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Jun 29, 2007

Golden State Warriors Deal Jason Richardson

On June 28th, 2007, the Golden State Warriors traded guard Jason Richardson and the rights to forward Jermareo Davidson to the Charlotte Bobcats for the rights to forward Brandan Wright.

If you were the 2001 Golden State Warriors, dunks were not overrated. The Warriors were in need of youth and talent after the 2000-01 season. That year, they finished second worst in the NBA with a 17-65 record, but even more troubling they lacked the blue chip prospects that most bad teams compile.

24-year-old forward Antawn Jamison and 22-year-old guard Larry Hughes qualified as young talent that was productive, but after that, the Warriors were loaded with overpriced veterans like Mookie Blaylock or disappointments like Erick Dampier.

The Warriors held two 1st round draft picks and a 2nd round pick in the 2001 NBA Draft and made some important choices that would help move the desolate franchise along in a quest to make the postseason for the first time since 1994. First, the Warriors selected Michigan State acrobatic guard Jason Richardson fifth in the draft. They followed up the Richardson pick by drafting Troy Murphy from Notre Dame with the 14th pick and ended their draft night by selecting University of Arizona guard Gilbert Arenas with the 31st selection.

The Warriors began the 2001-02 season with a solid 7-7 record, but lost 8 of 9 to fall to 8-15. Head coach Dave Cowens was fired after the losing streak and replaced by assistant Brian Winters. The losing situation would only worsen as the Warriors went 13-47 the rest of the way to finish tied for the worst record in the NBA at 21-61. On the bright side, the Warriors found a solid backcourt duo in rookies Arenas and Richardson. They started together for the last 24 games of the season and averaged a combined 32.2 PPG, 8.4 RPG and 8.0 APG.

Richardson had a solid rookie year amid the chaotic situation in Golden State. Initially a reserve, Richardson became a starter after five games and produced 14.4 PPG, 4.3 RPG, 3.0 APG and 1.3 SPG in 32.9 MPG and 80 contests. He earned a nod on the All-Rookie First team.

The Michigan State product took the league by storm with thunderous dunks in his rookie campaign and put on a show in his Slam Dunk contest victory during 2002 All-Star Weekend in Philadelphia.

(GIF via NBA)

After the disappointing season, the Warriors hired 37-year-old coach Eric Musselman and drafted Duke forward Mike Dunleavy in the 2002 NBA Draft. Golden State exited the gates slowly with a 1-6 start, but their play improved later on. They were even .500 at 30-30 and only 2.5 games out of the eighth and final playoff spot in the West at one point. Unfortunately for he Bay Area, the Warriors went 8-14 the rest of the way and finished 38-44 and out of the postseason picture.

Richardson showed moderate signs of improvement in his sophomore experience. He played in 82 games (all starts) and managed 15.6 PPG, 4.6 RPG, 3.0 APG and 1.1 SPG in 32.9 MPG.

Richardson added another Slam Dunk Contest trophy to his collection after defeating Sonics leaper Desmond Mason.

(GIF via NBA)

He also was one of the major highlights in 2003 All-Star Weekend in Atlanta when he bounced a basketball off of Carlos Boozer’s head in the Rookie-Sophomore challenge.

(GIF via Ryan Van Dusen)

Golden State went through a major roster shakeup in the Summer of 2003. They traded leading scorer Antawn Jamison in an eight-player deal with Dallas that saw the Warriors add Nick Van Exel. The Warriors also signed guard Speedy Claxton while losing Gilbert Arenas in free agency to the Washington Wizards.

The losses of Arenas and Jamison only expanded Richardson’s role on the Warriors roster. Golden State also shifted from an uptempo game to a slower-paced style of play. Their offense suffered as they dropped from 2nd to 12th in offensive efficiency, but they also rose from last to 18th in defensive efficiency.

The Warriors started 12-11, but went 13-9 over the next 42 games to fall to 25-40. They won 12 of their final 17 games to finish just one game off (37-45) off their mark from the previous season.

Richardson became the go-to guy in his third season. He participated in 78 games (all starts) and contributed a team-high of 18.7 PPG, a career-high 6.9 RPG, 2.0 APG and 1.1 SPG in 37.6 MPG. Richardson participated in the 2004 Slam Dunk Contest and unlike his first two attempts, he lost to Indiana Pacers guard Fred Jones.

