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Post by bowtothebill23 on Nov 16, 2013 10:29:44 GMT -6
GM Bow Bill: Welcome everyone to the 1991-1992 Golden State Warriors' preseason press conference! The players are due to report Monday and the preseason is right around the corner! A brief synopsis of media day: 1) talk about moves made over offseason 2) Brief overview of player development and player roles 3) What to expect this season 4) We'll open the floor for questions (Shawn Kemp and newly acquired Steve Kerr will be joining us).
Bow Bill: First I want to address our offseason moves. We'll start with the first and biggest move of the offseason: the acquisition of sharpshooter Steve Kerr. We shipped out Chris Dudley, Larry Smith and Tim Perry for Kerr and Scott Williams. This move was met with confusion as we had stated all offseason that Dudley wasn't going anywhere because of how important he was on defense and on the boards and we didn't feel like anyone would value him as much as we did. But once Steve Kerr was on the table, it was a deal too good to pass up. Last year against the Jazz, Jordan scored at will and we just couldn't keep up. So Kerr gives us another option to keep us in any game even if the other team just can't miss. Williams will also come in as a youngster who will be a force on the boards off the bench. Next, we'll address the acquisition of James Donaldson. Donaldson was another reason we were willing to let Dudley go. Donaldson isn't a great offensive player, and for a center, isn't a great rebounder, but he is a beast on D. He's an elite defender down low and he should help against centers like David Robinson and Hakeem. He should also provide more resistance to guys like Jordan who were able to get to the basket at will last year. And while not great, he should be able to hold his own on the defensive boards, which is where we need the rebounds. The 19th pick was traded for points to help our current players improve. Our team is pretty much set 1-9. Those are the only 9 guys who will likely be getting playing time this year and 1-4 is set for the near future. And finally we brought in Anthony Frederick. While Pressey held his own last year, he was playing out of position and we were able to upgrade it with Frederick who is a better defender, rebounder, scorer, and a natural small forward.
Bow Bill: We'll go with the starters and then 6-9 off bench. At center, Donaldson will be playing about 30-35 minutes a night and is there to prevent offensive rebounds and easy baskets. At power forward, Shawn Kemp is our superstar. We expect to do anything and everything. As good as he was last year, we expect him to be much improved this year (he's only 21!) especially on D and on the boards. He'll play about 40 minutes a night and should make a run at Malone's first team ALL NBA. Anthony Frederick should start at SF and play about 30 minutes and just defend and be where he's supposed to be. Reggie Lewis is there just to score. He'll play about 36-38 minutes a game and has been told to just score if capable. Muggsy Bogues will run our offense for the 36-40 minutes a game he'll be playing. He'll lock down the opposing PG, and will initiate the offense and set his teammates up in easy positions to score. In addition, I'm told he's been working hard on his jump shot so that he can be capable of knocking down a shot and giving this team another scoring option. Steve Kerr will be our 6th man, coming in against tired starters or backups. Despite his role off the bench, still expect Kerr to get 36-38 a night. He'll backup the 2 and 3 and even get some time at the 1 with his elite handling ability. He'll space the floor on offense and give some scoring punch. Scott Williams will backup the PF and C for 20-30 a night and just grab all rebounds. Maurice Cheeks will play a few minutes a game at pg. And Paul Pressey will be a leader on the bench and step in whenever the inevitable injury occurs.
Bow Bill: This team went 48-34 last year and made it to the second round. However, taking this team post Reggie Lewis trade and stretching it across the entire season, this is a 55-56 win team. With internal and external improvements, we expect this team to approach the 60 win mark. We are hungry for the Pacific crown and plan on taking it this year. We feel this team has the talent to go to the Finals, but we would at least want to make it to the Western Conference Finals at a minimum.
Bow Bill: And now we will open the floor to questions. Shawn Kemp and Steve Kerr are here in addition to myself. Ask away! |
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Post by IamQuailman on Nov 16, 2013 10:56:08 GMT -6
William Maukie, Sr.: Hi, William Maukie Sr., Milwaukee Bucks Sports Journal. In a very very deep and talented and top heavy Western Conference, are you worried about the implications of not reaching your lofty, very high expectations? You got to remember that Muggsy Bogues is pretty short and expectations need to be kept within reach for him.
