Open Auditions

I seriously felt like yeterday, Mike Dunleavy and Corey Maggette held their own personal open auditions to be traded away from their current teams. For the third time this season, I've had the opportunity to sit in great seats in the sideline club section, instead of my normal vantage point in the corner. From row 8, i was not close enough to hear what was said, but could see the expressions on the players faces, which is often times.....priceless.
Both Dunleavy and Maggette came off the bench, and had respectively good games. For Dunleavy, the Warriors got something that they thought they would have all season. 3 3's in 13 point second quarter, and a total of 13 rebounds for the game. He was everywhere, he played hard, and for once, with what seemed to be sense of purpose. Perhaps he wanted to show his dad, and his dad's team he could play. But my thinking is that he wanted to show the front office of his dad's team, that he was worth trading for. For all Dunleavy's supposed multi skills in his 6'9 frame, what he is not is a stong NBA forward. He is too soft to finish with any kind of regularity, and his jumper is not as good as many thought it would be coming out of college. What he does well are the little things. He doesn't seem to have much of an ego, which is important in a game of ego's. When the Warriors win, and they go on these sputs of running and gunning, I often see Dun making the extra pass, helping it swing from the strong side, to the open shooter in the corner of the weak side, often Pietrus or Barnes. Nelson has recently called him a "blend" player, which i took to mean a great role player, and someone who can blend into the offense. Coincidentally, the Clippers could use a player like Mike. I watched yesterday as Monta Ellis took whoever was in front of him to the rim. He spun around Maggette and Livington for hoops. He took Cassell and Mobely off the dribble for layups. After each bucket, the Clipper players glared at each other like
1. They couldn't believe this kid just took them to the hole with such ease and
2. WTF was the other guy doing to help out.

I saw no accountability. Now I'm certainly not saying that Dunleavy is capable defender, he is not. But he would be perfect for a team like the Clips who need that player on the floor to make the extra pass around the perimeter to Ross in the corner. Or someone with enough basketball savvy to continue to dump the ball into Brand when he is feeling it. Currently, the Clips have 5 guys in their starting 5 who would prefer to shoot everytime. Then, they bring Maggette off the bench, and he definitely wants to shoot it.
When Magette came off the bench in the first quarter, the Warriors where in their normal 2-3 match up zone with Dunleavy on Maggette's side. The Clips swung the ball to him, he took the pass, made one strong dribble towards baseline around Dun and went in for the layup, 2 points. He is almost the exact opposite of a small forward than Dunleavy. Though they finished with almost the exact same line, both with 18 points, Dun got 9 of those with his 3 3's and Maggette earned his from the line. What Maggette can do that Dunleavy can't is attack the rim. He is not much of a three point shooter, but the Warriors have enough guys who love to do that anyway (the rest of the team). The Dubs need a slasher who can finish at the rim, and just as importantly, who has the respect of the referees when he goes to the rim. Also, something Dunleavy has yet to earn. Dun, for all he is supposed to be able to do is just an highly over paid role player. Maggette, though he comes off the bench would be a starter on most teams. Deep down, I know that both players would welcome a change of scenery. And while Maggette does have an ego, and isn't exactly a choir boy, he does well what many Dunleavy doesn't and vice versa. I know that it is not Dunleavy Sr. who is opposed to bringing on his son, but rather others in the organization who wonder what would happen if the rest of the team felt like a coach was giving his son preferential treatment. At this point, I think both teams would benefit from a trade and I can't wait to see if both players as hard tomorrow as they did for Dr. Martin Luther King.