(GIF via NBA)

After the ‘03-’04 season, the Warriors fired head coach Musselman and replaced him with Stanford coach Mike Montgomery. Golden State also signed-and-traded center Erick Dampier to the Dallas Mavericks

The Warriors agreed with Richardson on a six-year, $70 million rookie scale extension on the eve of the 2004-05 season. Golden State went back to an uptempo style of pace under Montgomery, but that experiment failed immediately as the Warriors lost their first six games. They were 16-38 when they acquired guard Baron Davis ahead of the trade deadline. Golden State went 18-10 the rest of the year to finish the year 34-48.

Richardson led the Warriors in scoring for the second consecutive season (21.7 PPG) and contributed 5.9 RPG, 3.9 APG and 1.5 SPG in 37.8 MPG in 72 games.

For the 2005-06 season, Golden State kept much of their roster intact. A 12-6 start propelled them to one of the top records in the NBA early on, but a 12-26 slide placed them at 24-32 by March 1. They finished 34-48 for the second consecutive season and out of the postseason for the 17th straight campaign.

Richardson had his finest season at that point. He posted the highest PER of his career (19.2) and amassed a career-best 23.2 PPG with 5.8 RPG, 3.1 APG and 1.3 SPG in 75 games and 38.4 MPG.

After the ‘05-’06 season, the Warriors fired Montgomery as their head coach and hired the last coach to take them to the playoffs, Don Nelson. In player movement, the Warriors traded point guard Derek Fisher to the Utah Jazz and signed forward Matt Barnes. Richardson had minor surgery on his left knee in late August.

Early on, the Warriors played at or around .500. They were 19-20 when they dealt Troy Murphy and Mike Dunleavy to the Indiana Pacers for Stephen Jackson and Al Harrington in a four-player deal. Golden State would struggle briefly after the trade.

At one point, they were 26-35 and 9.5 games out of the eighth spot in the West. Golden State pulled off one of the best playoff pushes in recent memory and won 16 of their next 21 games to narrowly earn the last spot in the Western Conference playoff picture.

Richardson had a rough regular season. He sat out 8 games with a sore left leg in December and also broke his right hand on December 30 of 2006. All in all he missed 31 games and posted 16.0 PPG, 5.1 RPG, 3.4 APG and 1.1 SPG in 51 contests and 32.8 MPG.

The hand injury was a blessing in disguise as Richardson was given nearly two months to fully recuperate from his left knee troubles. The difference was day and night for Richardson pre and post-injury.

His shooting numbers also showcased a stark contrast in his performance through the season.

(Data via NBA Stats)

The playoff berth was Golden State’s first in 13 seasons, but they faced a tough task with the number-one-seeded, 67-15 Dallas Mavericks as their first round foe.

The underdogs would have their moment early on as they upset the Mavericks in Game One on the road. After a Dallas win in Game Two, the Warriors took a 3-1 lead with victories in Games Three and Four. Dallas won on the road in Game Five, but the Warriors became the first eighth seed to defeat a first seed in a seven-game series.

Richardson was phenomenal in the series as he produced 19.5 PPG on 51.1% from the field and 6.8 RPG. He dropped 30 on Dallas in Golden State’s Game Three win.

After the major upset, the Warriors faced the 51-31 Utah Jazz in the second round. Golden State lost the first two games in Utah before winning emphatically in Game Three 125-105 in front of the Warriors home crowd. Utah would recapture the momentum and won the next two games to claim the series 4-1. Richardson produced 18.6 PPG on 43.8% on FGs and 6.6 RPG in the five-game set.

After the surprise playoff run, the Warriors shocked many when they traded Richardson for the draft rights to top North Carolina prospect Brandan Wright.

Financially, this trade was understandable for Golden State. The Warriors gained a $10 million trade exception from the Bobcats and unloaded $11 million of salary off of their 2007-08 payroll. The trade exception allowed the Warriors the opportunity to absorb contracts up to $10 million without unloading matching salaries in the deal.

Tim Kawakami of the Mercury News explained that with Richardson and Baron Davis’ option of $17.8 million for the 2008-09 season, the Warriors with Richardson would have about $78.1 million tied up with 12 active players on the 2008-2009 payroll. With the projected salary cap at $68 million and incoming extensions for Monta Ellis and Andris Biedrins, the Warriors would be in luxury tax territory.

The Bobcats on the other hand took a big salary in Richardson who was owed $51 million over the final four years of his contract. Charlotte was coming off of having a $41 million payroll the previous season which was the lowest in the league.

