Emotional edge cut both ways for WarriorsBy John Hollinger
ESPN Insider
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SALT LAKE CITY -- So, where to from here for the Warriors?


It was a great run to the conference semifinals, especially considering the torrid stretch from early March to the beginning of May that got Golden State into the postseason and past Dallas in a shocking first-round upset.

That's why Stephen Jackson left the court applauding after Game 5's 100-87 elimination by Utah, and why for now the Warriors are looking on the bright side. "There will be no teary eyes in our locker room," said Don Nelson, while his team, to a man, was gracious in saying Utah played better and deserved to win.

Nelson also bristled at my question about what the team needs to do to get over the hump. "The hump was not making the playoffs for the past 12 years." Said Nelson. "If we didn't get over the hump this year something's wrong."

Unfortunately, the second round of the playoffs is going to be the new hump unless Golden State's two big weaknesses that manifested themselves in this series -- a lack of size and a lack of composure -- aren't addressed.

The lack of composure is a bit of a double-edged sword, because the Warriors also thrive on emotion, with the street-fighter mentality of players like Jackson and Matt Barnes carrying being one of the club's greatest assets.

"We get carried away with our emotions, but if you take away our emotions we're not very good," said Nelson. "I'm walking a very tight line, and I think I'm doing a pretty good job."

The emotion seems the more pertinent issue when the team goes into meltdown mode, like it did in Game 2 against Dallas or at the end of the third quarter Tuesday. But perhaps the more vexing problem is the lack of size.

After all, a team can learn to control its emotions with experience, but these guys aren't going to get any taller over the summer. While Utah was perhaps the perfect opponent to expose the Warriors' lack of strength under the basket, one has to think teams like San Antonio, Denver, or even the Clippers could have done nearly as much damage.

"They shot layups, we shot jumpers. They got to the foul line, we didn't. They got offensive rebounds," said Baron Davis. "We just got outmuscled, outmanned under the basket. That's why we lost."

There are other worries as well. Barnes is an unrestricted free agent, and his retaining the services of the notorious Dan Fegan is an indication negotiations won't be easy. Mickael Pietrus is in his walk year too, though as a restricted free agent. Plus, the capped-out Warriors have little money available to replenish the roster should one of those two leave, let alone contemplate frontcourt additions. And of course, there's no guarantee Baron Davis makes it to April in one piece next year.

However, step back and look at the big picture. These are the problems that Warriors fans have longed to have for over a decade -- questions of "How can we go farther in the playoffs?" rather than "Will we ever make it out of the lottery?"

So you'll excuse them if they want to bask in the excitement of this season for just a bit longer. They just had their most successful season in eons, and have a whole summer to worry about all the other stuff.

Instead, let's put the exclamation point on this upside-down Golden State season by allowing Jackson to be the voice of reason.

"They were the better team and they showed it. Point blank," he said. "No need for us to be bitter. We had a great year."

http://sports.espn.go.com/nba/playoffs2007/columns/story?columnist=hollinger_john&id=2871971

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Perhaps if they are looking for size consider trading Frye + Jeffries for a resigned Pietrus + future second rounder?

So you mean this trade will solve their problem of being too emotional...
Hmm.. Makes sense - Fry and Jeffries are no street fighters...
And yes - they are tall but you don't need much to outmassle them.
Hopefully Nelson never watched Knick playing.
On the other note this will be blessing for Fry to get real coach.

They might have an interest in Frye in that he is 6'11" and does show some shot-blocking potential. Frye actually is not a terrible defender and I think he can improve. It is the rebounding that he will have a problem with, but he can also score and Nelson might be a good coach for him to unlock his offensive potential.

I, however, would not take on Pietrus for anything more than maybe $6.5 million a year. He is not worth anymore than that, especially since we can probably find a SG in the draft.

jeffries for vlad rad?

Posted by TheGame:

They might have an interest in Frye in that he is 6'11" and does show some shot-blocking potential. Frye actually is not a terrible defender and I think he can improve. It is the rebounding that he will have a problem with, but he can also score and Nelson might be a good coach for him to unlock his offensive potential.

I, however, would not take on Pietrus for anything more than maybe $6.5 million a year. He is not worth anymore than that, especially since we can probably find a SG in the draft.

I would trade Jeffries for Pietrus. Frye is incentive for them to dump his contract. Basically, Frye would be pretty good in Nellie's guard dominated offense, and he'd get to play center / closer to the basket.

And in response, everyone wants a bruiser at 4 - Boozer is a stud right now.

Posted by MS:

Last year Utah would have traded boozer for frye, the lakers would have traded odom for frye, and now we are talkin about him as a filler to get someone to take on jefferies......

isiah really knows how to strike when the iron is hot

Nobody expected frye to play the way he did last season. I don't think anybody would have traded him away after his rookie year. In year 2 we all thought he would be getting 15/8 with a block.

Come on man cut it put.

Posted by EnySpree:

Posted by MS:

Last year Utah would have traded boozer for frye, the lakers would have traded odom for frye, and now we are talkin about him as a filler to get someone to take on jefferies......

isiah really knows how to strike when the iron is hot

Nobody expected frye to play the way he did last season. I don't think anybody would have traded him away after his rookie year. In year 2 we all thought he would be getting 15/8 with a block.

Come on man cut it put.

eny, this is frye month to month:

05/06:

nov: 50 fg% (11.6 fga)
dec: 53 fg% (10.9 fga)
jan: 46 fg% (9.8 fga)
feb: 43 fg% (9.6 fga)
mar: 42 fg% (6.6 fga)

06/07:

nov: 38 fg% (8.8 fga)
dec: 44 fg% (15.6 fga)
jan: 52 fg% (8.5 fga)
feb: 43 fg% (8.7 fga)
mar: 44 fg% (9.4 fga)
apr: 36 fg% (8.6 fga)

after 2 hot months in his rookie season, he's been basically a 42% shooter and we continue to have him 20 feet from the basket taking that jumper.

[Edited by - djsunyc on 05-16-2007 1:28 PM]

If Frye is to become anything in this league he has to develop more to his game than a jumper. He needs to bulk up and become an inside player.

Frankly, I'd trade him, because he's a jump shooting string bean.