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Nov10
Maggette may play Tuesday — or then again, he may not
Don Nelson said Monday that he thinks forward Corey Maggette will play — albeit limited minutes — against the Minnesota Timberwolves on Tuesday.
Maggette didn’t sound so sure.
“I’m getting closer to being able to play,” Maggette said. “(I’m) just talking to Tom (Abdenour, the team’s athletic trainer) and Mark (Grabow, director of athletic development), it’s really up to them now. Just trying to make the decision if this would be the right time or just to rest it one more game, so I don’t have any more setbacks during the year. It’s frustrating, but you’ve got to deal with it. It’s tough watching the team lose when you know you can help and contribute but you can’t.”
Once I turned from talking to Maggette, team president Robert Rowell was facing a growing phalanx of notebooks and cameras, so I joined in. (Please note, unlike other Q&As posted here, this is a group session.)
Robert Rowell: From our perspective, we’ve still got a lot of work to be done. The team’s now 2-5 and we’ve got to get work done between now and the end of the season to get better. That’s what Chris (Mullin) is focusing on, and contrary to popular belief and opinion, he and I are on the same page on pretty much everything.
Q: How do assess the personnel you have right now?
RR: The assessment of the team is we’re 2-5 right now. I will assess it on our record. When it comes to evaluating our talent, those are questions we need to ask Chris and Don (Nelson) and Larry (Riley).
Q: You have the final judgment, though, especially with regards to how it fits into the budget.
RR: I hire basketball guys to make basketball decisions. I’m letting those guys so their jobs and make talent decisions with respect to the roster and who our players are. I’ll get involved like I have gotten involved, with terms and conditions and whether things fit within our budget and those types of things. But there’s a reason why I’ve got basketball guys running our basketball operations.
Q: What do you see from Larry in the assistant GM role?
RR: He’s got over 20 years experience in the NBA. You add his experience with Chris Mullin’s experience with Don Nelson’s experience, I think we can do nothing but make the team better, and I’m looking forward to those guys all working together to do that.
Q: How do you feel about the perception that you and Chris are clashing?
RR: I’m into what reality is, and what reality is is that we’re on the same page with respect to pretty much everything that we’re doing here. And I think you should ask him the same question because I’m sure he’ll give you the same answer.
Q: There’s no need for any good PR, a group hug or anything like that?
RR: I think we’re alright.
Q: When you say you’re on the same page for almost everything, I assume firing Pete D’Alessandro was not one of those instances?
RR: Again, it’s a personnel matter (and) I don’t make comments on decisions that we’re making. I think I answered that a little earlier.
Q: I wasn’t here for that.
RR: In most areas of business, when you make personnel decisions, you don’t necessarily comment on them publicly, nor will I on that subject.
Q: Nellie said he has to get comfortable with the fact that this team will struggle. What makes you confident he’s the right guy for this job?
RR: Starting the season, Don was 53 wins away from being the all-time winningest coach in the NBA. He’s expressed an interest to continue and wants to be part of the future here, and wants to end his career here as the coach of the Golden State Warriors. And we felt that was the right time and the right place and the perfect fit to do that.
Also, knowing that we’re a younger team, we wanted to give him a little piece of mind that it wasn’t all about picking up those 53 wins all within the first 53 games of the season.
Q: How important is it to have him go for that record here?
RR: Well, I think it’s more important that the team wins, obviously, than it is for any personal or individual records, and I think Don would tell you the same thing. But I think it says something about him and his career, that he’s able to finish it here.
Q: Stephen Jackson’s contract extension?
RR: It’s in the works.
Q: What’s the holdup? You want to keep him and he wants to stay.
RR: I wouldn’t say there’s a holdup with anything.
Q: So terms are agreed to?
RR: I didn’t say that either. It’s in the works.
Q: How far along in the process, then?
RR: Enough for you to be able to ask a question and for me to tell you it’s in the works.
Q: How does the downturn in the economy affect your team?
RR: Business right now is tough. It’s no different than it is for any other industry. I think in ours, because we offer entertainment and the ability for you to escape, we still have to create something that’s a little bit better than the other thing to escape to. So we’ve got our work cut out there, as being creative and creating an environment where people can come and relax and watch a game. But I do think business is tough. I think you could ask all the other Bay Area sports teams. I mean, we’re all feeling it.
Q: I can’t remember you having another post-practice press conference in four years–
RR: Well, this wasn’t my idea. I was walking down to tell (executive director of public relations) Raymond Ridder something and I got ambushed by (Janny Hu). So basically, I’m answering her questions and you guys turned your stuff on and moved on in.