Richardson finished his Warriors tenure with career averages of 18.3 PPG, 5.4 RPG, 3.2 APG and 1.2 SPG in 438 games for the Warriors. He also posted 43/35/69 splits in his shooting percentages.

Once the trade was made, much was expected of the Bobcats after taking a swing at the postseason with the acquisition of Richardson. All seemed well early on when the Bobcats were 6-4 after their first 10 games. Unfortunately, things would sour as Charlotte lost 19 of their next 26 games. They finished the 2008-09 season 32-50. It was their fourth consecutive losing season.

Richardson was thrust into a much more central role in Charlotte’s offense as their number one option. The 6′6″ guard participated in all 82 games and amassed 21.8 PPG, 5.4 RPG, 3.1 APG, 1.4 SPG and 0.7 BPG in 38.4 MPG. He led the NBA in threes made (243) and attempted (599).

Jermareo Davidson had a limited role in his rookie campaign with Charlotte. He spent some time with the NBA Developmental League’s Sioux Falls Skyforce (18.0 PPG and 9.8 RPG in 6 games) and participated in 38 games in the NBA with the ‘Cats. For the 2007-08 season, Davidson produced 3.2 PPG and 1.6 RPG in 8.5 MPG.

The Bobcats did not re-sign Davidson after the ‘07-’08 season and he would play for the Idaho Stampede of the NBA D-League during the early stages of the 2008-09 season.

The Bobcats fired head coach Sam Vincent after one year on the job and hired Larry Brown as his replacement. Richardson saw action in just 14 games (missed 7 games due to arthroscopic knee surgery) with Charlotte during the 2008-09 season before being shipped to the Phoenix Suns for Raja Bell, Sean Singletary, and Boris Diaw in the middle of December. He ended his Charlotte tenure with averages of 21.4 PPG, 5.2 RPG, and 3.1 APG. He shot 44% from the field, 41% from the three-point line, and 75% from the free-throw line.

Brandan Wright had a very limited role in his rookie season with the Golden State Warriors. He played in only 38 games (6 starts) and 4.0 PPG, 2.6 RPG and 0.6 BPG in 9.9 MPG. Golden State was one of the better offenses in the NBA (4th in Offensive Rating according to Basketball-Reference) despite losing a key cog in Richardson. The team got off to a rough start with an 0-6 start, but won 9 of their next 10 games to move up past .500.

As the 2007-08 season reached its stretch run, the Warriors were in prime position for a playoff spot in the hyper-competitive West. With 9 games left, they were 45-28 and in a three-way tie for the seventh and eighth spots in the West with the Dallas Mavericks and Denver Nuggets. Golden State would falter down the stretch and go 3-6 to finish the year with a 48-34 record and miss out on a postseason berth. The 48 wins were the most wins of any team that failed to make the playoffs since the NBA expanded to a 16-team format in 1984.

After the ‘07-’08 season, the Warriors drafted forward Anthony Randolph wth the 14th pick in the 2008 NBA Draft. They lost key player Baron Davis to the Los Angeles Clippers in free agency, and also failed to re-sign reserves Matt Barnes and Mickael Pietrus. In response to losing Davis, Golden State signed forward Corey Maggette away from the Clippers to a five-year, $50 million deal. The Warriors also re-signed restricted free agents Monta Ellis and Andris Biedrins to a combined $129 million over six years.

The 2008-09 season was a nightmare experience for the Warriors. Ellis tore the deltoid ligament in his left ankle in an offseason moped accident. The Mississippi product lied initially and claimed that he hurt himself playing basketball. The Warriors ownership subsequently suspended Ellis for 30 games and he lost $3 million of his brand new salary. He missed 57 games for the year.

The Warriors went 2-3 in their first 5 games of the year when they traded forward Al Harrington to the New York Knicks for guard Jamal Crawford. Golden State was 5-6 when they endured a rough stretch where they lost 22 of their next 27 games and fell to 10-28. The season would not improve as the Warriors finished with a 29-53 mark.

Wright saw more action among the constant injuries and shifting lineups that year. He played in 39 games (23 starts) and managed 8.3 PPG, 4.0 RPG, 0.5 APG, 0.6 SPG and 0.9 BPG in 17.6 MPG. He missed a huge chunk of the season after dislocating his left shoulder in an early January game against the Los Angeles Lakers.

