CJ Watson update....

#9
#9
Great news.

http://www.contracostatimes.com/warriors/ci_10613165?nclick_check=1

OAKLAND — If the season started today, Warriors coach Don Nelson said it would be C.J. Watson — not Marcus Williams — facing off against New Orleans Hornets All-Star point guard Chris Paul.

"It's C.J.'s job right now to lose," Nelson said after Wednesday's practice. "From what I've seen in this camp so far, he's done the best job. I see all three of the point guards playing this year."

That third point guard Nelson is referring to is not Monta Ellis, who is out until at least December after left ankle surgery, but Dan Dickau. The Warriors signed the journeyman point guard to a contract on Wednesday.

Why do they need Dickau? Because Nelson wants three point guards on the roster.

Isn't Ellis a point guard? Yes. But he doesn't count until he returns to action.

Confused? Well, the Warriors' current point guard situation will do that to you.

There was a time, about three months ago, when the position was perhaps the team's most secure. Now, the Warriors — per Nelson's early estimation — have a three-headed monster featuring a player who was in the NBA Development League last year (Watson), a career backup who has played on seven teams in eight seasons (Dickau) and a Jason Kidd protege who is desperately trying to avoid bust status (Williams).

What makes it even more tricky is that Nelson said he won't change his system. Since they are all stand-ins until Ellis returns, Nelson will continue to operate as if Ellis were the starter. That way, when Ellis returns, he can just step right in.

That means whoever winds up the starting point guard will need to provide some offense, keep the Warriors on the attack and push the ball up the court.

Of course, neither of these players is working with such fancy tools as Ellis, who Nelson said is faster than all of them even on his scooter.

"Everything we do is anticipating that Monta would be in the lineup," Nelson said Tuesday. "They have to do Monta's job — they'll just have to do it differently. It's not that they're not good players. They don't have the ability to score like he does, but they do other things maybe a little better — pass, maybe defend on occasion."

Dickau brings the current roster to 19 (15 is the maximum when the season begins). Twelve players already have guaranteed contracts, which means three spots remain. Three players — Watson, Dickau and swingman Anthony Morrow — have partially guaranteed contracts.

With three point guards on the roster, one has to wonder what happens if and when Ellis returns this season. Will one of the point guards have to go? Will they keep all four and cut a spot elsewhere?

Perhaps the current uncertainty is enough for right now
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#13
#13
It's a great opportunity, but a bad situation. When the Warriors stink, and they will, the fans are going to blame the deprture of Baron Davis and whoever is playing his spot will get the brunt of it.
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#14
#14
i was thinking the same thing.

good for him that the work he put in to accomplish his goal paid off, but the Warriors are terrible.
 
#15
#15
doozer said:
i was thinking the same thing.

good for him that the work he put in to accomplish his goal paid off, but the Warriors are terrible.
Click to expand...
They're going to get buried out of the gate without Monta Ellis.
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#16
#16
I think the Warriors will go 5-6 over the 11 games that Ellis is expected to miss. They can definitely beat Sacramento, New Jersey, Memphis twice and maybe steal another. But 3-8 is probably more likely. Regardless, I don't think Ellis is going to be the same player this year, he's already saying that making a full recovery could be difficult, so they'll be lucky to finish at .300.
 
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