Not an easy decision but Warriors and Azubuike aren't a match

July 17, 6:35 PMGolden State Warriors ExaminerMatt Steinmetz

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Kelenna Azubuike 

The Warriors will have seven days to determine whether or not to match the Clippers’ multiyear offer for a reported $3 million per season to swingman Kelenna Azubuike.

That’s ample time to take stock of Azubuike’s game, where it might heading and whether or not it’s worth it to give him what many are assuming to be a three-year deal at $9-ish or $10 mill.

Me, on the other hand, am taking only seven minutes to make the call: I would not match that kind of offer for Azubuike. I like Azubuike and respect the impact he’s made in his year and a half in the league, but …

? $3, $3.5, $4 million, whatever, that’s not chump change, particularly when you need every red cent to make sure you can re-sign the players you HAVE to re-sign. And …

? Because players such as Azubuike, with all due respect, are the most common to find at the pro level.

Azubuike was called up from the D-League last season and ended up contributing sporadically to the Warriors’ success. But I’m not convinced he can get any better in this system at this time, and that’s why I’d have to say no can do.

Some see Azubuike as a borderline starter, but I see him as a borderline rotation player. While $3 million is pretty reasonable, it isn’t for the Warriors right now. Azubuike might  be worth that kind of money to the Clippers _ and clearly he is _ but he’s just another guy lingering on the perimeter to the Warriors.

Any way you cut it, Monta Ellis, Marco Belinelli (if everyone is telling the truth), Corey Maggette and Stephen Jackson have a lot of minutes locked up at the shooting guard and small forward next season.

The other thing about Azubuike is he doesn’t do anything exceptionally well. He’s a good rebounder for his size and solid spot-up shooter. But he’s not a good defender, only an average ballhandler, not much of a creator and an OK foul shooter.

Throughout his coaching career, Don Nelson always has found players such as Azubuike, guys who fit nicely into his system, and he ends up getting something out of them. Off the top of my head I’m thinking a Vincent Askew, Tom Tolbert or even Matt Barnes.

I guarantee you Nelson believes he can find someone as useful as Azubuike and at a much lower price, too. He’s done it since he began coaching three decades ago.

Azubuike has turned into a nice player and a nice story: From undrafted to on the verge of a multimillion dollar deal. He’s earned it.

But just because Azubuike deserves it doesn’t mean the Warriors have to be the ones to pay it.