The Warriors added to their roster by selecting point guard Stephen Curry out of Davidson in the 2009 NBA Draft. Wright would injure his left shoulder again in 2009 training camp and subsequently have surgery. He missed the entire 2009-10 season for the Warriors.

Golden State finished the 2009-10 season with a 26-56 record and out of the postseason for the third consecutive season. They also traded veteran Stephen Jackson to the Charlotte Bobcats.

In the Summer of 2010, the Warriors underwent major changes. Owner Chris Cohan sold the team for an initial record of $450 million to Boston Celtics minority partner Joe Lacob and Mandalay Entertainment CEO Peter Guber. Coach Don Nelson was bought out of the final year of his contract and replaced by assistant coach Keith Smart. On the player movement front, the Warriors acquired forward David Lee in a sign-and-trade with the New York Knicks and also signed free agent Dorell Wright from the Miami Heat.

Wright was coming off of his season-long absence and was out of the rotation for much of the 2010-11 season. He played in 21 games (1 start) and posted 4.0 PPG, 2.0 RPG and 0.5 BPG in 9.3 MPG.

Wright was traded to the New Jersey Nets along with center Dan Gadzuric for power forward Troy Murphy prior to the 2011 NBA Trade Deadline. The Warriors were 26-30 at the point of the trade. Wright finished his Golden State tenure with a stat line of 5.7 PPG, 3.0 RPG and 0.7 BPG in 98 career games. He posted 55% on field goals and 70% on free-throws in that time.

Brandan Wright on his fit in Golden State (via SF Gate):

“I think I fit in great. They like to use a lot of fours, a lot of pieces. I'm excited about this situation.”

On Jason Richardson (via Warriors.com):

“He was a consistent performer on this team. He was a guy who was loved around this city, a guy who helped win this team’s first playoff series in a while. He’s definitely going to be missed, but hopefully I can do even more.”

On playing for coach Don Nelson:

“I'm looking forward to playing for (Coach Nelson). He allows his players to show their talent and show what they can do. I really respect him.”

On playing with Warriors guard Baron Davis:

“He’s a guard who can really help out big men. He can get guys involved and he draws a lot of attention because of his talent. It’s going to be great playing with him and to get up and down the court with him, maybe having him throw me some lobs.”

How he envisions his tenure in Golden State:

“I plan on being here for my whole career. The last couple of years I’ve been on the move – college and back home – but I’m looking forward to getting settled here.”

Jason Richardson in a conference call with the media a week after the trade (via Bobcats.com):

“I’d like to thank owner Bob Johnson, Michael Jordan, Bernie Bickerstaff and Rod Higgins for having me as a part of the Charlotte Bobcats organization. I’m very honored and excited about this upcoming season and I can’t wait to get out there and start going.”

On his initial reaction to the trade which was viewed as unfavorable to Charlotte:

“I wasn’t against going to Charlotte, it was just that I was kind of blind-sided by the trade on behalf of Golden State. After a couple of days of staying away from the phone and not answering any calls, I got to actually look at who was on the team. I thought about all of the young guys that they have and how hard they played when I played against them, and that changed my mind real quickly.”

On not answering his cell phone when Michael Jordan called on draft night:

“I wasn’t necessarily not answering for Michael Jordan, I wasn’t answering calls for anybody. I didn’t know anybody from the 704 area code, so automatically after the trade happened, I figured it was somebody from Charlotte. I didn’t necessarily think it was Michael Jordan but I knew it was somebody calling on behalf of the Charlotte Bobcats.

“Ten minutes before the trade happened, my agent told me they were working something out, and 10 minutes after the trade happened, I got a call from Golden State, so it was a quick turnaround period for me. I wasn’t ignoring calls on purpose, I just turned my phone off because a lot of my friends, family and teammates called me and the trade was a big shock to everybody. When I woke up the next day, my voicemail was full and I had close to 50 text messages. There were just too many people calling me trying to figure out what was going on and I had to turn my phone off.”

On if he is ready to be the main offensive option for the Bobcats:

“I believe I can be. I had a few good years in Golden State and if we won a few more games, I probably would have been an All Star. I feel like I can be that type of person that can carry a franchise to the next level. I’m not coming in here and looking at this team being mine. Emeka (Okafor) is here and hopefully we’ll get Gerald Wallace (free agent) back, and this is going to be our team. I don’t think we’re far away from being a playoff contender that can do deep in the playoffs, and can start building toward a championship. So, I’m not coming in here and saying I want all the shots and the spotlight. I’m coming in here and just trying to help this team win games.”

