Report: Warriors Turned Down Trade For Paul Pierce At Deadline

The Golden State Warriors reportedly turned down a trade for Rudy Gay earlier this season, and now reports are surfacing that they turned down a trade for the expiring contract of Paul Pierce, as well.

Grantland's Bill Simmons is reporting that the Warriors declined a trade that would send Harrison Barnes, and either Richard Jefferson or Andris Biedrins, to the Celtics for Paul Pierce.


Pierce will be a free agent after the season.

"Warrants mentioning: The Warriors turned down Pierce from Boston in February for Harrison Barnes and a 2014 expiring contract (either Andris Biedrins or Richard Jefferson). I would have done it because they would have been selling super-high on the disappears-way-too-much Barnes (notice he didn't even make "honorable mention") and Pierce would have made them a short-term contender. Could you go to small-ball war against OKC with Curry, Jack, Pierce, Thompson and David Lee? Actually, I think you could. I'd rather have Pierce's final four years then Barnes's next 10, anyway."

The Warriors have made it clear that they feel Barnes will amount to a very productive player in the NBA, and while Pierce would have made Golden State a better team talent-wise, Barnes is a part of the future of the team.

Barnes' NBA ceiling is higher than the probability of Pierce re-signing with the Warriors next season if the trade ever went through.

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Should the San Francisco Giants Be Worried About Hector Sanchez?

The news out of San Francisco Giants spring training has only been negative for backup catcher Hector Sanchez.  The 23-year-old showed up overweight to camp, then injuries have limited his play during arguably the most crucial period of spring.

Sanchez’s spot on the Giants’ 25-man roster is by no means guaranteed, and there are a handful of catchers in the Giants organization that are playing well enough to at least tempt manager Bruce Bochy into starting the season without Sanchez to relieve Buster Posey behind the plate.

“We’ve got to keep it competitive,” Bochy said, per CSN Bay Area’s Andrew Baggarly. “That’s the best way to go. There’s no jobs given out here and these guys know it.”

The handful of players competing for Sanchez’s spot are all having arguably the best springs of any players on the Giants’ roster. 26-year-old Johnny Monell has had the most eye-opening spring, batting .600 with nine hits and five RBI in 15 plate appearances. Although his defense could potentially ruin his chances of starting the season in San Francisco, his bat has become a constant force throughout spring training, something the Giants could use in place of Sanchez if injuries continue to limit his playing time over the next few weeks.

Guillermo Quiroz, 31, is another prospect whose bat has been impressive, and he has the upper hand on Monell defensively. Through 15 games of spring training, Quiroz is batting .333 with five hits and six RBI.

In addition to the two front-runners to replace Sanchez, if that is indeed what Bochy and the Giants decide to do, catchers Jackson Williams and Tyler La Torre will also get sufficient looks from the coaching staff. Williams is the man behind the plate for AAA-Fresno, and La Torre’s production for the surprising Team Italy in the World Baseball Classic will earn him nothing but opportunities as spring training wraps up in the coming weeks.

The San Francisco Chronicle’s John Shea is reporting that Bochy is leaning towards the more experienced catchers if Sanchez needs more time to recover from injury.

“Manager Bruce Bochy said there's "some concern at this point" about whether Sanchez can be the No. 2 catcher behind Posey and mentioned Guillermo Quiroz, who has played 103 games for five big-league teams, and Jackson Williams as possible replacements.”
 

Bochy has decent options to backup Posey at catcher to start the regular season, but the bigger issue is Sanchez’s condition. Although his injury status does not appear to be serious, his .211 batting average in 19 games this spring is. Sanchez will need to recover and regroup if the Giants are to see a more experienced and productive backup catcher at any point in the regular season.

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Revis on 49ers: 'I Would Just Be An Addition To Help Them Win That Trophy'

The rumors of a trade involving shut-down safety Darrelle Revis and the San Francisco 49ers have run rampant ever since Alex Smith was traded to the Kansas City Chiefs.

The 49ers have the ammunition to acquire a player of Revis' caliber with a total of 15 draft picks in the 2013 NFL Draft, and it appears they are poised for a big splash on the trade market or in free agency this offseason.


