The Warriors: An (Ar)test of wills
Steady Warriors, steady now.
We may have started a mild regional anxiety attack last week when we scooped the talking heads by speculating that Phil Jackson and the Lakers were secretly in the running for Ron Artest
Or maybe it's the mild downturn the War-wilts are wallowing through right now. Whatever the reason, it seems that the information superhighway is alive with chatter about how and why the War-tongs should work a deal to bring Artest to Oakland. (Also here, Everybody needs to just take a time out, unclench a bit, breathe, and slow things down. Yes, the War-riors have lost five of their last seven, including last night's frustrating loss to the Celtics, but this is no reason to panic. Hey, you know, mama said there'd be stretches like this. It happens to every team. A couple of tough drops to top-shelf teams, a long road trip, a back-to-back, consecutive losses. Next thing you know, you're staring down the barrel of a bonafide slump. The key is to stop the run, not stoke the fires of apprehension by bandying about the name of the league's current most notorious player. Have we forgotten the lessons of Chris Webber and Latrell Sprewell? The Detroit Pistons (contemporary, not vintage) and the San Antonio Spurs have proven that good guys can finish first. This team doesn't need Artest's edginess to gain a competitive advantage. What it needs is power in the low post. Here are five reasons why Artest is not right for this team. The Truthmaker Contributing
here, here, here, and most worrisomely, here.) One online opinion poll found that 91 percent of respondents think the team should acquire Artest.
1. Character. The cement is still wet for this very young team and the last thing it needs is a pair of feet like Ron Artest walking all over it. Artest's personality would be caustic for this impressionable team (scroll down to the next-to-the-last question), and his detriment would be far greater than any short-term gain. It would just be a matter of time until his next incident. For all our criticism of Murphy, Dunleavy, and Foyle, we readily acknowledge their outstanding character and behavior, both on and off the court. They're major reasons why this team is fun to root for. If we were starting a city league basketball team, drinking beers at a barbeque, or needing help moving to our new apartment, these would be the first guys to call.
2. It doesn't solve the problem. While getting Artest would add lots of points and a true defensive stopper, it wouldn't truly address the Warriors real need: power up front. This team already has about seven small forwards; it needs a physical presence on the low blocks. Save the money and headache you would have spent on Artest and get yourself a bonafide big man.
3. Monty is not the Zen Master. Some wishful thinkers draw comparisons between Artest and Dennis Rodman, citing Rodman's five titles as proof that teams can win even with troubled players. Even if we accept this comparison, there is one major ingredient missing from this equation--the coach. The jury is still out on Mike Montgomery; however, a couple things are certain.
- He was a solid college coach, but nobody in their right mind can compare Montgomery to Chuck Daly or Phil Jackson. Nobody is better at handling star talent and their egos than the Zen Master and his nine NBA championships.
- Phil had five full seasons and three NBA titles under his belt before he took on the burden of babysitting Rodman. Monty is in just his second season. It is way too much to ask Monty to build this team into winners from the ground up with such a corrosive influence as Artest. If Monty can't even keep Baron Davis from hucking up a three-pointer every time he crosses halfcourt without a man wide open, how does anybody expect him to be able to deal with an Artest tantrum?
4. He's no true Warrior. Just because his record label is called Tru Warier doesn't mean he'll make the War-tunes a better team. He really wants to be on the East Coast, and you can bet your bail bonds that he'll be gone as soon as he possibly can. Don't break up your team to get a player that you know has zero interest in making an investment in the team or the community.
5. Spite is no reason to ruin a franchise. Hey, we may wish desperately for the Lakers to fail in their attempts to get Artest, but let's not make his problems our own just to keep him off the Lakers' roster. (Alllll-though, as we've been warning the Warrior nation for a couple of weeks--don't look now, the Lakers are only one game behind us and closing fast.)
Sure, on paper, acquiring Artest may be an obvious fix. But now is the time for discipline and strength and will power. For one season (or less), we might enjoy the rush of one of the league's best players and the playoff ecstasy he could bring. But even with Artest, this team is not good enough to win it all, and chances are pretty good that sooner or later Artest will start breaking up.
Don't sacrifice the team's long-term goals for a quick fix right now. Don't bring in a hired gun, who doesn't care a whit about this franchise, this city, or these fans, just to ensure we make the playoffs for one season. We don't want to sound like an afterschool special here, but when this team makes the playoffs as a t-e-a-m that we can all root for, it will be that much more satisfying.