On what he thought of the Bobcats that previous year and if they can make the playoffs:

“I think we can. I remember the last time that we played them in Oakland we were trying to get ourselves in position for a playoff spot, and we had just made a trade for Stephen Jackson and Al Harrington. The first thing that came out of Stephen Jackson’s mouth was, I’ve played these guys in the East before and we can’t take this team lightly or they’re going to beat us.

“And even though we won the game, they came out and played hard. Over the couple of days that I had to think about this team, that is what was stuck in my mind; how hard these guys played on defense and offense, they just never stopped. As a player, that’s what I am. I’m a hard player – I play both ends of the floor. In the NBA, you’re not expected to win every game, but you want to go out there and give it your best effort every night and I think that’s what these guys do.”

How his relationship with Bobcats general manager Rod Higgins has eased the adjustment to Charlotte:

“I think that made it a lot easier. We had a real good relationship in Golden State. I could talk to him about anything out there, so it’s going to make the transition to this team even easier for me. He knows what type of player I am, and I know what type of general manager he is, so I think that relationship will help both of us out.”

How he will transition from playing for Don Nelson to Bobcats head coach Sam Vincent:

“It’s going to be a different transition. Don is the second-winningest coach in the NBA, but Sam came from a winning organization in Dallas, and he saw what it takes to win. He coached a superstar in Dirk Nowitzki and he’s an ex-NBA player, so he knows what it takes to get to the next level. Of course, there are going to be a couple of bumps and bruises in the road, but I’m pretty sure that he’s going to get it real fast because you can tell in his ways and how he is as a person that he wants to win.”

On if him wearing number 23 was because of Michael Jordan:

“(Laughter) Yeah, it was. Of course, everybody was a Jordan fan. I was more of a Dominique (Wilkins) fan, but the reason for my 23 is because I used to wear 32 in high school, and once I got to college, 32 was retired by Greg Kelser, so I couldn’t wear that number.”

On if it bothers him that he was a part of the Golden State teams that weren’t that good, then he gets traded when they get to the playoffs:

“Yeah, that was one of the problems that I had when I was so angry about what happened. I felt that I gave a lot to that organization at times when it was bad and I wasn’t playing my best, but I stuck around that franchise. It was tough to finally get the team to the level that you always envisioned it to be at by getting to the playoffs for the fans and when you finally make it, you get shipped off. But it’s part of the business and I understand that, trades happen in this league. I’m not mad about the trade because I’m in a situation that could be better for me. This is a solid, up-and-coming organization and it has a lot of great guys on the team, and I think this is the best situation for me right now.”

If he still feels bad about the way the trade happened:

“Of course the way that it happened bothers me, but when it comes down to it, it’s still a business. It happened, it’s over with, I can’t do anything about it, and I can’t sit back and cry about it. I still have a contract, my health, and I’m still on an NBA team, so what more can I ask for?”

What he has heard from the players on Golden State since the trade:

“I’ve gotten calls from pretty much everyone. They’re all shocked, they couldn’t believe it. They’re all in disbelief, they didn’t think it would ever happen. I’ve been there so long, all the fans knew me, I played hard for that organization. But we were all like brothers on that team, so we are always going to have a relationship, we’re always going to be cool with each other, and we’re always going to wish each other well, even when we play each other.”

If he thinks that Golden State is going to miss him:

“Not really, they have some good talent there. They have Stephen Jackson there, Monta Ellis is up-and-coming, and they have guys who can fill in the roles.”

His thoughts on playing in the Eastern Conference:

“It’s a pretty wide-open conference. In the West, you already know who the top seven teams are, and everybody else is gunning for that eight spot. Everyone says the East is a lackluster conference, but I don’t look at it that way. I look at it as an opportunity for any team to get there. I think it’s an opportunity for us, we have a chance. I think we were only five games out of the playoffs last year, and hopefully my play can get us over that hump and maybe get a playoff spot.”

On the perception of the Eastern Conference by Western Conference players:

“We know that it’s a little bit open. You have so many great players in the Western Conference. You have some great players in the Eastern Conference, but it seems like there is a superstar at every position in the Western Conference, so I think that’s the big difference. In the 1980's, it was always the Eastern Conference that was winning. Once the draft came around and the star players went to the lower teams, the Western Conference started building back up. I think in the near future, it is going to be pretty even. There are star players going from the West to the East like Ray Allen going to Boston and Zach Randolph going to New York. It’s going to even out as soon as the league grows older.”