Bottom line: Revis is on the trade block, and the 49ers have the assets to acquire him.

Revis addressed the 49ers rumors on Tuesday.

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Report: Hector Sanchez Shows Up to Spring Training Overweight

The San Francisco Giants have always had to worry about Pablo Sandoval and now they have to worry about Hector Sanchez, as well. Sanchez reportedly showed up to spring training a few pounds overweight this week, an issue the team has previously had with their hefty third baseman.


Here is CSN Bay Area's Andrew Baggarly on the news:

"Add Sanchez to the list of Giants who will be doing extra conditioning work this spring, Bochy said. They aren’t just picking on Pablo Sandoval. Sanchez arrived a bit heavier than the club wanted, too."

Sanchez is listed at 225 pounds, but with increased playing time coming in his future -- as Buster Posey will likely be positioned at first base more often this season -- the Giants will need him at tip-top shape come Opening Day.

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VIDEO: Curry Impressive In Practice For Three-Point Shootout

2012's winner of the All-Star three-point shootout, Kevin Love, did not eclipse 20 points in any of the rounds. In a video posted by Warriors guard and 2013 three-point contestant Stephen Curry, it shows the sharp-shooter tallying 27 points in a practice round -- a score that would easily surpass the competition on Saturday.


Last year's high point total was made by James Jones, who had 22 points on his way to a second place finish to a rallying Love.

Curry fired off a tweet to go with the video, simply saying "Think this will cut it for the shootout."

Yeah, that will...

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Andrew Bogut: 'Right Now Our Defense Is @#$%'

The Warriors lost their fifth straight game and now head into the All-Star break with questions about their team, the sustainability of their success and their suddenly non-existent defense.

Andrew Bogut said as much after the Warriors' loss to the Rockets on Tuesday, per @SherwoodStrauss.

Bogut: "Right now, our defense is shit"
— Ethan Strauss (@SherwoodStrauss) February 13, 2013

Stephen Curry, David Lee and Harrison Barnes are all headed to Houston for the All-Star festivities, but they will ultimately have to return to a team in desperate need of a win.

Golden State sits in sixth place in the Western Conference through 52 games, but just two games up on the eighth-seeded Houston Rockets, who are currently playing some of their best basketball of the season.

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Roman on 49ers' Super Bowl Play Calling: 'That's Life'

'Should, coulda, woulda' is how 49ers offensive coordinator Greg Roman sums up the play calling in the final drive of Super Bowl XLVII. Roman has received some flack for the lack of creativity in the final four plays of the 49ers' season, but has not let it discourage him.


Sports Illustrated's Peter King spoke with Roman about the Super Bowl loss to the Ravens. Here is what Roman had to say:

"That's life," said Roman. "That's sort of the life of a coach. Will it eat at me? Of course it will. But I'll use it as motivation going forward. To dwell on something that's over is so utterly pointless. Anytime you make a call and the play doesn't work, you think of another play that might have worked. We had a valiant effort, a great comeback, and it wasn't enough. That's life. It's the game we love, the highs, the lows. But it doesn't take away from what we did this year, and how excited I'm going to be to coach these guys next year."

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Warriors Unveil New Short-Sleeved Alternate Jerseys

The Golden State Warriors are revolutionizing the NBA with their new alternate uniforms. On Feb. 22, against the San Antonio Spurs, the Warriors will be debuting their yellow tight-fitting alternate uniforms  -- the first team to wear them in the history of the NBA, but most certainly not the last.


Golden State partnered with Adidas to debut the new era in basketball jerseys, according to the San Jose Mercury News.

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Harbaugh, 49ers Will Not Let Alex Smith Decide His Own Fate This Offseason

Two days after losing the Super Bowl and blaming the referees, 49ers head coach Jim Harbaugh said all the right things, blaming himself and the play-calling. He also mentioned the future of Alex Smith, the now high-priced back-up quarterback that likely wants nothing more than a fresh start in a new uniform.

Whether or not Smith gets that fresh start with another team will not be up to him, though, as Harbaugh stated on Tuesday.

            “I don’t think any player has those wishes granted when they’re under contract,” Harbaugh said via San Francisco Chronicle’s Eric Branch. “And everything’s different. Every scenario is unique. It’s certainly not something we’re going to delve into and get into specifics.”

