The Golden State Warriors are in the market for a big man, everyone knows it, but unless their primary target’s name is Dwight Howard, the asking price of Monta Ellis is too high.
With Kwame Brown sidelined for the rest of the season and Andris Biedrins continuing his reign of ineptitude, Golden State desperately needs to provide David Lee with some competent help in the low-post. Consequently, it should come as no surprise that New Jersey Nets center Brook Lopez has breached their radar.
Lopez is still playing off the rust that came with sustaining a broken foot, but at 23, he has already proven to be automatic offense while possessing a wealth of potential in all other facets of the game.
But is Lopez worth Ellis?
Peter Vecsey of the New York Post reported the Warriors could get involved in a three team trade with the Nets and Orlando Magic. The rumored deal has Lopez heading to Golden State, Howard to New Jersey and Ellis to Orlando. Any parameters at this point are a rough draft, as other players, picks and cash would likely swap hands to push the deal through.
From the New York Post:
“There are renewed rumblings about the Warriors possibly getting Brook Lopez from the Nets in a multi-team deal involving Howard. That would cost them big time, though; Monta Ellis would be part of the Magic’s compensation.”
While the trade in question would bring in the competent big man Golden State desperately craves, keep in mind that Lopez and Lee are pretty much the same player.
Both are stellar scorers and nightly double-double threats with room for improvement on the defensive end. A pairing of the two would be of great risk, to say the least, as their identical play-stylings could prove to be counterproductive.
Is it a risk worth taking? Perhaps, but not at the cost of Ellis.
Ellis is the Warriors’ leading scorer, and the main reason they have been able to stay competitive at all in the re-occurring absences of Stephen Curry. Dealing him for a player not named Dwight Howard—especially when the incoming player is one you already have on your roster—is nonsensical.
Golden State head coach Mark Jackson is as defensive-minded as they come, but he is at the helm of a roster built to score, first and foremost. But shipping out Ellis shifts the balance of focus only if the player in return is a heralded defender.
Lopez, while not incapable, would be a defensive project, and not the type you relinquish you’re leading scorer for.
Golden State is in need of some kind of a roster shake-up, as this group of perennial underachievers continues to disappoint. But the latest rumblings aren’t the type of shake-up they need.
The final parameters of the potential move are far from set in stone, but the marquee names are already in place; the return is not going to get much better for the Warriors.
Should they opt to use Ellis to acquire a defensive savvy big man, it’s a different story. But for now, Ellis is easily Golden State’s best player who cannot be undervalued.
Does he have his flaws? Of course, but the Warriors are a flawed squad. If they wind up shipping out their best player, it should be in an attempt to correct any number of shortcomings they currently boast, not set the team even further back.
And that’s just what swapping Ellis out for Lopez does.
Dan Favale is an avid basketball analyst and firm believer in the three-pointer as well as the notion that defense doesn’t always win championships. His work can be found at Bleacherreport.com in addition to TheHoopDoctors.com. Follow @danfavale on Twitter for his latest posts and all things NBA.
