The Warriors? bold trade on June 30th, 1993, which sent the draft rights to Penny Hardaway and three future first round picks to the Orlando Magic in exchange for Chris Webber was the peak moment in my childhood as a sports' fan.
Because of a season in which the club?s four-best players were limited to just 179 games between them (Chris Mullin 46, Tim Hardaway 66, Sarunas Marciulonis 30, and Billy Owens 37), the Warriors finished with a 34-48 record and received the third overall pick in the draft.
Latrell Sprewell, the 24th overall pick in the 1992 draft, was already looking like the All-Star wing he eventually became ,and to add Webber to that healthy core that was just one year removed from going 55-27 made the Warriors look like title contenders.
Webber was easily the league?s best rookie, posting a per 40 FIC of 20.0 and helping the Warriors run off a 50-32 record. After struggling out of the gate, they went 23-12 after the break and went 10-3 in April before being swept in three games by Charles Barkley and the Suns.
- Speaking of Sir Charles..
Webber knew that the greatness of his game came at the high post, but Don Nelson wanted to make him a traditional center which became a huge point of contention and fueled their feud. By the time the Warriors acquired Rony Seikaly to play center, the marriage was over, and Webber was traded to the Washington Bullets in exchange for Tom Gugliotta and three first round picks, essentially making the 1993 trade with the Magic an exchange of Penny Hardaway for Gugliotta.
Eventually, Webber delivered on his promise up Interstate-80 in Sacramento and the rest is, as they say, history.
But what will Webber bring to Golden State in his second stint?
Even more than those early-90?s Nellieball teams, the Warriors love to run so will he be able to keep up with their pace?
Few big men, no matter their age, can truly do it and Webber will primarily play at the high-post. Here, he will give the Warriors a pick and roll option as a big with a lethally soft 15-footer who also remains one of the finest passing big men to ever play the game, something that Andris Biedrins simply cannot do.
Biedrins has said that he takes the Webber signing as a challenge, but Webber will complement and enhance the young big?s developing game.
As well as Biedrins played Sunday night when he posted a career high of 26 rebounds, Webber would have been extremely effective in breaking the Knicks? very rudimentary 1-2-2 zone defense which gave the Warriors fits. Webber clearly won?t transform the Warriors, but his ability to create offense and also rebound could have actually swung the tides substantially enough against the Jazz last May to alter the final outcome. The Warriors have acquired an impact player without losing any of their valuable young assets nor will they be taking on troublesome salary.
Webber's still effective when motivated (per 40 FIC of 13.5 last season) which he will be playing for a contender that easily is one of the league's most captivating teams.
Webber has evolved from a cocksure 20-year-old while Nelson has embraced a more laidback Maui-style of coaching, delegating much authority to Baron Davis. The hatchet has long been buried and in what could be the final NBA season for both parties, there is some real nice cachet to this reunion.
Grading the Deal: B+