            ESPN’s Adam Schefter reported that the 49ers are going to shop Smith to teams this offseason, and Schefter also reported that teams are already lining up for Smith’s services.

            However, there may be a wrench thrown in the reported plans of Smith. The 49ers actually may keep him as their back-up quarterback next season.

            Smith is under contract with the team after signing a three-year deal in March 2012 worth $8 million per year. He will be owed $7.5 million on April 1.

            “I have great respect for Alex,” Harbaugh said. “Great personal friendship, togetherness with Alex. The team, we feel great about our quarterback situation. You can’t have enough good quarterbacks.”

            There is nothing that says the 49ers must get rid of Smith by releasing or trading him. There is also nothing that says it would be logical for the team to keep him, though. Kaepernick is the present and future of the 49ers at quarterback, and they have an unneeded high-paid quarterback with trade value at a career high.

            Harbaugh was just attempting to make a point on Tuesday. The 49ers are going to do what is best for the team when it comes to Smith’s situation in San Francisco. If that means they can find a trade partner for Smith with a decent return, they will likely go through with it. But if they cannot find a trade partner this offseason or the return does not benefit the team, then the best thing for the 49ers would be to release Smith and save the $7.5 million guaranteed to him on April 1.

            There is reason to keep Smith on the roster, though, and inhale the $7.5 million for a back-up quarterback. According to Harbaugh, Smith coaches Kaepernick more than anyone else, and that is still a valuable role for a young quarterback with just 10 NFL games under his belt and a veteran quarterback that has been through nearly everything the NFL can offer.

            If the 49ers should keep Smith, he is one of the only back-up quarterbacks in the NFL that can lead a team to a deep run in the playoffs. With Kaepernick running the “pistol” formation, a style of play that allows the quarterback to be susceptible to injury, it would not be a bad idea to have a capable backup waiting in the wings.

All signs point to the 49ers parting ways with Smith one way or another this offseason, but Harbaugh made it clear on Tuesday that the 49ers will do what is best for the 49ers.

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Report: Alex Smith Already in High Demand By NFL Teams

It is unknown what the future holds for Alex Smith. He will likely be in a new uniform next season, but little is known about whether or not he will be traded or simply released by the 49ers.

ESPN is reporting that teams are already coming forward and will inquire about Smith in the near future for a possible trade with San Francisco.

"The San Francisco 49ers will attempt to trade quarterback Alex Smith this offseason, according to league sources, and some believe they will be able to do it because there is not a great supply of available quarterbacks and there is a demand for Smith."

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VIDEO: Pablo Sandoval Home Run Sends Venezuelan Crowd Into Hysteria

Pablo Sandoval has a World Series MVP and now he has a Venezuelan championship MVP, after his team took home the title last week.  His bomb in the fourth inning of the eventual deciding game sent the Venezuelan crowd into near lunacy.


Look for the two-handed "suck it" gesture as he crosses home plate, by the way -- obviously a missed opportunity in the 2012 World Series.

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Report: Warriors Turned Down Offer For Rudy Gay

According to a report, the Golden State Warriors had a chance to land recently traded Rudy Gay.

Gay was traded to the Toronto Raptors Wednesday, but NBA TV analyst Peter Vescey is reporting that the Grizzlies offered Gay to the Warriors in
exchange for Harrison Barnes, Jarrett Jack and either Andris Biedrins or Richard Jefferson.

Warriors have eyed Gay 4 couple yrs. Grizz wanted Barnes & Jack & would've assumed final year pact of AB or RJ. GS split decision against
— Peter Vecsey (@PeterVecsey1) February 1, 2013

The Warriors reportedly turned down the offer, and Gay was shipped to Toronto.

Gay does come with an overly hefty contract, but on paper the reported trade at least seemed to favor the Warriors. Gay is a bonified small forward in the NBA, but it just goes to show what the Warriors organization thinks about the future of Barnes and the leadership of Jack.

Barnes has the potential to become a player of Gay's caliber down the road, while Golden State needs the leadership of Jack right now, as the team will be making a playoff run in the coming months.