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Post by 78 on Nov 16, 2013 11:09:18 GMT -6
Will James Donaldson be able to keep his weight down this season?
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Deleted
Deleted Member
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Post by Deleted on Nov 16, 2013 11:11:44 GMT -6
We're hearing things like Western Conference finals appearance or die from a lot of teams this year. Two from teams in the same division with you and the Kings. Do you think these are unreasonable expectations considering the team failed to reach that spot last year and made a lot of moves?
What do you think your team has better than the Mavs, Kings, and Jazz that puts you in a position to be better than each?
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Post by NOLa. on Nov 16, 2013 11:22:12 GMT -6
Hi, Jason Jones from the KingsKorner.
Do you think this is your season to dethrone the Kings? If so why do you think you have the upperhand?
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Post by bowtothebill23 on Nov 16, 2013 11:25:23 GMT -6
William Maukie, Sr.: Hi, William Maukie Sr., Milwaukee Bucks Sports Journal. In a very very deep and talented and top heavy Western Conference, are you worried about the implications of not reaching your lofty, very high expectations? You got to remember that Muggsy Bogues is pretty short and expectations need to be kept within reach for him. Thanks for your question. While some view these goals as high and lofty, I see them as reasonable and necessary. On paper, just looking at the talent of the team, we have what looks like, to me at least, a top 5 team in the league. If you're a top 5 team, you better be expecting a championship contender. But it's also necessary: this team already made it to the second round last year. Our core is also so young that we're bound to make internal improvements. And with the external improvements, we feel we should be a much better team this year. Again, if we have Lewis for the whole year last year, we're a top 3 seed, facing the Kings who we went 3-1 against last season. There's a good shot we'd be in the WCF. Shawn Kemp: Just one more small thing to add to that: we've been hearing all offseason about how we've gotta catch up and keep pace with the Jazz, Kings, Mavs. But we really have that killer instinct that toes the line between confident and cocky. We believe that the rest of the league should be trying to keep up with us as we're developing and continuing to add talent. |
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Post by bowtothebill23 on Nov 16, 2013 11:32:30 GMT -6
Will James Donaldson be able to keep his weight down this season? Here in Golden State, we have a top notch conditioning and dieting program designed to keep our players in top physical shape. As a 7'2 center, we need him to be big and clog up the paint, but we also can't have him being slow and reacting late. If we have any problems, we address them internally. But I don't forsee anything with James. He's a seasoned vet who's been through the league and has come in and bought into his role. |
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Post by bowtothebill23 on Nov 16, 2013 11:57:52 GMT -6
We're hearing things like Western Conference finals appearance or die from a lot of teams this year. Two from teams in the same division with you and the Kings. Do you think these are unreasonable expectations considering the team failed to reach that spot last year and made a lot of moves? What do you think your team has better than the Mavs, Kings, and Jazz that puts you in a position to be better than each? We feel these expectations to be very reasonable and justified. We have too much talent to settle for anything else. We feel we've improved nearly every position this offseason whether through trade or player development. We've turned guys who played out of position into talented players who are natural to the position. And yes there are about 5 teams going for WCF or bust. But that's what makes it fun. If there were only 2 teams that we all knew would make it, it would be a pretty boring season. It's a competitive league. It's going to be fun... Shawn Kemp/Steve Kerr: Coach, we'd like to take the last part of that question. Steve Kerr: I'll take the Jazz and Mavs and I'll let Kemp here take his boy Malone and the Kings. With the Jazz, our whole team on the Mavs hated the Jazz and were hoping that the Warriors would win. I watched every game of that series last year. Reggie struggled to hit shots and Shawn was trying to carry them through it. But they didn't have enough scoring/defense to slow down Jordan and company. This year, Shawn and I have been working together, and he's been really working on his D. Add that with James D. and we've got the paint locked up. Jordan, Campbell, and Worthy won't be able to just get to the basket at will this year. And then I put it on myself to add the extra scoring to get us by them. And with the Mavs, it's actually not a huge change: Muggsy is the closest thing to Stockton in this league with regards to how they play. And with Reggie, Shawn, and myself, we've got more scoring. Shawn Kemp: And with the Kings, I just can't wait to beat them. They're our rivals and I've made that clear to all the newcomers. We HAVE to beat them. We went 3-1 last year. I wanna go undefeated this year. We're improved, and they've also improved. I've got personal beef with Malone, but I put this team ahead of everything. |