On how much he has spoken to Sam Vincent:

“Sam and I haven’t really spoken much. Today was our first conversation down here in Charlotte. We just had a little small talk, but he’s excited to have me here and I know his style of play is going to be hard-nosed. I don’t really know him as a player, but from his days at Michigan State and hearing from other people, I know he is going to have us playing hard on defense and we’ll probably be running often.”

On what he knows about his supporting cast and how he is going to fit in with the Bobcats:

“I think I’ll fit in real well with this team. They have a lot of guys that play hard. Working hard is the first thing that makes a successful team. Emeka Okafor is one of the up-and-coming power forwards in this league. He blocks shots like no one I’ve ever seen, he rebounds, he does everything. They have a young point guard in Raymond Felton that does a lot of things and I think it will help him out if they can sign Gerald Wallace back and have him on one wing and me on the other. So, I think it’s going to be a great opportunity for me to be with this team, and I think we’re going to be pretty good.”

On how vital it is to him that Gerald Wallace is re-signed:

“It’s very vital to me. I like Gerald as a person and I know him really well as a player. He’s been in similar situations to me when I was in Golden State. He played hard while the team looked for some help around him. I hope he’s around when this team gets turned around and we get into the playoffs, because I think he’s a huge part of this franchise, and he’s been around during the other transitions of this franchise. We would like to have him around because he’s a hell of a player.”

On having Michael Jordan as a boss:

“It’s an honor. To learn from the greatest player to ever play the game and getting his little tips and pointers about how he played the game is an honor in itself. To have him around everyday trying to get this franchise to the next level is going to be amazing.”

On being the franchise’s first big name acquisition:

“I don’t think there is any added pressure. I’m just going out here and performing. I’m going to come here, do the job that they want me to do, and just play basketball. I know there is a lot expected of me. I’m going to go out there and give 110 percent like I did the last six years in Golden State. There is no added pressure, I’m just going to go out there, play basketball, and help this team out as much as I can.”

On who changed his mind about his feelings of being a player on the Bobcats:

“I don’t think it was anybody directly. I think it was myself just looking at this organization and seeing what they have to offer to myself as far as who they have in the front office and what players they have. My fiancée loves the city and she has friends here. The team has a lot of young guys and they’re only a step away from being a playoff team. The front office, with Rod (Higgins), Bernie (Bickerstaff), the owner Bob (Johnson) and Mike (Jordan), all played a big factor in me saying this is going to be a good fit for myself.”

If his initial reactions to the trade were more about shock than dismay:

“Yeah, it was definitely about shock. Right after the season, I knew that somehow I was going to be the odd man out. But all along, they told me that I wasn’t going anywhere and I was a big part of the franchise’s success. They were telling me this for two months and all of a sudden, I was traded without any knowledge. It was more of a shock than dismay of going to Charlotte. It wasn’t that I didn’t want to go to Charlotte, I just wasn’t prepared to go there.

“But in the NBA, you have to be prepared every day, they don’t have to tell you when you’re going to be traded. It was my first time getting traded and I had never gone through anything like that, especially after being a part of the team for six years. I was there from the time that we won 18 games to being the eighth seed in the playoffs. That was a big jump. To finally have the trade go down and be out of here is a shocker to me.”

On his position:

“I’m either a two or a three. I’m ready to do whatever it takes to win games, that’s my main thing. That’s how it was in Golden State, and that’s how it’s always going to be, it’s all about winning. There’s nothing better than the thrill of winning games. If I have to play center, I will, because that’s how much love I have for the game.”

On what he knows about the potential Gerald Wallace signing:

“I don’t have any information about that, but when I first got traded, Rod (Higgins) and Mike (Jordan) both said their top priority is signing Gerald. I think they both envision me and him on the wings. It’s going to be a pretty good tandem having me on one side and him on the other. I think that is one of the main priorities of the franchise. I really hope they can get it done because Gerald is a good up-and-coming player and he can help this organization a lot.”

Whether he thinks the Bobcats will be an uptempo team or not:

“I’d have to say yes. If we do sign Gerald [Wallace], we have me, Gerald, a fast point guard (Raymond Felton) and even our power forward (Emeka Okafor) can get up and down the floor. When you have four guys that can get up and down the floor, that makes it easier and it’s more exciting basketball. I think more teams in the East are slowed down compared to the West. We’re young and athletic and hopefully we can be getting up and down the floor.”