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Logan Couture Goes Kaepernicking As San Jose Sharks Reach 7-0-0

Logan Couture showed his support for quarterback Colin Kaepernick and the San Francisco 49ers before Sunday's Super Bowl with a tribute to the dual-threat quarterback.


Couture scored his fifth goal of the season en route to the Sharks' 3-2 shootout victory over the Oilers Thursday night. During the celebration, Couture kissed his right bicep, a Kaepernick signature move after scoring a TD. Maybe the 49ers' championship-bound mentality will rub off on the streaking Sharks in the South Bay.

The win for the Sharks moved the team to 7-0-0 on the season, the only undefeated team left in the NHL.

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Poor Alex: Smith's Toughest Week as a 49er?

Alex Smith had to fend off questions surrounding the latest report that he will request his release from the 49ers before the March 12 start to NFL free agency, as well as deal with the fact he will not be starting for the 49ers in Super Bowl XLVII.


It has been a week to forget for Smith, who was not given a booth at Media Day on Tuesday, only to be swarmed by reporters out in the open. It got so bad, he had to wear a headset just to hear the questions coming from the masses that numbered close to 60 people at one time.

What has gone unsaid is Smith's help in the growth of starter Colin Kaepernick. Harbaugh said earlier this week that Smith coaches Kaerpernick more than he does, something for Smith haters to take into consideration, as well as the many suitors he is sure to entertain this offseason via trade or free agency.

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Ray Lewis' Baptism Graces Cover of Sports Illustrated

Ray Lewis has been the world's least favorite preacher since he announced he would be retiring after the season. The added motivation for this team led the Ravens to the Super Bowl this Sunday against the 49ers, but Sports Illustrated questioned the need for Lewis' arguably excessive use of sermon-like answers to questions with this week's cover.


The title: "Does God Care Who Wins the Super Bowl?"

*** This is the same issue that contains the article on Lewis' alleged use of a banned substance to speed up recovery from his latest injury.

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49ers Only Have So Many Options When It Comes to Alex Smith, Free Agency

The 49ers are at a crossroads with Alex Smith.  They can thank him for being a good teammate -- despite replacing him as the starter -- and release him before free agency on March 12, or they can trade him to an NFL team in desperate need of a starting quarterback.

            According to Pro Football Talk’s Mike Florio, Smith is expected to request his release from the 49ers before free agency begins in just over two weeks. It would give Smith and several needy NFL teams the opportunity for the full amount of bargaining time this offseason.

            However, the 49ers do not have to adhere to Smith’s request, nor should they. Smith is a valuable commodity in the NFL right now, and the 49ers intend to take full advantage of that even if they look like a heartless franchise because of it.

            As CSN Bay Area’s Ray Ratto writes, Smith may get the short end of the stick for the second time this season.

“So what do the 49ers actually owe him? Much. What are they compelled to do for him? Not much. And in the NFL, kindness is typically just a prettied-up obligation.”

This has never been more apparent than with head coach Jim Harbaugh, who stood by Smith’s side since he arrived in San Francisco, only to replace him with Colin Kaepernick once given the smallest window of opportunity.

When the 49ers’ situation with Smith really gets down to it, the NFC Champions really do not have many options here. Smith will be owed a $7.5 million bonus on April 1, and the 49ers are not expected to pay him that amount of money, especially for a back-up quarterback they have relatively no need for. NFL teams understand this and surely will anticipate Smith being at the top of the trade block as soon as the Super Bowl ends.

However, trading Smith is another whole different challenge for the 49ers.

Again, NFL teams know the 49ers will need to get rid of Smith by April 1, which leaves free agency as the presumed gateway to acquiring Smith. The only way Smith gets traded at this point is if a team in desperate need of a starting quarterback feels they cannot compete with the big money in free agency. In that case, the 49ers will likely be able to get a first to third round draft pick in return for Smith, setting them up for an even brighter future than they already have.

A trade is obviously the preferred route for the 49ers in the dispensing of Smith, but that may be easier said than done. The only way the 49ers will honor his free agency request is if they cannot find a trade partner before April 1, watching Smith’s preferred release date of March 12 go by.

