shooting guard Exp Ht '02-03 Stats Notes

Jason Richardson 2 6-6 15.6 ppg,

4.6 rpg Any shooting guard worth the letters on the back of his uniform wants more shots. J-Rich, the former slam dunk champ who once dropped 40 in an NBA game, is just such a guard. Played 69 more minutes last season than in his rookie campaign and took 71 more shots. Do the math. With Jamison and Arenas subtracted from the lineup, keep an eye on his career 41.8 percent shooting.

Calbert Cheaney 10 6-7 8.6 ppg,

3.5 rpg Two years ago, shot 48 percent from the field for the Nuggets. Last year, shot 49 percent from the field for the Jazz, to go along with his 40 percent from long range. Actually shot above 50 percent in 79 games back in 1997 for the Wizards. Maybe some of that will rub off on Richardson and not the other way around.

Mickael Pietrus R 6-6 -- Compared to Michael Jordan while playing in Europe. That was the first sentence. Hopefully for the Warriors, it won't also be the last.

Small forward Exp Ht '02-03 Stats Notes

Mike Dunleavy 1 6-9 5.7 ppg,

2.6 rpg If all it took to earn a starting small forward spot in the NBA was to score 466 points in 82 games (5.7 ppg) on 40 percent shooting, there would be a lot more starting small forwards than teams able to accommodate them.

Clifford Robinson 14 6-10 12.2 ppg,

3.9 rpg Named Sixth-Man of the Year in 1993, named to an All-Star team, an All-Defensive team and even a 3-point shootout, and once scored 50 points in a game and appeared in 125 playoff games. Seen it all, done it all. But after more than 1,000 regular season games, hopefully it doesn't all show.

Power forward Exp Ht '02-03 Stats Notes

Troy Murphy 2 6-11 11.7 ppg,

10.2 rpg There are 58 starting centers and power forwards in the NBA. Only four of them averaged more rebounds per game last season than Troy Murphy. His rebounding prowess (10.2 per game) was in addition to his improved scoring (11.7 ppg) and shooting (45 percent) after he packed on 17 pounds of muscle between his rookie and second seasons. Don't count on him adding another 17 this year, but don't be surprised either if he doubles his scoring output on occasion.

Popeye Jones 10 6-8 2 ppg,

2.3 rpg Worst-case scenario.

Center Exp Ht '02-03 Stats Notes

Erick Dampier 7 6-11 8.2 ppg,

6.6 rpg Not sure if we're supposed to pat him on the back for starting 82 games last year or slap him in the head for logging only 24.1 minutes per game (after averaging 24.5 for his seven-year career). Or maybe just cut his $6.8 million paycheck in half.

Adonal Foyle 6 6-10 5.4 ppg,

2.5 bpg Not sure if we're supposed to pat him on the back for averaging 21.8 minutes per game last season (after averaging 19 for his six-year career) or slap him in the head for not starting a single game. Or maybe just cut his $4.4 million paycheck in half.

Evan Eschmeyer 4 6-11 1 ppg,

1.7 rpg If you're scoring at home, the Warriors already were paying two men the equivalent of a max-type deal to do the job of one. Why not make it three?