Category: Golden State Warriors Blog

DeMarcus Cousins Wears a headband

As their season of promise (literally) quickly slips away, with their veteran roster unable to consistently win close games and their chance at recovery damaged by the possibility that their 2012 draft pick is ticketed for Utah, the Warriors are pursuing a deal before the March 15 trade deadline, general manager Larry Riley said.

“We’re working day and night and we’re hopeful,” Riley told NBA.com on Monday night. “But what will not happen is, we won’t do something that sets us back just to do a deal. We want to find the right deal, and if we get one of those we’ll do it. I don’t know what the odds of it are right now.”

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Stephen Curry is the closest to untouchable — plugged-in beat writer Marcus Thompson II of the Bay Area News Group reported Golden State would not include Curry in a potential Hornets deal without assurance it could keep Paul beyond this season — but the best assets are still in the backcourt. Monta Ellis has long been the focus of trade speculation, and now his backup, rookie Klay Thompson, is playing better by the week and drawing glowing reviews within the organization.

— Reported by Scott Howard-Cooper of NBA.com 

Golden State Warriors center Kwame Brown underwent successful surgery yesterday (Wednesday, January 18) to repair his torn right pectoralis major (the large chest muscle that attaches to his right shoulder), the team announced today.

The procedure was performed by Dr. Neal ElAttrache at the Kerlan-Jobe Orthpaedic Clinic in Los Angeles.  Brown will remain in Southern California for a brief time and begin rehabilitation upon his return to the Bay Area sometime next week.  He is expected to be out for a minimum of three months.

Brown, 31, suffered the injury at the 6:22 mark of the fourth quarter during the Warriors’ game against the Miami Heat on Tuesday, January 10. In nine games this season, he posted averages of 6.3 points and 6.3 rebounds in 20.8 minutes.

With center Kwame Brown out injured for months, the Golden State Warriors have added help up front.

The Warriors Saturday have signed free agent center Earl Barron, the team announced.  Per team policy, terms of the agreement were not released. It’s likely a very short, small contract.

Barron, 30, played with the Portland Trailblazers, Phoenix Suns and Milwaukee Bucks last season, appearing in 21 games (seven starts), averaging 3.8 points and 3.6 rebounds in 14.6 minutes.  In seven starting assignments, the 7’0’’ center averaged 4.4 points and 5.4 rebounds in 23.4 minutes.

Barron, who was not drafted by an NBA team, originally signed as a free agent with the Orlando Magic in 2004, one season prior to joining Miami, where he spent three seasons with the Heat and won an NBA Championship in 2006. Barron owns career averages of 5.1 points and 3.7 rebounds in 15.2 minutes per contest in 110 games regular-season games over four seasons with Portland, Milwaukee, Phoenix, Miami and the New York Knicks.  The Clarksdale, MS, native played four seasons at the University of Memphis (1999-2003).

He will wear uniform #40.

With center Kwame Brown likely out for the season, the Warriors are back on the market for a big man. Only this time, the options are even skimpier. Thursday, Golden State announced Brown will have to undergo surgery to repair a torn pectoralis major (the large chest muscle that attaches to his right shoulder). It is expected to keep him out at least three months, according to the Warriors…

According to multiple sources, the Warriors had Joel Przybilla on their list. But Przybilla, an 11-year veteran defensive specialist who last played for Portland, has been ruled out because he’s seeking to play for a title contender.

Golden State previously had an agreement with free agent center Kyrylo Fesenko, formerly of Utah. But after he worked out with the team, the Warriors decided to pass. One team source said Golden State would not take another look at Fesenko.

— Reported by Marcus Thompson II of the Bay Area News Group

Results of an MRI performed yesterday on Golden State Warriors center Kwame Brown revealed a torn pectoralis major (the large chest muscle that attaches to his right shoulder), which will require him to undergo surgery within the next few days, the team announced today.  The surgery, which has not yet been scheduled, is expected to keep him out for a minimum of three months.

“Obviously, we’re very disappointed, especially for Kwame, who was playing extremely well and had worked diligently since his arrival,” said Larry Riley, the team’s Executive Vice President of Basketball Operations/General Manager.  “In a short time, he had proven to be the anchor to our low post defense and certainly lived up to his reputation as one of the top interior defenders in the NBA.  He had provided us a big, physical presence in the middle, which is something that we’ve lacked in the past.  Unfortunately, surgery of this nature typically requires, approximately, a three-month recovery period.”

The injury occurred at the 6:22 mark of the fourth quarter during the Warriors’ game against the Miami Heat on Tuesday, January 10.

Brown, 29, appeared in all nine of Golden State’s games this season, averaging 6.3 points and 6.3 rebounds in 20.8 minutes per game.  He started each of the team’s last three games, averaging 9.7 points and 6.3 rebounds in those contests.  He was originally signed by the Warriors as a free agent on December 14, 2011.

“I feel extremely bad for Kwame,” said Head Coach Mark Jackson.  “He had done absolutely everything that myself and our coaching staff had asked of him and quickly started to change this team’s image on the defensive end of the floor.  If you look at the last week, in particular, he had some pretty impressive defensive performances, especially against some of the top scoring big men in the NBA.  This is a blow, but Kwame and the Warriors will recover and move forward.  I know that he will work as hard as he can during rehabilitation.”