NBA Trade Deadline 2012: Turmoil in Golden State Warriors Locker Room
Monta Ellis brushed past the media after another listless loss to the Memphis Grizzlies. Dorell Wright also avoided the media, answering with just a brief sentence when asked what the Warriors needed to do to turn things around. “You’re asking the wrong person.” (Quotes courtesy of Marcus Thompson)
One person was willing to answer for the team’s poor showing. After an 18-point drumming, David Lee tweeted
"Dlee042: My sincere apology to Warrior fans. Awful showing by our team and as a captain I didnt play my best and its inexcusable.Put this loss on me!
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The attitudes of the Warriors' two leaders could not be further apart. Locker room morale sunk lower than the team’s playoff chances after the 110-92 loss, now four games out of contention. Team spirits have not sunk this low since Al Harrington and Stephen Jackson were traded away.
Even when plagued with injuries and the playoffs clearly out of sight, the Warriors I knew played with energy and heart. Former head coach Don Nelson celebrated his 1,333rd win surrounded by a cast of D-League call-ups and league misfits.
That victory came against the Toronto Raptors on April 7, 2010, a game late in the season that otherwise carried no meaning. Still, the team played to get Nelson his record of the NBA's all-time winningest coach.
To hear current coach Mark Jackson repeatedly complain in post-game interviews of a lack of effort and hustle goes against all things “Warrior.” With the March 15th trade deadline looming on the horizon, the Warriors might need a drastic change to prevent team spirits from spiraling downward.
On KNBR radio, Larry Riley stated that there is a 50/50 chance the Warriors pull the trigger on a trade before the deadline. The team has been linked to many rumors, most revolving around guard Monta Ellis. The Orlando Magic is one interested party, as they have reportedly “reached out” in an attempt to pair him with Dwight Howard.
Whatever happens leading up to the NBA’s own March Madness trade deadline, the Warriors must address the frustration simmering beneath the surface. If negative attitudes carry over into the next stretch of games, the Warriors will only have more questions to answer.
