Jason Richardson: Sam Smith Lies

Yesterday, Mr. Watson kindly brought attention to a stunning passage in Sam Smith's Chicago Tribune column stating that Warriors guard Jason Richardson wants to be traded Chicago or Detroit in the offseason due to Golden State's "infatuation with Monta Ellis."

Richardson denied the rumor very vehemently Monday to Janny Hu of the San Francisco Chronicle:

"It's kind of messed up, whoever ran that story. I've never said anything close to that."

Rich also says he just bought a new house in Oakland, and he has no family or roots at all in Chicago. He is from Michigan, though, so Detroit makes some sense.

True or not, the rumor does bring to the forefront a serious question facing the Warriors this summer and beyond: What do you do with your backcourt?

Baron Davis and Jason Richardson are expensive, All-Star caliber players. Monta Ellis is a rising young star who is about the get paid seriously. We all know Boom is a point guard and Richardson is a 2 -- he's too small even for today's blurred small forward position. Ellis plays the position of Iverson -- not quite a point, not quite a 2.

Obviously, you keep Ellis. Twenty-year-olds dropping 30 at will don't come around often. Do you try to trade oft-injured Davis, slot Ellis at the point, and accept that you're going to lead the league in turnovers the next five years? Or do you shake Richardson free, line up Ellis and Davis together, and proceed to give up 120 a night?

Golden State probably has another season before they need to make a decision -- Ellis can come off the bench in a combo role until then. But at some point, it's going to be too costly to have three great scorers fighting over two slots, and Chris Mullin will have to make a decision. (If Don Nelson doesn't make it for him first.)