Looking back at the trade one year after it was consummated (via mlive.com):

"Nobody's safe, but that's life in the NBA. When I was traded, I took it personally. But it's not personal. It's business. A lot of the moves in the NBA are business. People with big contracts or expiring contracts. You have to learn it's not personal. When I was traded, it hurt. But I love Charlotte. I'm getting married in a year. I have my kids there. It's a family-oriented city. It's good for me."

Jermareo Davidson on the draft process in his introductory press conference (Bobcats.com):

“I’m pretty excited to be here myself. I’m ready to get started, I wish we could start today. I’m close to home and I’m excited about the team’s up-tempo play. I’m ready to come in and fit in wherever possible, whether it is going hard in practice or cheering my teammates on and getting everybody going. I’m just ready.”

On where he thought he was going to be drafted:

“I wasn’t too sure. I kept getting the same feedback that I was going to be a player in this league one day, I just didn’t know where I would fit in. It was a nervous situation throughout the whole process. I had family there with me and my agent let me know that he was going to get something going, so it was just a matter of time.”

On if he thought the Bobcats were a possible destination after his workout:

“I wasn’t sure. I was getting feedback but it all sounded the same, so I couldn’t really take anything out of it. I had a pretty decent workout here. Like Jared (Dudley) said, it was the hardest workout that I had been to.”

On playing for a Michael Jordan-led organization:

“I’m pretty excited about the opportunity. I know that he accepts nothing but hard work, so I’m willing to come in and do that.”

Golden State Warriors vice president of basketball operations Chris Mullin on the trade (via SF Gate):

“It was a long, busy day. But we made some big moves and it's really going to help improve the team.”

On Brandan Wright:

“We think he's potentially a star.”

On trading Jason Richardson:

“I'll miss Jason of course. He's one of my favorite guys, my favorite players. It's a hard thing to see him go. But when you need to improve your team, sometimes you got to make tough decisions.”

On Wright’s abilities (via Warriors.com):

“We are very excited that we were able to get Brandan. We targeted him from the outset of the draft and we feel that with his athleticism, length and ability to block shots, he fits perfectly into our up-tempo style of play.”

Charlotte Bobcats part-owner Michael Jordan on Richardson (via ESPN):

“Can he be a Michael Jordan? We're not expecting him to be. Can he be a piece that helps us finish ball games a lot better? Can he give us a little more firepower on the offense end? Yes.”

On what the Bobcats needed:

“We wanted a veteran player that we felt could be a go-to player and create his own shot and shots for other people. We had some other scenarios that gave us that, but by far this is the best. We're very happy with what we did.”

On how the trade had already been made before the draft:

“I'm pretty sure a lot of Carolina fans were very happy when we drafted him, but that wasn't our pick.”

Bobcats general manager Rod Higgins on Richardson (via ESPN):

“He'll blend in, but more importantly he's that guy who wants to score the ball in the clutch. He's a terrific player, a terrific human being.”

Bobcats head coach Sam Vincent on Richardson (via Bobcats.com):

“Well I think it adds 20-plus points to it. When I think about my wings running in the lanes and I think about my two and my three, Jason Richardson obviously gives you a two that can pull up and shoot the three. He’s incredibly athletic. He can get to the rim. He’s just a phenomenal shooter and a definite go-to guy that can give you points. So it adds a lot of offensive strength. I think defensively probably hasn’t been his strong point in the past, but definitely a guy that can play defense.

“This is a guy that is 6-6, athletic, he’s strong, he’s fast, and he’s quick. From everything I’ve heard, he’s a guy that really comes in works hard and has a great work ethic and does what the coaches need him to do. In terms of defensively, I expect him to come in and be the kind of defensive guy that we also need because he has the capability to do it. So in terms of how it affects the roster, I see it as a complete enhancement. We’ve got a proven NBA guy that can score the ball with a great work ethic and is great in the community. So that makes our team that much better.”

Bobcats guard Raymond Felton on the opportunity to play with two wings in Richardson and Gerald Wallace (Charlotte Observer):

“I'm excited. It's going to be great having two guys like that and being able to run with them. It'll be a lot of fun.”

Photo Credit: Every Joe & Golden State of Mind

#Warriors #Bobcats #2007 #2007 NBA Draft #2007*08 Season #Jason Richardson #Brandan Wright #Jermareo Davidson

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