Mark Jackson Brings A New Face To the Golden State Warriors

The Golden State Warriors named Mark Jackson their next head coach on Monday evening. After many possible candidates, it was decided that Jackson would get his first shot at coaching an NBA team in Golden State.

"After an extensive search and a great deal of consideration, we have come to the conclusion that Mark Jackson is the best coach for this team," Warriors general manager Larry Riley said. "He will bring a youthful and fresh approach to our team and the fact that he enjoyed a stellar playing career, where he served most of that time as the leader of some very successful teams, will prove invaluable in the long run."

He pretty much summed it up, I'd say.

Jackson had everything Warriors owner Joe Lacob wanted in his first head coach since taking over the team. He wanted someone trying to get his first shot in the NBA, and Jackson seemed to fit the exact mold and direction that Lacob wants to take this team.

A big name with a big personality.

He also brings a little notoriety to the Warriors. Since becoming an NBA analyst for ESPN and ABC, Jackson has coined phrases such as "Mama, there goes that man" and "hand down, man down," and has become a fan favorite because of it.

Jackson has some work ahead of him, though.

He may have a big name in the basketball business, but it will still be his first year as a head coach of an NBA team.

"I am really elated about this opportunity and I'm looking forward to the challenge of building the Warriors into a perennial contender," Jackson said.

He chose the right word with "challenging."

It will most definitely be a challenge, whether the basketball world decides if Jackson was the best man available for the job or not.

Make no mistake about it, this was Lacob's man that will lead the Warriors in a new direction. A direction that Lacob had planned the entire time.

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Golden State Warriors: Mike Budenholzer and the Top 5 Coaching Candidates Remaining

It seems as though the Golden State Warriors are in no rush to hire the next head coach of their new and improved franchise. Owner Joe Lacob has come forward and said that the NBA Draft date of June 23 is not the deadline for a new coach, although that seems to be the deadline for every other team without a current leader.

The soap opera that is the Warriors' coaching job took another twist this last week when Gregg Popovich's 14-year assistant in San Antonio, Mike Budenholzer, was interviewed by Lacob for the Golden State position.

To date, only two candidates have been interviewed by Lacob, which is supposed to mean something. Those two candidates are ESPN talking head Mark Jackson and Spurs assistant coach Budenholzer, who are perceived to be the two front-runners for the job.

The scenario took another twist when Lacob said not long ago that he would prefer a first-year head coach. That would narrow down the field to Brian Shaw, Budenholzer and Jackson, right?

Odds are the head coaching hoopla in Golden State will not stop until the end of the NBA Finals, in which case Lacob can go and interview Dallas Mavericks assistant Dwane Casey.

Here are the top five coaching candidates in what appears to be the leaderboard for the next Warriors head coach.



5. Lawrence Frank

Frank has yet to interviewed by Lacob, which seems to be the deciding factor in this job candidacy.

He is also not a first-year head coach, which is another characteristic that seems to be a deciding factor.

Frank's resume does not lie, however.

He has experience coaching the New Jersey Nets in their elite days with Jason Kidd, Kenyon Martin and Richard Jefferson, but the 0-16 start in 2009 may sink him for many job openings.

Frank is a smart coach that loves the X's and O's of the game. He could help the Warriors by knowing how to coach the run-and-gun style of play that could be resurrected with Monta Ellis and Stephen Curry in the backcourt.



4. Brian Shaw

As much as Shaw's coaching hype rose since the Los Angeles Lakers job opened and closed last month, it sure has fallen hard.

There have not been many rumors of Shaw to a certain team or even Shaw to the Warriors, for that matter.

Still, he was Phil Jackson's assistant in L.A. and that means the world to people in basketball.

Shaw would be a first-year head coach, which Lacob prefers, but why has he not personally interviewed him then?

I cannot help but think Jerry West's recent hiring has something to do with that.



3. Dwane Casey

As I said before, the Warriors will be holding off on seriously talking to Casey until he is done with the NBA Finals, as many teams are.

Casey is a candidate for the Toronto Raptors' job, as well.

The assistant to Rick Carlisle in Dallas has had one head coaching stint with the Minnesota Timberwolves back in 2005-06, finishing with a one and a half season record of 53-69.

Casey boasts a sort of military style of coaching with an emphasis on defense, something the Warriors could use a healthy dose of in 2011-12.

Whether the Warriors are seriously intrigued by Casey will not be found out until after the NBA Finals, though, which is set to end anytime between June 9 and 14.



2. Mike Budenholzer

The newest candidate in the Warriors coaching saga may be the new leading candidate.

Reports are that Budenholzer was interviewed by Lacob the other day. He is one of only two candidates to do that.

Budenholzer has no head coaching experience, but what he does have is the blessing of Spurs coach Gregg Popovich in the form of a 14-year coaching bond in San Antonio.