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Post by Nick Malone 77 on Nov 16, 2013 12:39:40 GMT -6
We're hearing things like Western Conference finals appearance or die from a lot of teams this year. Two from teams in the same division with you and the Kings. Do you think these are unreasonable expectations considering the team failed to reach that spot last year and made a lot of moves? What do you think your team has better than the Mavs, Kings, and Jazz that puts you in a position to be better than each? We feel these expectations to be very reasonable and justified. We have too much talent to settle for anything else. We feel we've improved nearly every position this offseason whether through trade or player development. We've turned guys who played out of position into talented players who are natural to the position. And yes there are about 5 teams going for WCF or bust. But that's what makes it fun. If there were only 2 teams that we all knew would make it, it would be a pretty boring season. It's a competitive league. It's going to be fun... Shawn Kemp/Steve Kerr: Coach, we'd like to take the last part of that question. Steve Kerr: I'll take the Jazz and Mavs and I'll let Kemp here take his boy Malone and the Kings. With the Jazz, our whole team on the Mavs hated the Jazz and were hoping that the Warriors would win. I watched every game of that series last year. Reggie struggled to hit shots and Shawn was trying to carry them through it. But they didn't have enough scoring/defense to slow down Jordan and company. This year, Shawn and I have been working together, and he's been really working on his D. Add that with James D. and we've got the paint locked up. Jordan, Campbell, and Worthy won't be able to just get to the basket at will this year. And then I put it on myself to add the extra scoring to get us by them. And with the Mavs, it's actually not a huge change: Muggsy is the closest thing to Stockton in this league with regards to how they play. And with Reggie, Shawn, and myself, we've got more scoring. Shawn Kemp: And with the Kings, I just can't wait to beat them. They're our rivals and I've made that clear to all the newcomers. We HAVE to beat them. We went 3-1 last year. I wanna go undefeated this year. We're improved, and they've also improved. I've got personal beef with Malone, but I put this team ahead of everything. Nick Melon; Charlotte observer: how difficult was it to part with an anchor of your defense in Chris Dudley? What versatility do you hope Steve Kerr will bring as a quick wing? What kind of atmosphere do you expect from the people of Mexico City? What do you think of the Eastern conference and specifically speaking, the Central Division? |
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PaulyP
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Post by PaulyP on Nov 16, 2013 13:30:36 GMT -6
This is a question for Shawn, you had a great season last year getting All League 2nd Team honors, do you think you've taken the leap this offseason? Can we put you on the MVP shortlist coming into the season?
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Post by bowtothebill23 on Nov 16, 2013 16:13:09 GMT -6
Hi, Jason Jones from the KingsKorner. Do you think this is your season to dethrone the Kings? If so why do you think you have the upperhand? Yes. We were disgusted with the way we finished last year, both in the playoffs and at the end of the regular season. We felt that if we beat the Kings in that final matchup to take a 3-1 series victory, we'd be the 2 seed in the West. We won that game and the series, but lost the next 4, forcing ourselves into the 4 seed and 6 games back of the Kings who won their next 10 after losing that one. We firmly believe we will win that battle again and beat the Kings 3 or 4 times in the regular season. If that's the case, who's to say we shouldn't win the division? Shawn Kemp: We're not going 3-1 on my watch. As long as I'm playing, I'm going to do everything in my power to make sure we go 4-0 vs the Kings and propel us to a Pacific title. Karl Malone ain't got nothing on me. |
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Post by bowtothebill23 on Nov 16, 2013 16:22:38 GMT -6