Q: Is there any symbolism to the fact that you’re seen as taking a larger role in the decision-making process?
RR: This is the sixth year that I’ve been the president of this team. I’m at practices all the time and I’m always around. So, that’s kind of a dumb question, but that’s OK.
Q: What’s your mood about the franchise? Are you encouraged? Concerned?
RR: Well, no one likes to be 2-5 to start a season, so there’s obviously caution there, because you want to start a little better than we’ve started. I think you could ask our players, coaches and front-office (staff) that and they’d say that. But I think we’ve got to get healthy. I mean, we’re missing three of our starters right now, our projected starters coming into the season. And that’s not an excuse. We’ve just got to get healthy and we’ve got to see what we’ve got.
Q: Are you longing for peaceful times? You guys are always on hoopshype for off-the-court matters.
RR: I usually only read what Raymond gives me to read. So from that perspective, I’m not sure what the lineup is on hoopshype.
Q: Just the news that doesn’t have to do with the basketball court, are you ready for that to end?
RR: I want to focus on what needs to be done down here, and that’s what the guys are focusing on right now, is making this team better, and that’s what they’re going to do, Chris, Larry and Don.
Q: Larry has experience as a No. 2 guy in a front office (with Vancouver from 1994 through 2000), but hasn’t been there for years. What makes him better than somebody else from outside the organization that’s had more recent experience?
RR: Recent experience? I mean, the guy was coaching two games ago, so I think he’s got pretty good NBA experience.
Q: But not in terms of working in a front office.
RR: Well, he’s not that far removed from working in the front office. And I think his job and his focus is going to be player evaluation and also working at trying to find the right fit and pieces for what we’re doing. And I think the fact that Don Nelson is our head coach and he and Larry have worked together for a long time, I don’t think it hurts to have someone who knows, along with Mully, who has a real great depth of experience with what makes Nellie tick as a coach and what (kind of players) he needs to coach.
Q: Some people have made the observation that Pete was Mully’s top lieutenant here in the organization, and Larry is Nellie top lieutenant in the organization, and moving (Riley) into the front office brings more influence for Don Nelson into the front office. What’s your response?
RR: The day we announced Don Nelson as the head coach of the Golden State Warriors brought Don Nelson’s influence to the organization.
– Geoff
20 Responses to “Maggette may play Tuesday — or then again, he may not”
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When you guys brought up the Jack extension, why didn’t any of you reporters mention the fact that extending Jack is freaking stupid!!!! I want to hear Rowell’s pathetic excuse as to why extending Jack makes any sense whatsoever.
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Any word on weather C. Mullins will get an extension? Interesting read, but I am not sure how much stock to put into the article. I am not felling Rowell and I don’t trust him.
Just my word…
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It seems every time Rowell answers questions he says something cringe-inducing.
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THanks for posting this q&a, Geoff. Next time please ask him how much he’s going to raise the season ticket prices for next year. Tanking this year for a good pick wouldn’t have been so bad but for the Maggette signing and the 25% increase in ticket prices. Props to Robert though, he’s mastered the art of hiding empty seats — either by placing a yellow placard on the seat or by offering dirt cheap tickets to get people to the games.
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M.Squared November 11th, 2008 at 1:07 am
Maybe you could ask him what makes him think he is qualified to start making decisions now after all the years of shitty ones he made before Mullin came in and started experimenting and then eventually turned it around. Maybe one day he’ll be as smart as he thinks he is right now….
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Geoff, any word on the trade talks that’ve been going around with either AL or whoever? Also, hear anything about bringing in McDyess?
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commish November 11th, 2008 at 10:21 am
Maggette may or may not play is about 50-50; Nellie may or may not have totally srewed Mullin is 100%. Our next GM’s name is Donn–how fitting.
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I do not trust Rowell but I don’t have to trust Rowell. I wouldn’t want to have a trustworthy GM in the sense that the GM is speaking his mind 100% of the time.
Rowell’s self interest and the Franchise’s well being can be aligned. Mullin’s done well enough for Rowell to be the guy who ruins the recovering GSW franchise. Rowell’s ego wouldn’t allow that to happen unlike a St. Jean who I was embarrassed for at times.
The person to worry about is the owner. The success of the franchise isn’t necessary for Cohen to be happy. A profitable, losing franchise with a convenient scapegoat to fire every few years has kept Cohen happy for over a decade.
He maybe content with Rowell as his sycophant and meddle to save money.
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Anonymous November 11th, 2008 at 11:38 am
Who ever said we shouldnt resign jackson is retarded..dont resign the guy whos been defending every all star on each team we play..just let them score easier with out jacks defense..get rid of harrington! he has pissed me off all year with his bullshit plays.