Popovich, like Phil Jackson, is the creme de la creme of head coaches in the NBA, which is why any association with either one of them is high praise.

Because of the interview with Lacob, Budenholzer is said to be one of two front-runners for the job in Golden State.



1. Mark Jackson

The man that coined the phrase "Mama, there goes that man" is said to be the leading candidate for the Warriors head coach.

Why not?

By the way he talks on ESPN, I am sure Jackson gives one impressive interview.

Again, Jackson is one of two candidates to get an interview with Lacob.

He would be a first-year head coach, as well as getting one of the first official interviews with Lacob, and those two assets may nudge him just ahead of Budenholzer for the proverbial clubhouse lead.

As far as when the Warriors will finally choose their next head coach, expect it to be somewhere between the end of the NBA Finals and the start of the NBA Draft on June 23. But as far as I am concerned, these five candidates are the only ones being considered for the job, and only three of them actually have a shot.

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2011 NBA Draft: 5 Players Outside the Top 10 That Will Have an Impact

When you think about the NBA Draft, one of the first things you think about is potential. What kind of a talent will this player be in three years?

Unfortunately, this draft is not stocked with superstar-type talent. What you will find are players that specialize in a certain part of the game that will benefit a team a couple years down the road.

For this list, we are focusing on players just like that.

We are focusing on those under the radar players, outside of the top 10 picks, that will be fully contributing in one way or another in the coming years.

No, these players will not be putting up superstar-type numbers, but teams will be surprised to find a future J.J. Redick, DeJuan Blair or Ron Artest somewhere in the midst of this shallow NBA Draft.



Kenneth Faried

Position: PF
Height: 6-8
Weight: 225
Age: 21
School: Morehead State

Faried has proven he can rebound. He led the nation in boards this past season, and is also the all-time leading rebounder in NCAA history.

Pretty impressive resume.

More impressive is the fact that good rebounders in college end up being good rebounders in the NBA, as well. It is one of the few stats in college that, history shows, translates into the NBA.

If a team drafts Faried, it will be for his presence under the rim, which is surprising considering he is only 6'8". Any team with a power forward scorer will be wise to scoop Faried up, as his relentless rebounding prowess would be a solid contrast.

A little undersized, Faried reminds many of a Dejuan Blair, who is also 6'8", but contributed well in San Antonio during his rookie season.



Klay Thompson

Position: PG
Height: 6-7
Weight: 206
Age: 21
School: Washington St.

Thompson is one player with huge upside in this draft.

At 6'7" with incredible shooting range, Thompson is going to be a mismatch for the opposing team just about every night he takes the floor.

His game will take awhile to fully translate to the NBA, but he may be ready to effectively contribute right now.

Think of him as a more athletic sharp shooter, such as J.J. Redick or Mike Miller, with the size and ability to take it to the hoop.



Shelvin Mack

Position: PG
Height: 6'3"
Weight: 215
Age: 22
School: Butler University

We all saw what he can do when he took the Cinderella Butler Bulldogs to the Finals Four two years in a row. We also saw what he can do with the game on the line, and do not think that NBA teams do no covet a player that can take the ball when it matters.

Mack's strength at the point guard position is why he could be an impact player in the next few years. He protects the ball with his body, enabling him to survey the floor without pressure. We saw that countless times in the NCAA Tournament. He also has incredible range from the three-point line.

Down the line, Mack could be a lesser version of Deron williams, but with all the same physical attributes.



Jimmer Fredette

Position: SG
Height: 6-3
Weight: 196
Age: 22
School: Brigham Young

Fredette was an absolute beast in college, but his type of game has many teams doubting whether or not he can contribute at that high a level in the NBA.

Fredette's big body in college will not seem that big in the NBA, which is why his sharp shooting from any spot on the floor is key in how he contributes at the next level.

For now, Fredette is positioned at 15th overall in the NBA Draft to the Indiana Pacers.

What intrigues teams is that he is ready to play right away, and they will get a proven scorer who is able to take the ball at clutch time.

Think of him as a possible Ben Gordon in the next few years.



Chris Singleton

Position: SF
Height: 6-9
Weight: 230
Age: 21
School: Florida State

I might be cheating just a bit by taking the potential #12 overall pick, but Chris Singleton will have an impact in the NBA in one way or another.

He will not be wowing fans with his offensive skills, although those are coming along nicely, but Singleton brings versatile defense to whatever team he is drafted by on June 23.

At 6'9", he can defend any player on the floor from guard to power forward. His quickness and footwork are also reasons why he can go anywhere from #5 to #12 in this upcoming draft.

Think of him as the type of shut-down defender as Lebron James is in these NBA Finals, because of the height and ability to guard anyone on the floor, but more along the lines of a Ron Artest when it comes to all-around game.