Nick Melon; Charlotte observer: how difficult was it to part with an anchor of your defense in Chris Dudley? What versatility do you hope Steve Kerr will bring as a quick wing? What kind of atmosphere do you expect from the people of Mexico City? What do you think of the Eastern conference and specifically speaking, the Central Division? Thanks for the question, Nick. It was extremely difficult. Coming into the offseason, I saw almost no way I could move Muggsy or Dudley just because they had such huge roles on the team that I didn't think any other team would recognize. Dudley was my rebounding force who would keep me in games against Robinson, Hakeem, etc. by slowing them down. But once Kerr was on the table and I got a deal lined up for Donaldson, I had to do it. I had Kerr rated in the top 35-40 in the creation draft. I've always been a huge fan of him, and I'm ecstatic to have him on the team. Kerr should help me space the floor. He can also help run the offense and gives me another scorer. So if Lewis struggles, Kerr and Kemp can shoot more. If we're going up against great rim protectors, Kerr can light it up from outside. It gives us more versatility and options. Unfortunately the Mexico City scenario is not going to happen in the future. But we're happy here in Golden State and have the best fans in the country. With the Central division, I see the Bucks and Hawks grabbing top 4 seeds. Then I think Cavs and Pacers make the playoffs. I'm pretty sure the Raptors will make it to the dance. The Hornets are iffy to me. I wouldn't be surprised if they were a 6 seed, or if they finished with a bottom 10 record in the league. Steve Kerr: Just to add to what's been said, I can't wait to get out there this season. I'm going to do whatever they ask of me. I think I really complement these players well as an outside scorer. I think my ability to play the 1, 2, and 3 will help us come playoff time when the rotation shortens and when injuries come along, I can slide in anywhere. |
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Post by bowtothebill23 on Nov 16, 2013 16:32:37 GMT -6
This is a question for Shawn, you had a great season last year getting All League 2nd Team honors, do you think you've taken the leap this offseason? Can we put you on the MVP shortlist coming into the season? I believe so. Yes. I think my offense will be pretty similar to last year. But I don't know if I'll put up enough points to wow the voters to give me the honor. We've got 3 guys now who are elite scorers in myself, Reggie, and Steve. Also, Muggsy has been working hard on his jump shot so he could become a good scorer as well. As long as we're winning, I have no problem scoring 25 a game instead of 31 if it means we're winning. But I think I'll make huge strides in my rebounding and defense. Last year, I averaged 9.9 boards per game. I think this year I'll be one of the top 2 rebounders. I think I can average 12-13 a game. And on D, while I made All Defensive Team, I really struggled at times. This season, I think I can take a step towards becoming a shut-down guy even against superstars like Karl Malone and Brad Daugherty. I expect to lead the league in FG% again, to be top 10 in blocks, to average over a steal per game. So yes, I believe I have the potential to be the best player in the NBA this season. Whether or not the voters see that is a different story. But just to be mentioned in that conversation in only my 3rd year is an honor. |
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J2
Junior Member
Washington Wizards
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Post by J2 on Nov 16, 2013 22:37:41 GMT -6
Johnny Junior, from The Washington Post. I've heard a lot of talk about winning the West this season, yet your primary acquisition this offseason comes from the team that actually won the West last season. How confident are you in your trade? Don't you think that if Kerr was indeed the force you expect him to be for you, the Mavs would've kept him, or at least traded him to an Eastern Conference team?
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Post by bowtothebill23 on Nov 17, 2013 0:05:39 GMT -6
Johnny Junior, from The Washington Post. I've heard a lot of talk about winning the West this season, yet your primary acquisition this offseason comes from the team that actually won the West last season. How confident are you in your trade? Don't you think that if Kerr was indeed the force you expect him to be for you, the Mavs would've kept him, or at least traded him to an Eastern Conference team? Really great question. We are incredibly confident not only in our trade, but in what we replaced Dudley with. That might be the most overlooked move of our offseason. Dudley is a much better defender than Dudley, and is a very similar defensive rebounder. The only thing he doesn't match Dudley in is offensive rebounding. And as I've been saying, the key piece we were missing was another scorer, specifically one who can score from the outside. As for the Mavericks side, I believe that it was a win-win. Where the Mavericks really struggled last year was in their frontcourt. They struggled rebounding and defending down low. So they got their wish, and we got ours. Steve Kerr: Just to add something, I don't think I valued lowly by the Mavericks. I was told after the season that in all likelihood, I'd be back. And as I've been saying, it seems like a perfect match. The Warriors needed another scorer, I can provide it. They didn't have any outside scoring, I can provide it. Bow Bill: When given the choice between standing pat (Dudley) or this scenario (Donaldson and Kerr), we'll take this side every time. |
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Post by IamQuailman on Dec 2, 2013 15:15:06 GMT -6
AWARDED 5 POINTS FOR THIS ARTICLE! THANKS FOR YOUR CONTRIBUTION!
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