BayAreaHoopster

Monta is the main cog in what can happen this summer and I don't mean handing him the keys to this franchise either. Before any of you go crazy, there is basketball logic involved here.

Out of all the Warriors, Monta has the most value since he makes $770K for one more year. The catch is, unless one of the big contracts (Baron, Jason, Adonal, Al, or Jackson) is moved, then it will be nearly impossible for the Warriors to re-sign Ellis to a contract he'll be asking for ($7-8M a year to start). The same year, the Warriors will have the match the offers given to Andris Biedrins and might be paying him $8M a year just to retain him and rightfully so. A 7 footer like AB is much more rare than a combo guard like Monta. That will put the Warriors a tad over $60M of salaries with 6 players. Signing Monta will put them over the luxury tax which is something that Cohan will not do.

The Warriors biggest need is not a combo guard but a big rebounding, athletic power forward. Baron Davis is signed until 2008/09 which gives the Warriors 2 more years to make a run at more than just the playoffs. Baron is not going to demand more than the $17M he'll be making and maybe re-signed for much less when the time comes. Lets face it, Monta is and may never be, a better point guard than Baron. Ellis may turn out to be a special player down the line, but this team needs a big that will be a special player down the line or at least special for this team.

Monta is the key in the Warriors being able to deal Foyle. Any team asking for Monta's small contract will expect to take back a big one to get equal value or numerous players that can help as well. Possibly even a draft pick back.

They could send Ellis, Foyle, and O'Bryant to Cleveland for Gooden, D. Jones, Brown, and Gibson. Why would the Cavs do this? They need another scorer to accomodate James and Ellis is that player that can average 17 pts a game for them. He won't need to be that true point since Hughes and James can handle the ball and make point guard like plays. O'Bryant givss them another option at center with Varejao stepping in as their starting 4. Ellis, Hughes, James, Varejo, and Z. A nice line up in the East. What would it do for the Warriors? If gives them that athletic power forward that can rebound in Gooden who would get to play for his hometown.

Line up:

PG Davis - Jones - Gibson
SG Richardson - Brown - Jaskevicious
SF Al Harrington - Jackon - Barnes
PF Gooden - Powell
C Biedrins

bruindre

This sounds eerily familiar...except I remember names like "Arenas", "Murphy", and "Dunleavy".

djtoneblaze

Monta has a lot of upside but as much as people hate to hear the negative on him, he has a potential for a bad downside as well. Ellis could very well end up being what Steve Francis is now in a few years; his game is eerily similar to Steve's when Steve was a young player, the main difference being Monta has a better player in front of him at his position. I don't think we'll ever see the day where Ellis is a better point guard than Baron is now.

hollywood476

honestly I think the key is not in Davis, Richardson or Monta, I think we have a lot of keys but the main ones are Davis, Richardson, and Harington. I really don't think Monta has anything to do with a key!

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Never fear guys...Jason Richardson is here!

dk1115

dj, i think you're wrong with the Steve Francis comparison.

It's true that Monta can't play point effectively for long stretches. That's because he isn't a point guard, and under Don Nelson, will never play point guard for an extended time period. He's already more efficient than Francis scoring-wise.

It's true that he tends to turn the ball over alot, but if you've watched him play, it's because of carelessness and inexperience (i.e. dribbling off his own foot, or the frequent offensive fouls he commits).

I can't say I've watched Steve Francis play alot, but from what I've seen he was a ball vacuum that turned the ball over because he would dribble for by himself for 20 seconds, then turn the ball over trying to shake his man.

I have to say that when he first came into the league, I said that he would have to be a point guard to shine in the league, but he doesn't and he's already proven it. Barring the height disparity, I think his game is more like Rip Hamilton's, with a less developed midrange game, but also a greater ability to finish inside.