ok this is from charley rosen on dunmurphy (damon bruce thank you for the name):
It wasn't so long ago that various combinations of Ron Artest, Al Harrington, Stephen Jackson and Jamaal Tinsley were deemed to be the core of a Pacers team that the organization believed could mount a serious challenge for a championship.
Since those hopeful days, the in-house evaluation of the Pacers' prospects had undergone a drastic change.
The trade with Golden State signals an entirely new direction for Indiana — one step backward in preparation for hopefully being able to take two steps forward.
Let's take a closer look at the players involved and the consequences for their new teams.
What Indiana gains
In Troy Murphy, the Pacers add an excellent stand-still, mid-range shooter who can run the floor, screen and pop, and attack the offensive boards. The left-handed Murphy can also post up on occasion, scoring with a turnaround jumper over his right shoulder, but preferring to turn and face, jab step, and then shoot. Nor is Murphy afraid to be physical in the paint. Beyond the pivot, Murphy can pump fake and drive right, but would rather drive left.
What can't he do? Defend, pass or compete with the same sheer athleticism as his peers.
Since Jermaine O'Neal has stated a preference to avoid playing center, Murphy and Jeff Foster now comprise an effective tandem in the middle. Foster provides rebounding and defense, while Murphy's shooting will make opponents pay dearly whenever O'Neal does venture into the paint and is double-teamed.
Since Murphy always works hard and is a solid citizen, look for him to thrive under Rick Carlisle's firm, yet fair management.
Mike Dunleavy can hit open shots from anywhere, pull-and-shoot going either way, move without the ball, sneak to the boards, and look to pass. Dunleavy's consistency from beyond the arc will be an asset for the Pacers, as will his willingness to play team-oriented ball. What he can not do is play anything resembling adequate defense. Zilch. Nada.
Ike Diogu remains a work in progress. A powerful 6-foot-8, he can either post and bang his way to the basket or shoot an effective turnaround jumper. Defense is a problem, as is passing, and avoiding turnovers. But like Murphy and Dunleavy, Diogu always plays hard all of the time.
Keith McLeod is a 3-point specialist who can't do much else, and, if he sticks, will not be a factor.
What the Pacers lose
Al Harrington will be scoring for the Warriors now. (Ray Amati/NBAE / Getty Images)
In Harrington, the Pacers lose a selfish player who never got sufficient touches to satisfy his huge ego. (Why, indeed, did Larry Bird bring him back to Indiana?) In Stephen Jackson, they deal away a loose cannon who has exploded far too many times, and who can't tell the difference between a good shot and a bad one. In Sarunas Jasikevicius, they lose a savvy, dead-eye shooter who was too slow and too defenseless to justify more than occasional playing time at either of the backcourt positions.
In other words, the Pacers have bereft themselves of a headache, a migraine, and a secret malcontent.
With the newcomers on board, here's what the Pacers rotation looks like:
Jamaal Tinsley is the holdover point guard — a talented player still plagued with poor judgment, a fatal flaw at his position. But who will his backup be?
At 37, Darrell Armstrong can only zip hither and yon for short bursts.
Marquis Daniels is a slasher, a penetrator and a puller, who can also rebound, and play long-armed defense. Because his perimeter shooting and his handle are suspect, Daniels can only play point in a dire emergency. So scratch him from the mix.
By default, the slot goes to young Orien Greene, who can defend some, but can't shoot himself in the foot.
Perhaps the Pacers are not done wheeling and dealing.
Dunleavy slips into Jackson's place beside Tinsley, Danny Granger becomes the full-time small forward, and Murphy subs at both power forward and center. The net result is a better perimeter game; a young stud to develop, who has a much better work ethic than David Harrison; and a set of players who will go about their business with no fuss and no complaints.
What Golden State gains
Harrington can ring up points with a medium-range jumper, with aggressive post-up moves, and with ferocious drives to the basket. An extremely talented performer, he can rebound like a big, and also has the skills to play some point guard. His overly earnest defense, however, usually gets him into foul trouble. However, with Brad Davis, Monta Ellis, and (when he's healthy) Jason Richardson monopolizing the ball, Harrington will inevitably be frustrated at not being the focus of the Warriors' offense.
Jackson is a shot-happy wing-man, who (like Harrington) loves to play iso-ball and fire away at his pleasure. Defense is not his thing.
Both Harrington and Jackson are explosive scorers, commodities of which Don Nelson never seems to have enough.
Jasikevicius needs more structure and more touches than he'll get playing Nellie Ball.
Josh Powell is a throw-in, who will either languish on the bench, or be quickly waived.
What Golden State loses
In Murphy and Dunleavy, they lose Nelson's favorite whipping boys. In Diogu, they lose a project that Nelson had no time or patience to nurture.
Poll
Here's what the Warriors new-look rotation might be:
Davis is a fixture, but Ellis' young-and-wild game might be better suited to coming off the bench. In that case, look for Jackson to step into the starting lineup at the 2-spot. Matt Barnes has played too well to relinquish his job at the small forward. And Andris Biedrins remains the only true center on the roster.
Will Harrington be used to provide instant points (or at least instant shots) behind both Biedrins and Mickael Pietrus? Or will Harrington's arrival eventually shove Pietrus to the bench? One shudders to think how the arrogant Pietrus will react to such a demotion.
The Warriors are now much more athletic than they were before the trade. With so many potent one-on-one scorers at his disposal, Nelson will have a ball puppet-mastering matchups.
So, then, who got the best of the transaction?
Golden State has enhanced the style of play that Nellie favors. Expect more of the same, but at a higher level. Yet the arrival of two more players with gigantic egos (Harrington and Jackson), along with Nelson's propensity to mix-and-match his starters and juggle everybody's playing time will eventually create problems.
To loosen up the logjam of scorers, the Warriors must trade Jason Richardson for a workmanlike big man who can defend and rebound.
The Pacers, meanwhile, have dramatically altered their game plan. Fast breaks are no longer in style, and unselfish ball-movement and ball-sharing will become the norm. Roles will be much more defined. Airheads will no longer be tolerated.
In the long run, the Pacers will become much more syncopated and therefore a much more solid ball club. But the lone remaining loose screw on the squad — Jamaal Tinsley — is advised to either blend in with the new deal, or else not send out his laundry.
It says here that, all things considered, Indiana rates the edge.
this guy is on pot!!!!! did you see what he had to say about dunmurphy? this guy is awful. the warriors clearly got the better TALENT in this deal. i dont understand why critics say that Indiana won. Why? Because they lost Jackson? On the court he is a good quality player. They lose Harrington who never should have come there in the first place. They lose Jsjkasdhkfh who did not get any playing time under Carlisle. And the other guy is a throw in player.
They get a Combo of probably the two worst contracts in the NBA. The critics do not mention their contracts. Murphy is nothing, hes been weak and soft ever since his nose got jacked up. And Rosen said Dun can hit from anywhere??? Are you kidding me??? He's one of the worst shooters on the team. I think Diogu can shoot better than Dun from beyond the arc.
I love this trade for the Warriors, it fills holes and they now have players that Nellie likes rather than players that they had to have due to their gynormous contracts.
Grade: A