All is Not Lost for Warriors
By Nick Ostiller
The past month has been a tumultuous one for the Golden State Warriors. Although the loyal fans of the consistently mediocre team have let their displeasure be known, there is light at the end of the tunnel.
The agonizing rumblings began when star guard Monta Ellis, fan favorite and arguably the team's best player, was dealt to Milwaukee just before the trade deadline on March 13. In return, the Warriors acquired center Andrew Bogut. However, the rebounding and defensive-minded big man is currently injured and won't be ready to play again until next season. For many Warriors fans the trade seemed as though they had given away Ellis for virtually nothing. Nobody realized that the trade had opened the door for rookie Klay Thompson, who had been receiving minimal playing time as Ellis' backup.
Instead of being excited about Thompson's chance to shine, the fans took out their frustration on team owner Joe Lacob. Five days after the much-maligned trade, Lacob addressed the crowd at center court during a halftime ceremony that was held to honor former Warrior great Chris Mullin. Lacob's nostalgic words about Mullin were drowned out by resounding boos and chants of "We want Monta!" Mullin had to come to Lacob's rescue by using a microphone to announce to the crowd that "sometimes change is inevitable and it's going to be just fine with your support and patience."
The Warriors went on to lose the game that night, but Thompson scored 17 points as a member of the starting lineup. The next game he scored a career-high 27 points and two games after that dropped 31. The 11th overall pick in the 2011 draft has averaged over 19 points per game since replacing Ellis. Perhaps Mullin was right. Maybe the trade wasn't such a bad thing for the team.
With Ellis, the Warriors had been a flashy yet average team. Their lack of a true center made it hard for them to defend the basket. Sure, the Warriors might put up 120 points, but that did little good if the other team scored 130. Despite Ellis averaging 19.5 points per game during his seven years with the Warriors, the team made the playoffs only once. Maybe change was indeed inevitable.
The Warriors are not expected to make the playoffs this season, but fans should be looking forward to a bright future. Thompson is a budding star and is quickly making the Warrior faithful forget about losing Ellis. A healthy Bogut next season will give the Warriors a true center for the first time in years. This key addition will lead to better defense and a greater chance at success. Maybe it is going to be just fine, as Mullin assured.
Nick Ostiller is a sophomore communication major and editor of the Sports section.