[Mick]

Agreed on JBC being better than remembered, he made the NBA rookie first team and (if memory serves) one all-star team.  On the other hand there were reasons he earned his "Joe Barely Cares" nickname even if it was cruel and unfair.  For many (but not all) games each season he lacked passion particularly defensively.  Fans and writers noticed and the contrast with his great games against some of the NBAs better centers (Kareem, Malone, etc) were used as proof he had more to give the rest of the season.  He also interviewed poorly and left for two years to play in Italy before coming back to the sad-sack Warriors.  It wasn't his fault owner Mieuli couldn't afford to pay for better talent nor that Boston's Auerbach picked Mieuli's pocket but he did own his up-and-down play on the court.  But yes, he was no Todd Fuller.

All I was saying is that there was a big difference between one-time All Star JBC and the other names mentioned, particularly Todd Fuller. And JBC played one year overseas, not two.

Disagree on trading Curry, Thompson, Green before their championship window closes.  From Jan 1 2022 through the end of the season the Warriors were barely above 500 (25-23) and Curry/Green/Thompson were rarely on the floor together.  So, would you have traded them last year?  Celebrating on the parquet floor and raising that fourth championship banner was pretty sweet and made most fans forget the winter results.

We don't disagree on that statement. My position is that their championship window has already slammed shut, and it slammed shut this year. Your comments about last year are completely immaterial, the championship window was open then.  I never, not once, advocated for getting rid of Green, Steph or Klay in 2022.

In the NFL it's better to "trade a player one year early rather than one year late", as Walsh said.  Not the NBA where careers last longer and don't end as abruptly.  Post prime Curry and Thompson are still better than their available replacements.   Forget last year's example, THIS YEAR the poor performance of former first rounders Kuminga, Moody, and Wiseman have shown, they continue to play much, much better.

Here's my projection. You think the Warriors are still on a championship run. I think the Warriors will be out after the first round of the playoffs. They don't have what it takes any more. Happy to wager on it. I'll take "out after the first round of the playoffs." You take "wins the NBA championship." Let me know your preferred wager.

Once they are no longer starting we can have this conversation again and I might change my mind.  But it will be a sad day.  Particularly were the trade to involve franchise trajectory changing Steph Curry who has earned the right to go out on his own terms.

Lots of transcendant stars end up leaving at the ends of their careers. Joe Montana. Babe Ruth. Duke Snider. Willie Mays. Chris Mullin. Michael Jordan. Ronnie Lott. Jackie Robinson was actually traded to the Giants, and he retired instead. You make it sound as if it's axiomatic that they should be able to select when and where and from whom they retire.

[Mick]

Agreed on JBC being better than remembered, he made the NBA rookie first team and (if memory serves) one all-star team.  On the other hand there were reasons he earned his "Joe Barely Cares" nickname even if it was cruel and unfair.  For many (but not all) games each season he lacked passion particularly defensively.  Fans and writers noticed and the contrast with his great games against some of the NBAs better centers (Kareem, Malone, etc) were used as proof he had more to give the rest of the season.  He also interviewed poorly and left for two years to play in Italy before coming back to the sad-sack Warriors.  It wasn't his fault owner Mieuli couldn't afford to pay for better talent nor that Boston's Auerbach picked Mieuli's pocket but he did own his up-and-down play on the court.  But yes, he was no Todd Fuller.

All I was saying is that there was a big difference between one-time All Star JBC and the other names mentioned, particularly Todd Fuller. And JBC played one year overseas, not two.

Disagree on trading Curry, Thompson, Green before their championship window closes.  From Jan 1 2022 through the end of the season the Warriors were barely above 500 (25-23) and Curry/Green/Thompson were rarely on the floor together.  So, would you have traded them last year?  Celebrating on the parquet floor and raising that fourth championship banner was pretty sweet and made most fans forget the winter results.

We don't disagree on that statement. My position is that their championship window has already slammed shut, and it slammed shut this year. Your comments about last year are completely immaterial, the championship window was open then.  I never, not once, advocated for getting rid of Green, Steph or Klay in 2022.

In the NFL it's better to "trade a player one year early rather than one year late", as Walsh said.  Not the NBA where careers last longer and don't end as abruptly.  Post prime Curry and Thompson are still better than their available replacements.   Forget last year's example, THIS YEAR the poor performance of former first rounders Kuminga, Moody, and Wiseman have shown, they continue to play much, much better.

Here's my projection. You think the Warriors are still on a championship run. I think the Warriors will be out after the first round of the playoffs. They don't have what it takes any more. Happy to wager on it. I'll take "out after the first round of the playoffs." You take "wins the NBA championship." Let me know your preferred wager.

Once they are no longer starting we can have this conversation again and I might change my mind.  But it will be a sad day.  Particularly were the trade to involve franchise trajectory changing Steph Curry who has earned the right to go out on his own terms.

Lots of transcendant stars end up leaving at the ends of their careers. Joe Montana. Babe Ruth. Duke Snider. Willie Mays. Chris Mullin. Michael Jordan. Ronnie Lott. Jackie Robinson was actually traded to the Giants, and he retired instead. You make it sound as if it's axiomatic that they should be able to select when and where and from whom they retire.