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Jan
5

Jermareo Davidson: More proof for Richard Hendrix that Don Nelson just wasn’t that into you

Filed under: Commentary; Tagged as: Andris Biedrins, Anthony Randolph, Baron Davis, Brandan Wright, Corey Maggette, Don Nelson, Jason Richardson, Jermareo Davidson, Kelenna Azubuike, Monta Ellis, Paul Millsap, Richard Hendrix, Rob Kurz, Ronny Turiaf, Stephen Jackson

By Geoff Lepper
48minutes.net

The frontline void for the Warriors is kind of like the U.S. school system: You can throw however much money and manpower you want at it, and it just doesn’t seem to make a whit of difference.

The latest attempt to stem this tide is Jermareo Davidson, who was originally selected 36th overall in the 2007 draft by the Warriors but was traded before the night was out to the Charlotte Bobcats, along with Jason Richardson, for Brandan Wright.

Davidson, brought in today on a 10-day contract, essentially replaces Richard Hendrix, who was cut loose on Dec. 18 when Monta Ellis had to be transferred back from the suspended list to the inactive squad. It’s a funny coincidence, since they played together at Alabama for two seasons and were the two leading scorers on the Tide’s 2006-07 team. Here are the stats from that season (and remember that Hendrix was a sophomore, while Davidson was a senior):

Many fans have questioned why on Earth the Warriors would waive Hendrix (whose $442,114 salary was fully guaranteed) without seeing him play once in a real NBA game, only to turn around two weeks later and sign another big man who could — if the team chooses to retain Davidson for the rest of the season — cost another roughly $350,000.

There’s either one of two things at play:

A) The Warriors simply need another large body to get through tonight’s contest, since Wright and Rob Kurz are both banged up, Anthony Randolph is on double-not-so-secret probation, Corey Maggette hasn’t played in nearly a month, Kelenna Azubuike will get eaten alive by Paul Millsap and Andris Biedrins and Ronny Turiaf can’t each play 48 minutes — unless the foul disqualification limit is doubled to 12.

Or. . .

B) Don Nelson likes Davidson more than he liked Hendrix. A lot more.

I can believe at least half of choice B, because Nelson clearly didn’t think much of Hendrix’s ability, right from the start. Back in October, after three weeks of working with Hendrix, before the regular season had even begun, Nelson had this to say: “He has an NBA body and NBA desire but is not NBA ready.”

Asked if Hendrix had NBA talent, Nelson said, “Not yet.”

The coach’s attitude was unmoved by what he saw when he watched Hendrix and DeMarcus Nelson play for the Bakersfield Jam in mid-December, according to Matt Steinmetz: “I think the school is still out on Hendrix. He’s got a lot of work to do. As far as the body and rebounding, he’s got two things going for him. But he’s got to learn a lot of other stuff.”

Is Davidson going to be any better? Certainly, at 6-10 and with a 7-4 wingspan — a quarter-inch longer than Wright and a full inch better than Randolph — Davidson has the potential to fill a “traditional” power forward spot.

But I’ll believe it when I see it.

Winners and losers?
The most obvious winner is Davidson, who was released in training camp this season by the Bobcats. He’s almost certainly going to get a chance to play over Randolph, and I suspect could pass Wright on the depth chart, especially if Wright keeps getting into early foul trouble.

Another potential winner is Maggette. I know Don Nelson has said he’s not going to overplay Maggette this time around, but I recall he said that about Baron Davis last season just before grinding BD into the ground with endless streams of 38-, 40- and 42-minute games. If Davidson flops, that will open the door for Maggette to get another shot at power forward, where there are oodles of minutes to be had.

And you can’t put up numbers if you don’t get minutes.

The biggest loser is also plain: DeMarcus Nelson, the Oakland native who got cut to make way for Davidson. Don Nelson said from the start that it would take a year, at a minimum, to remake DeMarcus’ shot, which is why I found it strange they kept him, let alone started him on Opening Night.

Even with the emergency revamp that took place in the D-League, Nelson’s shot is still too inaccurate and too slow to make it at this level right now, as evidenced by his shot chart:

In case those numbers are too fuzzy to read, that’s 20-35 (57.1 percent) on layups and dunks, 4-18 (22.2 percent) on everything else.

Steinmetz pointed to Randolph as being on the downside of this decision, but I don’t really agree. That theory, to me, flips the causality; it’s not that Randolph is going to play zero minutes because Davidson is on the roster — Davison is on the roster precisely because Randolph is already guaranteed not to play, a fact Nelson made clear with his public trashing of Randolph.

(Wouldn’t it be fascinating if tri-captains Biedrins, Turiaf and Stephen Jackson all went on the record tonight as saying that, since Nelson left the decision up to them and the assistant coaches, Randolph should play? How hilarious would that be?)

The biggest potential loser is Wright. Nelson has made it clear he’s willing to play Wright, but only begrudgingly, and always with a shorter leash than any of the veterans (Maggette being the most pertinent example). If Davidson can shoot with regularity the 15-footer that Wright really can’t (not with any consistency, anyways), is there any doubt he’ll be starting for this team in the near future?

