Hellos: Gadzuric, Bell & Dorell

While Warriorland is seeing its share of activity these days -- the team's sale draws nigh, a marksman departs, an iffy draft pick grows ever iffier -- the tide of roster moves seems to have slowed for the moment. As such, it's a good time to greet the newly acquired Dubs, alphabetically and analytically. We'll stick with the three small-money guys tonight, and address the $80 million man tomorrow.

Charlie Bell
'09-10 Per 36: 10.3 PTS (48.6 TS%), 2.9 REB, 2.3 AST, 1.2 TO, 0.9 STL, 0.3 BLK, 3.0 PF
PER: 7.92 Win %: .334 WS/48: 0.060 2YR Adj. +/-: -1.21

Charlie is, it's safe to say, not the Bell many Warriors fan hoped to see slotted behind Monta this season. He's not entirely bereft of offensive skills -- he makes about 36% of his threes, and passes pretty well for a notional shooting guard -- but he's no kind of threat, and has to excel defensively to justify playing time. And while he's been an excellent defender at points in his career, he's now 31 and struggling with knee issues... plus/minus data doesn't suggest that he helps on that end anymore, either. There's nothing in the statistical record to suggest that he's a viable NBA rotation player. Charlie is salary cap ballast, and nothing more... every minute he gets over a young player is a minute wasted.

Dan Gadzuric
'09-10 Per 36: 10.1 PTS (44.0 TS%), 10.5 REB, 1.4 AST, 1.7 TO, 1.0 STL, 1.5 BLK, 7.2 PF
PER: 10.50 Win %: .408 WS/48: 0.077 2YR Adj. +/-: +1.67

Only a handful of NBA players scored both less often and less efficiently than Charlie Bell last season; scarily enough, Dan Gadzuric was one of them. He's the more useful guy, though, and not just because his contract is expiring. Gadzuric is a horrible offensive player, but a pretty good (if foul-prone) defender, and rebounds his position passably. While he'll be a below-average backup center, he won't be the worst one in the league, and his presence means Andris Biedrins will have a nice long leash with which to rediscover himself.

Dorell Wright
'09-10 Per 36: 12.3 PTS (56.7 TS%), 5.7 REB, 2.2 AST, 1.3 TO, 1.3 STL, 0.8 BLK, 2.3 PF
PER: 14.56 Win %: .502 WS/48: 0.137 2YR Adj. +/-: +6.20

Now this guy can play! Wright doesn't score often, but his efficiency's about average (thanks in large part to a recently-developed three-point shot), and he rebounds well (5.7 REB/36 is actually the worst mark of his career) and passes well for a small forward. Best of all, he's a genuine defensive asset, a guy who creates a lot of positive plays without drawing whistles, and whose plus-minus numbers check out just fine.

The Warriors of recent vintage have been overloaded with guys who 1) are too small for their positions, and 2) score and don't do much else. Dorell Wright's a welcome antidote. He 1) is a 6' 9" 210-pound small forward, and 2) rarely scores, because he's usually too busy doing other stuff. It's heartening that the Warriors have him, and even more heartening that they went to the trouble of going and getting him. His signing is a step away from Nellieball, which is a step in the right direction.