Smith has done everything asked of him this season, despite having his starting job stripped of him after sustaining a concussion. The 49ers are now in the Super Bowl with Colin Kaepernick, and Smith at least seems like he cannot be happier for his teammates. At the same time, Smith’s time under center in San Francisco may have set back the 49ers’ franchise back several years, only to be resurrected by Trent Baalke, Jim Harbaugh and his coaching staff.

The 49ers do not owe Smith the right to be released on his own terms, and certainly will not harm the state of the franchise by doing so.

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Report: Alex Smith Requests Release From 49ers Before Free Agency

The 49ers are in a pickle -- give Alex Smith what he deserves by staying true to the 49ers by granting him release from the team, or trade him to one of several teams dying for a starting quarterback?


Pro Football Talk's Mike Florio is reporting that Smith has requested to be released from the 49ers before the start of free agency on March 12, something the 49ers will be discussing quite heavily post-Super Bowl.

At this point, a trade seems like a longshot for the 49ers. The entire NFL knows that Smith is expendable at this point, and the 49ers must get rid of him before his $7.5 million bonus kicks in on April 1.

The 49ers now have two options:

-Release him and thank him for being a good teammate, despite losing his starting job due to a concussion.

-Trade him.

A trade would realistically only come into play if a team that desperately needs a starting quarterback cannot compete money-wise in free agency with other needy teams. If so, the 49ers could get anywhere from a first to third round pick for the former starter, setting them up for an even brighter future than they already have.

Again, teams know the 49ers have to get rid of him, it's just a matter of when and how.

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Report: 49ers' Moss To Return For One More Year

Randy Moss will not be leaving on a high note if the 49ers win the Super Bowl on Sunday. According to Pro Football Talk's Mike Florio, Moss will return for one more year whether his team wins or loses on Feb. 3.

Moss was expected to retire once again after a rather quiet, yet productive, season with the NFC champions. A season so quiet almost certainly would lead to retirement for the 35-year-old, but evidently he has other plans.

Several 49ers players went out of their way in Monday's press conferences to acknowledge Moss' contributions to the team, not just on the field, but in the locker room as well.

Aldon Smith said Moss deserved to be the MVP of the team this season. How can that not make Moss want to return for one more year?

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Bogut Returns, Warriors Take Down Raptors

Andrew Bogut was back in the lineup after a two month hiatus that saw him encounter yet another setback to his ankle. He played well in his return Monday night without even a hint of an injury.


Bogut tallied 12 points, eight rebounds and four blocks against the Raptors. He showed good offensive ability, even on that disastrous ankle, but it was his defense that never seemed to miss a beat. He was a clear presence in the paint, something that had gone missing with the platoon of Festus Ezeli and Andris Biedrins since Bogut's injury.

There were some takeaways from his return, though. Bogut played just 24 minutes in a game where it was said there would be no minute cap for the big man. He also looked awfully winded in the small amount of time played on the court.

In his postgame interview, Bogut said it was unlikely he would play against the Cavaliers in the second game of a back-to-back, so it is safe to assume there is some precautions still being taken with him.

-- It would probably be best if Warriors fans kept an open mind through at least three games before making a decision on whether or not Bogut is back for good this time, although it is obvious his presence in the lineup makes the Warriors a more well-rounded and competitive basketball team.

Golden State

Starters	Pos	Min	FG	3Pt	FT	+/-	Off	Reb	Ast	TO	Stl	BS	BA	PF	Pts
Klay Thompson(notes)	G	35:13	7-16	3-7	2-2	+12	1	7	1	3	2	0	0	2	19
Stephen Curry(notes)	G	26:16	7-12	1-3	2-2	0	1	1	5	2	1	0	0	1	17
Andrew Bogut(notes)	C	23:36	6-8	0-0	0-0	+11	1	8	2	2	1	4	0	3	12
David Lee(notes)	F	44:05	10-17	0-0	1-2	+15	2	12	7	3	0	0	0	2	21
Harrison Barnes(notes)	F	32:55	6-11	0-1	2-3	+17	1	5	2	0	0	0	2	2	14

Bench	Min	FG	3Pt	FT	+/-	Off	Reb	Ast	TO	Stl	BS	BA	PF	Pts

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