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JustPuked November 11th, 2008 at 11:58 am
…and Geoff delivers. Nicely done. In person is he as defensive and flippant as this interview reads?
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Anonymous, are you referring to the same Jackson who’s going to get worse over time, not better? The guy who is shooting below 38%? BELOW 38%? A guy who’s averaging nearly 4 turnovers a game?
If anything, overreliance on Jack as a safety blanket is what’s holding this team back. All the players expect Jack to take the shots and make the plays- as a result, deferring to him instead of attacking on their own.
Even with Jack’s defense, we’ve got…2 wins.
We aren’t going anywhere with Stephen Jackson.
Stephen Jackson isn’t getting better.
Extending and giving Stephen Jackson a raise is therefore “retarded”You have to commit to rebuilding, so get over it.
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Has anyone ever seen Mike Nolan and Robert Rowell in the same place at the same time?
Looks like Jack is becoming Rowell’s Mark Roman — the worse he plays the more you pays!
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That would also apply to Aubrayo Franklin and Isaac Sopanga, except the Niners dont have any real alternatives at tackle.
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Whoa now haterz, Jack is the future. Learn it, love it, live it.
Some folks, you just can’t reach. -
commish November 11th, 2008 at 6:39 pm
It’s Jax or Jackson, but not Jack. And, BTW, Jax is as much of our future is Webber was going to turn the franchise around last year and get us to the playoffs. These are just horrible distractions that keep us from accepting what Jon said: we are rebuilding and will suck for a while, then be a whole lot better, assuming Rowell doesn’t get to make basketball decisions, including extending a paying Jax more jack.
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90’s GSW would pay their best guy too much. Let’s not reboot that bad policy.
Player salary is based on the league, not the team roster. JAX is one of our best but in the league, he’s damaged goods.
Let the market set his price.
Will that piss him off?
Yes.
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Geoff Lepper November 11th, 2008 at 8:00 pm
YoHan: I don’t think Mullin will get an extension. He will most likely be gone at the end of the season.
BB: Nothing new in terms of potential deals. McDyess wouldn’t come here.
Commish: Weeks ago, when all this Mullin-Rowell stuff started breaking I checked in with a couple folks in Dallas, because Donnie was the first name that came to mind for me. There is zero chance of that happening. (Additionally, the rumor’s been debunked here.) There’s more chance Mullin stays than Donnie comes in.
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Jax Jackson is all we’ve got.
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M.Squared November 12th, 2008 at 12:37 am
I will say this- I like Jackson. He is a good player that can do a lot of things well- but he is not the guy to carry us night in and night out. Some nights he is gonna get hot and shoot the lights out- but he is not a 44 minute per night 25 pt scorer on the regular. Tim Duncan once called him the ultimate teamate. Jackson shined on that San Antonio Championship team as the 3rd option- just like he shined as the 3rd option on the warrior playoff team. While opposing teams focused on Robinson and Duncan or Davis and Richardson- Jackson was free to make plays and shoot open threes. Additionally- with a #1 and 2 scorer- Jackson can exert the bulk of his energy frustrating the opposing teams better players- i.e.- Dirk Nowitski -2 years ago. That all said- I think Nelson and the Warriors are trying to make Jackson something he is not in the wake of “Moped-gate” and Baron’s departure. They need someone to grasp onto. Rowell is desperate and doesnt really know a thing about basketball and how to manage a team- he thinks this is good now but it isnt. I am against giving him an extention right now- especially with so much commited to Maggete ( who I still maintain will be traded by the 2010 all star game) , Ellis and AB. They can ponder an extention this summer -after seeing what direction things are going. With the 2010 market having a huge crop of FA’s- It is unlikely the the Dubs have shot at Bosh, Wade or LBJ- but there is a whole second teir of great and very good players that could be on the move as well- Dirk- Stoudamire-Josh Howard–Redd-TJ Ford-Nash -Jefferson- Bargiani-Aldridge- so it is kind of foolish to do something now when you have no clue what your direction will be at that point- ESPECIALLY when you still dont know if Monta is gonna be your point or not. If Monta ends up playing the 2 there could be a logjam- especially if Randolph or Wright end up manning the 3 and 4 spots on the floor together. And really- unless the Ws are a playoff team in 09 or 2010 - there really isnt a place for jack on this team. They dont need him on a young developing team that is in the 9th or 10th spot in the West for the next 3 years. Its a waste of money and a waste of his talents. He’s a good team guy on a good team. He’s not Batman or Robin- he is more like Alfred- the man behind the man that saves your ass sometimes. …..
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thanks gl
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