Should Warriors look to deal?
As the new Warriors management ponders ways to turn around a franchise that has missed the playoffs in 16 of the past 17 seasons, it has seen first-hand two diverse approaches in Golden State's last two opponents.
The Thunder squad that beat the Warriors on Thursday night is one built almost exclusively through the draft. The backbone of the Oklahoma City franchise -- Kevin Durant and Russell Westbrook -- was acquired in the high-rent district of the lottery. Unfortunately for the Warriors, they would have to get much worse -- and then sustain it for a while -- in order to get the types of picks the Thunder had at their disposal when Durant and Westbrook were available. So heading down that path seems improbable.
More likely, the Warriors could attempt to duplicate what the Nuggets have done. In dealing quality (Carmelo Anthony) for quantity (basically half the Knicks' roster), the Nuggets were able to head in a new direction almost immediately.
The Warriors don't have someone of Anthony's ability, but certainly Monta Ellis would bring back a decent return from a contending team seeking more firepower. Surely, the more 48-point games Ellis has -- like the one in Tuesday's loss to Oklahoma City -- the more he would command in return.
But just when it seemed like a good idea to follow the Nuggets' lead, the Warriors went into Denver and looked like the better team Thursday night in a 109-101 win. Interestingly, it was their two most recent lottery picks -- Klay Thompson and Ekpe Udoh -- who led the uprising.
So maybe the Warriors are indeed headed down the same path as the Thunder, albeit it with lower lottery picks. Or then again, perhaps Thompson's performance Thursday helped convince management Ellis is expendable and a Nuggets-type makeover could be in the works.
Heck, if the Warriors can win at Denver, maybe no changes are necessary.
It's a tough decision Joe Lacob and his hand-picked collection of decision-makers will have to make.
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