Golden State Warriors: Monta Ellis Can Stay, Everyone Else Goes

I know they are young. I am aware they have a first-year head coach in Keith Smart. It's a fact that there is a grace period with new players, a new coach and even new ownership.

Well, say goodbye to grace, it's time to move on and get serious about fielding a team that can battle, and I do mean battle, night in and night out. As currently comprised, the Warriors will be battling just to possibly find lightning in a bottle each season to reach the eighth spot in the playoff bracket.

The Golden State Warriors are not a rugged team down low in the paint. Too often they get pushed around by the opponents, even on nights when Golden State has a size advantage going on at that particular moment on the court.

Have you ever watched a team commit so many touch fouls throughout the course of a game and season, providing countless extra points for the other teams? I mean if you're gonna make the effort to reach out your hand to foul someone, then make sure it's not an "and one" opportunity. Rip his arm off if you have to as he is going up for a shot! 

It's absolutely ridiculous how easy the Warriors make it on opponents who travel the lane in search of three-point plays! Already the Warriors are defensively challenged enough. It's not good to have a bunch of guys who don't know how to commit a hard foul on someone.

I am not advocating playing dirty, just good hard basketball where the opposing player can not get a free trip to the foul line after making a basket. There has to be a mindset that the Warriors develop in which they want to consciously change their defensive habits.

What Golden State needs is an enforcer around the basket, kind of like a "goon" in hockey that has only one purpose while on the ice—protect the star player and get ready to drop the gloves to fight. It's also similar to a hard-hitting safety in football that dares receivers to come across the middle, and when they do he plants them in the ground with vicious hits.

The Warriors, even though their team name represents ferocious fighters who takes no prisoners, unfortunately do not live up to this name often enough. They tend to be more finesse on offense while settling for jump shots instead of driving hard to the bucket, and passive on defense choosing to play the passing lanes instead of in-your-face hard-nosed D!

It's as if the Warriors are scared of contact, both on the offensive end and the defensive end. Is it because of the way they are coached to play defense? Is it a combination of bad technique along with players who don't have the desire to play defense as it should be?

What is it?

Whatever the reasons are, they are no longer acceptable to Warrior Nation. Warrior fans are the most loyal and dedicated in all of sports, constantly selling out and supporting Golden State even while they make the playoffs only once since 1994.

Warrior fans deserve positive change. In this regard, it's time to dump players and salaries that are clogging the avenues for positive change and basically are just space-fillers right now.

Let's start dropping some names. Dan Gadzuric—needs to go. Vladmir Rodmanovic—nice guy and has helped lately but has to go. Charlie Bell—we never even knew you; has to go. Reggie Williams—plays well at times, not so good at others and is replaceable; has to go.

Jeremy Lin and Lou Amundson—flip a coin. 

Andris Biedrins—has digressed as a player, can't shoot free throws and can't seem to play defense without jumping in the air every time someone pump-fakes; he has to go. Brandan Wright—can't stay healthy and probably needs a change of scenery; has to go.

Acie Law—not a good enough shooter, and lacks a defensive stopper presence; he has to go. Ekpe Udoh—a willing learner and seems to have a good idea of how to play defense in the low-post, and he has good size and a nice wingspan to block shots and be a deterrent in the lane; he stays.

David Lee—he just signed a long-term contract and is one of their better rebounders; he stays. Dorrel Wright—nice player, one of the few on the roster who knows how to play defense which he developed in Miami and he also has a long term contract, good third or fourth option; he stays.

Now it gets interesting. Monta Ellis—great scorer, has taken over the leadership role on the team and is their only real go-to-guy; keep him. Stephen Curry—nice player, great shooter, great bloodlines from his father, vulnerable on defense because of his size; he could stay or traded in a package deal.

What is painfully evident is that the Warriors are not good enough now, nor will they be in the future with this roster to be a difference maker in the Western Conference. We all know this, but change has to happen now before the losing becomes more commonplace than it already is at Oracle Arena.

The Warriors need to take a chance on a player. Maybe a veteran player who you have to overpay to get; but will make a difference in Golden State's fortunes. Get rid of some of the expiring contracts and young players, possibly giving up three or four players to get one guy who can change the culture of the team immediately.

The trade deadline is nearing as soon the calendar will turn to February. It's time for a change. I'm getting tired of watching the Warriors get banged around and having sand kicked in their face too many nights.

Let them really play like Warriors. Please!