Monday "quasi" Insider

[Guest]

Are the Warriors ready for a Golden State revival?

by Chad Ford

Send an Email to Chad Ford

They have a new coach. A new small forward. And soon, a new point guard. Will the Warriors finally be able to find the chemistry, leadership and karma that has eluded them all of these years?

They're trying. Over the last few months the Warriors have been actively trying to find ways to shake up a team that went just 21-61 last season.

They should get the ball rolling on Tuesday when they're expected to sign free agent point guard Rafer Alston to a one-year contract Tuesday. Alston, unlike the Warriors' other point guards, Gilbert Arenas and Steve Logan, is a true point guard. A New York playground legend, Alston is the type of young player who knows how to make his teammates better. He had a falling out in Milwaukee with George Karl last season over his flamboyant style, but his highlight reel playmaking may actually be a good thing for the Warriors.

While he isn't the veteran playmaker Golden State covets, Alston does have experience and his upside is tremendous. He may be the fastest player, baseline to baseline, in the NBA. He'll fit perfectly in the up-tempo, frantic offense new coach Bill Musselman is trying to employ.

The Warriors aren't stopping there. They're also making an effort to improve the team's chemistry with some addition by subtraction.

A league source told Insider this weekend that GM Garry St. Jean has been trying to find a taker for Danny Fortson. At this point, the Warriors understand they won't be able to get a starting caliber player in return. Instead, they're trying to find ways to get some cap room. That explains their most recent offer to the Knicks this weekend -- Fortson and Chris Mills for Charlie Ward and Travis Knight.

That should be a hard one for Knicks GM Scott Layden to pass on. While adding another undersized power forward isn't a need (the Knicks already have Clarence Weatherspoon and Othella Harrington), moving Ward and Knight for a player who is a top five rebounder in the NBA is a no-brainer. The Knicks could use Antonio McDyess at center, especially versus the East, and put Fortson at the four. That trade would give Layden the green light to move Kurt Thomas for a real point guard.

While neither Ward nor Knight could be expected to have a major impact in Golden State, their contracts both expire in two years, clearing about $6 million in cap room in 2004. The move would also free up room for Antawn Jamison to start at power forward. Jamison spent much of last season complaining that he was playing out of position at the three. With the addition of Mike Dunleavy this summer, the Warriors have the luxury now of giving Jamison time at the four.

That won't happen, however, as long as Fortson is still on the roster. "He was the fourth leading rebounder in the NBA last season," one league source said. "The Warriors can't afford to have him on bench, feeling disgruntled. They'll play him until they can find someone who wants him."

How bad will the Warriors miss Fortson this season? He was a big reason why the team ranked first in the league in rebounding as a team. But he also shot just 42 percent from the field -- a pretty miserable stat for a power forward.

Like many things in Golden State, the statistics can be a little deceiving. The team finished sixth in the league in scoring despite being 26th in shooting percentage, 27th in three point shooting percentage, 27th in free throw shooting and leading the league in turnovers and points allowed.

No wonder they lost 61 games.

What the Warriors really need is leadership (not Fortson's forte), a major decrease in mental mistakes (again not Fortson's forte), and a reason for fans to start coming out to games. While neither move will sell a lot of tickets (though Alston was a fan favorite in Milwaukee), the Warriors have one more trick up their sleeve. They are working hard to convince restricted free agent Wang Zhizhi to sign an offer sheet. The team was blown away by how many Asian Americans showed up to support Yao Ming at a recent exhibition game in San Francisco. They also thought Wang looked great in the summer league.

If the Warriors are reading the signs correctly, it appears that, for political reasons, the Mavs don't want to bring back Wang. Dallas has talked to several teams about a sign-and-trade, but it would be difficult. If the Warriors signed him to an offer sheet, would the Mavs really match? If they did, they wouldn't be able to trade Wang without his consent for one year.

While Alston, Wang and the subtraction of Danny Fortson wouldn't solve all of the Warriors' problems, if Musselman can get his team to improve its shot selection and defensive intensity -- the wins and fans will start coming. Slowly, at first, but they'll start coming.

[KZ3]

Bill Musselman? Chad should probably read what he writes before he publishes it to the world.