About what I expected. http://sports.espn.go.com/nba/news/story?id=3507385 Sunday, July 27, 2008 Sources say Biedrins, Warriors agree to 6-year contract By Marc Stein ESPN.com The Golden State Warriors have moved quickly to prevent Latvian center Andris Biedrins from seriously entertaining interest from deep-pocketed teams in Europe by reaching terms on a lucrative new contract with the restricted free agent. NBA front-office sources told ESPN.com that Biedrins was en route to Oakland on Sunday night after agreeing to a new six-year contract with the Warriors worth nearly $63 million. The contract, sources said, will likely be signed Monday and include a player option for Biedrins to return to the free-agent market in the summer of 2013 after completing five seasons. Biedrins is among a growing crop of NBA veterans -- not all European, as evidence by Josh Childress' decision to leave the Atlanta Hawks for a team in Greece -- to attract big-money offers from clubs overseas. The Warriors, though, made it clear entering one of the most frenetic offseasons in the club's history that re-signing its young restricted free agents -- Biedrins and guard Monta Ellis -- was management's top priority. Retaining Ellis and Biedrins, sources say, was Golden State's first consideration in every move it has and hasn't made since late June, when the Warriors elected not to use a $9.9 trade exception created by the deal that sent Jason Richardson to the Charlotte Bobcats on draft day in 2007. Ellis was signed to a six-year deal worth $67 million on Thursday as part of Golden State's flurry of moves since July, when point guard Baron Davis committed to signing with his hometown Los Angeles Clippers. The Warriors' flurry of transactions also includes signing forward Corey Maggette away from the Clippers on a five-year deal worth $50 million, matching the Clippers' three-year offer sheet worth in excess of $9 million to swingman Kelenna Azubuike, signing restricted free agent Ronny Turiaf away from the Los Angeles Lakers to a four-year deal worth $17 million and acquiring New Jersey Nets point guard Marcus Williams via trade. Biedrins has made steady progress since the Warriors selected him as a teenager with the 11th overall pick in the 2004 draft. He averaged 10.5 points and 9.8 rebounds last season in just 27.23 minutes per game, leading the league in field-goal percentage (.626) and improving his biggest weakness -- free-throw shooting -- from 52.1 percent in 2006-07 to 62 percent last season. Marc Stein is the senior NBA writer for ESPN.com.
Biedrins is what he is. I don't think he's a great player but a center that's young and can do pretty much anything usually gets a similar paycheck. I'm just surprised at the amounts of money their comitting to a team that didn't make the playoffs. That's 30M+ on 3 players not including Al Harrington and Captain Jack. Hello perpetual mediocrity.
I smell trade they need a real point guard. I would not be shocked to see Kirk Hinrich in a warriors uni next season.
They have been forced to overpay to a certain extent,Biedrins could have left for Europe. Losing Ellis would have hurt too.I feel that they are a borderline playoff team at best,and will miss Baron a lot. Retaining their youth and looking forward to additions via the draft and possible trades for future growth is a plus point.They will have to go through some pain before getting better IMO.
this isnt a bad signing at all. 22 years old and averages a near double double in the west in less than 30 minutes is too good to pass up. he'll keep gettin better and prolly add a legit offensive game. the only thing keepin him back from beina 30mpg player is fouling. maybe he might work on that this offseason.
He'll still be under 30 when this deal is complete. He might actually finish out the length of this 6 year deal.
You know, if I were a cheap owner of a team, I would never bring in a coach who plays a fast pace. Salary is dictated by raw numbers. And high pace always overrates players, except on defense which never seem to matter in contract negotiations. Not really saying if he's worth it or not. But it sure helps your ppg and rpg totals if you're running around all the time. It's why Denver has to overpay for their guys, and the Suns keep having trouble staying under the luxury tax.
actually, I think its the total opposite. If you are a cheap owner of a team and want to make more money and having to sign less star players who can defend, the fast-paced strategy is the best way to go. With a fastpaced team you score more points, score them in more spectacular ways, and a more spread out offense will clearly be more entertaining than a stagnant grind it out half court offense. And as your players get way better bloated stats...the tickets come selling hot and your jerseys get sold in no time... and when it comes to contract extensions...just trade them when they perform to their big stats and get cheaper, but equally talented and skilled, players in return...who cares about chemistry when your only aim is to make money...and u dont give a #### about a championship right?
You're right. Didn't think about the marketing aspect of it. But it seems that teams would rather overpay to keep players who are overvalued due to pace, rather than trading them. But I do agree that with a shrewed GM, this can be a good way to gain in trades.
Biedrins is a top shelf rebounder who can block shots; has an occasional post move; doesn't take bad shots; AND is superb on the offensive glass. Like you say - at 23, that'll always get you a fat paycheck!!! I think saying 'they didn't make the playoffs' is a bit weak though.... it's true - but of 30 teams in the NBA they had the 12th best record (that's better than 5 teams who did make the playoffs). And it's a pretty easy argument to make that GSW (48-34) were better than Orlando (52-30) - since Orlando went 14-16 v the West as opposed to GS 28-24. They kept most peices and changed Davis for Maggette+Turiaf --> which means they've got the peices to make a trade (SJax or Harrington) to bring in a 'long term' superstar from a team looking to rebuild or enter the 2010 sweepstakes (both expire). If they can bring in a superstar, then they've got a pretty good supporting cast ready.
Agree with the above comment. Its not like Golden State's making all kinds of bad franchise killing moves like the lowly Clippers. Just that they're in a crazy difficult conference that makes their investments look like they might not pay off, even though they're a decent overall team. Wouldnt seem like it but Biedrins is Andrew Bogut's size and has better PER than Bogut. He's the Tyson Chandler of their team, and Golden State of anyone can't let quality bigs go.
Warriors fans were packing that place when they were a horrible team, a horrible slow-paced team, and a horrible fast-paced team. Warrior fans, as the rest of the nation found out in April and May of 2007, are awesome.
Kelly, didn't it seem like once the Warriors became a hot ticket and all of the yuppie scum started going to the games that their home court advantage deteriorated a little?
If you were a GM would you give up a "long term superstar" for Wacko Jacko and Harrington even if they expire in a couple years. I assume you could do better. Most teams seek packages of young talented cheap players along with their expirings. The warriors just locked theirs up. With Jackson and Harrington they don't have the leverage. Their more bad than good if you look at their contracts and attitudes. They might make the playoffs but by committing so much money to unproven non-stars they have reality hurt their chances of a real future.
Both guys are very overrated IMO. Jack's brand of "no conscience" shot selection kills the Warriors more than helps. I wonder what will happen to him when he plays for a coach that won't give him carte blanch to take whatever shot within 28 feet that's available. Of all NBA players with a decent amount of talent, Harrington ranks near the top in being mentally weak and fragile.
The Warriors are certainly taking a unique approach signing buckets of C+/B- players to B+/A- contracts. And what, only 1 or 2 guys can actually recognize the word 'defense' if it was written on a chalkboard? 6 volume shooters (not including Biedrins in that number - he won't even see the ball anyway) that offer little else on one squad. This is going to be funny. Evan