Contact: geofflepper@48minutes.net

16 Responses to “Jermareo Davidson: More proof for Richard Hendrix that Don Nelson just wasn’t that into you”

petaluman January 5th, 2009 at 6:58 pm

Geoff,

A few other things regarding JD - he’s nearly 3″ taller than Hendrix, 30 pounds heavier than BW and AR. He reputedly has a mid-range game, and shot 52% FGs and 78% FTs in the NBDL this season. Having recently passed his 24th birthday, he would immediately become one of the oldest Warriors. He did see action in 38 NBA games last season, also.

Of course, he was also waived by the Bobcats a couple of months ago (teams don’t value 2nd round picks as highly as some fans do). In the short term, he could well see action before Wright and Randolph, as he’s likely more NBA ready. That’s important right now, with us down to only 3 healthy players who are even close to big enough to play traditional PF or C.

Longer term, he does have some potential. He’s already got the weight we’ve all been mentally adding to BW and AR. That will make it easier for him to get minutes at both the 4 and 5 slots. His ceiling is higher than Kurz; he could make Rob expendable if he can make an immediate impression.
Chris Cohan January 5th, 2009 at 7:30 pm

petaluman is on payroll.
Egregious idiocy in that front office, no defense allowable unless Davidon is borderline ROY material.
M.Squared January 5th, 2009 at 10:11 pm

Wright doesn’t need to hit a 15 footer right now. Thats the problem with half the 4’s in this league. They decide they don’t to bang in the paint and then stand around shooting jumpers all day- aka- Joe Smith. Right now he needs to work in the low post- floaters, dunks and spin moves. I don’t know what kind of minutes Davidson got in Charlotte- but they have been searching for a 4 all year to take some heat of Okeafor. Apparently he didn’t quite fit the bill there.
Chris Cohan January 5th, 2009 at 10:22 pm

Nelson’s defense of Davidson over Hendrix: Hendrix can’t shoot.

I called this mother from Day One.

This basketball community should kiss my feet but instead it just whines and fails.
Jon January 5th, 2009 at 10:33 pm

Cutting Hendrix makes NO SENSE

I defy anyone to say he wouldn’t be our second best rebounder behind Biedrins and our second best or best banger behind Turiaf.

As for the “rest of the stuff” that he allegedly couldn’t do? You mean shoot, defend the pick and roll, pass, and dribble?

Well, I defy anyone to tell me our current players are doing those things very well at all.

So again

he makes virtually no money

he provides one major skillset that is currently the #1 or #1A reason for our crappiness

no body else is sufficiently consistently better every else that they couldn’t stand to lose a few minutes for Hendrix to get a chance

Don Nelson
keeping legal and illegal pharmacists in business since 1994
Bob January 6th, 2009 at 1:36 am

I don’t exactly see teams fighting over eachother for Hendrix, and he’s been available for some time now.
JoeSez January 6th, 2009 at 11:07 am

Hendrix is free for the taking and he’s still there. We’ll see if he’s picked up but if he’s a potential starter and large minute player/rebounder, I would expect to see him gone on day one. So far nothing on google news.

Can Hendrix guard quicker NBA PFs? I bet not.

Hendrix seems too short to compensate for his lack of speed. If he were that bulky at 6′11″ he’d would be a decent center.
Dan January 6th, 2009 at 11:12 am

Hendrix is a low post player…..Nelson dont like low post players…why then did the warriors draft him???? thats the warriors million dollar question….they draft who they like and not what the coach likes…
Chris Cohan January 6th, 2009 at 11:28 am

10 Day contracts couldn’t be signed until yesterday, Bob.
But it’s irrelevant, no one is rushing to do anything, leaguewide.

Trades in the works maybe?
Chris Cohan January 6th, 2009 at 11:33 am

PS, D-League Showcase ongoing this week in Utah.
I’m sure we’ll come home with goodies like Derrick Byars and Mateen Cleaves.

Yay!
jmaaan January 6th, 2009 at 12:06 pm

would it be possible for us to compile an entire team of d-leaguers, undrafted free agents, and 2nd round picks? i’m sure they’re a couple more combo guards we could pick up if we traded some of our first round bigs. then maybe we can put out what we really want, a 5 guard lineup! can’t wait to see buike at the 5 spot, how will other centers guard him? think of the mismatches on offense!
Chris Cohan January 6th, 2009 at 12:33 pm

I thought we already had…
nc March 19th, 2009 at 12:44 pm

im an alabama fan and watched both of these players play, hendrix is better plain and simple, now davidson is good and can play more how the idiot coach of the warriors wants, but from what i understood the warriors were looking for strength and rebounding someone who could compete with carlos boozer, now tell me this between these two who would u want matched up with boozer, and another thing hendrix is dominating the boards in the dleague and putting up solid offensive numbers, with that the warriors suck and will suck for a while, they have 3 versions of the same overrated player
Chris Cohan March 19th, 2009 at 3:13 pm

nc, you’ve actually seen Hendrix play?! You immediately beat the rest of the Warriors online community for brains and relevance by a billion. Stick around, I beg of you.

I’m tracking Rich just because. But ownership tips its moron cap by grabbing a D League ‘Baman just to show the bloggers and the media they know what they’re doing.

I mean, just look at their record. Brilliant, brilliant basketball minds in Oakland.

Anyway, great to have some actual knowledge contributed to the subject.
Thanks again.
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