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San Jose Sharks: Reasons To Part Ways With Todd McLellan

No, San Jose Sharks coach Todd McLellan will not be fired this offseason. Not after a year in which the team went from being potentially out of the playoffs to almost having the best record in the Western Conference.

McLellan dealt with the loss of key players in the offseason, as well as injuries during the season. For all the Sharks' coach had to put up with, the season seemed to be a success, for the most part.

However, McLellan is a year or two away from being thrown into the "coaches that just couldn't do enough" pile.

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Golden State Warriors: Jerry West Implies Monta Ellis Trade Is Imminent

When the Golden State Warriors hired Jerry West as an adviser to the team, did they think he would be advising that their best player be traded?

West's quote in Tim Kawakami's column in the San Jose Mercury News this past Wednesday did just that.

“I’ve seen teams trade players that score tons of points and people say, ‘How in the world can you trade that player?’ ” West said last week. “Because he might score tons of points and the team doesn’t win."

“When I look at (the Warriors), obviously they need more size.”

Sure, West was not going to name names, but that did not stop Kawakami from going to directly to the point behind West's words.

West was insinuating trading the Warriors' leading scorer Monta Ellis.

This would just be another Ellis trade rumor if it was not uttered from the mouth of The Logo, a man that is said to have tremendous pull in the decisions that the Warriors make.

The problem for the Golden State is that Monta Ellis, their leading scorer at 24 points per game last season, has terrible trade value on the market.

So why trade a player that scores the majority of your team's points if you are unsure if you are going to get the same production in return?

This will have to be a very convincing deal for the Warriors.

After the article broke on Wednesday, the flood gates opened.

Here are some of the rumored trades involving Ellis, and if they will work.

Monta Ellis To the Chicago Bulls

This one is a little suspicious, if you ask me.

The Chicago Bulls, who had the best regular season record in the Eastern Conference, are willing to part with a portion of their good core of young players for Monta Ellis?

The rumor has either Luol Deng or Joakim Noah heading to Golden State in return for Ellis and another player of Chicago's reasonable choosing.

Deng is said to be the emotional back-bone of the Bulls, so I doubt that that trade goes down, but the Noah trade has intrigued the internet over these last 48 hours.

Noah is set to make $10 million next season, and Ellis will make $11 million.

Like a puzzle.....

Noah fits Golden State's need for a defensive big man, and Chicago gets a definitive scorer, possibly as a sixth man, that coach Tom Thibodeau can mold into a moderately good perimeter defender.

If this trade is for real, it will take some guts on the Warriors' part, but well worth it in the long run.

Monta Ellis To the Memphis Grizzlies

How sick are you of the Ellis to Memphis trade rumors?

Last offseason, the Warriors turned down a trade that would send Ellis to Memphis for O.J. Mayo and Hasheem Thabeet. Former Warriors' owner Chris Cohan and Co. could not pull the trigger.

Now, with a new Warriors ownership not quite sold on Ellis in the team's future plans, that trigger might be a little more easier to pull this time.

The rumored trade no longer involves Thabeet, but Mayo still stands, as does another trade involving Rudy Gay. Gay has been apart of several trade rumors that could occur during the upcoming NBA Draft.

Disregard those Gay trade rumors, however. He was not with the team for their playoff run, and the team will be ecstatic to get their most athletic player back from injury and ready for next season. Plus, the owner and beat writer both refuted the idea.

Back to Mayo and Ellis, though.

Is Mayo worth it?

What I mean is will Mayo give the Warriors even the same production that Ellis gave them?

The answer is 'no.'

Although Mayo would be more of a team player, given his passing abilities, the Warriors would be taking a huge hit in the scoring department, without gaining the height they need in the backcourt.

Not worth it, unless Gay is available.

Monta Ellis To the Minnesota Timberwolves For the No. 2 Overall Pick

This one kind of came out of nowhere, but ESPN's Chad Ford reported it and we believe anything that comes from ESPN, right?

No word from the Timberwolves or Warriors as to if this rumor is true, but it seems as though Ford was just throwing something out there to get a reaction.

Still, it could stir something up, and we love that.

It would obviously be an Ellis for Derrick Williams trade that could work very well for both teams.

The Wolves would get their backcourt scorer, and the Warriors would get their athletic size at the small forward position, as well as save money in the process by not having to pay Ellis through the roof in the near future.

Whether or not this deal would work, it seems as though it is just speculation at the moment.

Jerry West is making some impression in Golden State so far.

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2011 NBA Draft: Options For the Golden State Warriors At #11

With just over three weeks remaining until the 2011 NBA Draft, there have been several shifts in recent mock drafts around the country. For the first time in a long time, there is no set order in how teams will be picking come June 23.

What we do know is that this draft is one of the weakest in many years.

Many seem to agree that this draft could be all but finished after the first two picks, and some have even stretched that to four.

The only thing we know about the order of these picks is how the first four will go:

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San Jose Sharks: 3 Ways the Culture in San Jose MUST Change

Another year, another late round exit for the San Jose Sharks. The team from the South Bay came up short in the playoffs yet again, falling to the Vancouver Canucks in the Western Conference Finals. This coming after a 2010 that ended in much the same way, when the Sharks were swept by the Chicago Blackhawks.

Many teams would be happy with back-to-back Conference Finals, but it is all too familiar for the people of San Jose, who continue to see their team play tremendous hockey during the regular season, only to come up short in the playoffs.

It was an up-and-down playoffs for the Sharks. At one moment, they were riding high after a good effort against the Los Angeles Kings led to 3-0 lead against the Detroit Red Wings in the second round. Three straight losses later, the Sharks were a bad Game 7 away from completely blowing the team up and starting over.

Fortunately, a strong final game defeated the Red Wings in seven games, and a sense of relief was felt around the Bay Area.

Still, this year's Western Conference Finals seemed just like 2010. The Sharks were over-matched and seemed to not belong on the same ice with the Vancouver Canucks, or the 2010 Blackhawks, for that matter.

How do the Sharks get over the hump and into the Stanley Cup Finals?

Not blowing up the team, that's for sure.

A few tweaks here and there should do it, but that is what the Sharks have been doing these last several years, with nothing to show but two heart-breaking losses in the Western Conference Finals.

Next season is a new season, but there is a lot to change in the culture of the team between now and then.



1. Understand This Team Is Built For the Future

Year after year the Sharks are in the running for the Stanley Cup, and every year it seems the fans get disappointed.

It may seem as though the Sharks' window of opportunity is closing, when, in fact, it is just opening.

Joe Thornton, Patrick Marleau and Dany Heatley are all entering the prime of their careers, they have young studs like Logan Couture ready to take on bigger roles and the defensive core of Dan Boyle, Douglas Murray and Marc-Edouard Vlasic are all locked up for a few more seasons. Not to mention, role players like Ryane Clowe and Joe Pavelski have deals with San Jose that run through 2014.

Compare that to the past teams that have done well in the playoffs.

The Chicago Blackhawks won the Stanley Cup in 2010, only to lose their goalie Antti Niemi and several very good role players, such as Dustin Byfuglien to free agency or trade.

This year's representative of the Western Conference in the Stanley Cup Finals is the Canucks. At the end of their season, they will see star defensemen Sami Salo, Kevin Bieksa and Christian Ehrhoff all become free agents.

Do not be surprised if one of those defencemen sign with the Sharks, who are in dire need of another strong blueliner to put them over the top in the Western Conference.

So as much as other teams are struggling to stay relevant, the Sharks have been one of the few teams to stay competitive and will continue to stay competitive for at least the next several years.



2. New Defenceman

The Sharks did not have the defensive weapons that teams like the Boston Bruins and Canucks had in 2011.

That is to not say they did not try.

Acquiring Ian White from the Carolina Hurricanes was one of the better roster moves made all season. Although the move did not fully take care of the problem on defense, it did silence the critics, who were demanding a defenceman be acquired.

Still, the Sharks will have to re-sign White in the offseason, but he is sure to pitch San Jose a discounted rate.

As for Niclas Wallin and Kent Huskins, neither are expected to return to the team, which frees up a ton of money to spend on a star defenceman.

Some notable free agent defencemen are Tomas Kaberle, Joni Pitkanen, Eric Brewer and Andrei Markov, but do not rule out Kevin Bieksa or Christian Ehrhoff.

Realistically, it would seem as though the Sharks could have their sights set on one of three players in Brewer, Bieksa or Ehrhoff, and any of them would be welcome additions to a defense that was clearly the weakest part of the Sharks' playoff run.



3. Trust Todd McLellan

Coach McLellan has been the head coach of the Sharks for three years now.

His first year started off spectacular with a President's Trophy win, but a first round exit to the Anaheim Ducks quickly brought this franchise back to reality.

Since then, McLellan and the Sharks have seemed to elevate their playoff games, hoping to prove that they belong.

A loss in the 2010 Western Conference Finals to the Chicago Blackhawks sufficed then, but two straight Western Conference Finals losses and some are calling for McLellan's head.

The truth is McLellan made all the right moves. He made the right line changes during the season, and even the right goalie decision, as Niemi started to play well once given the time.

Stand by McLellan and he will take San Jose to the promised land sooner or later. He has proved it by winning in Detroit.

Given the right amenities with the Sharks, he will prove it in San Jose.

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