Nellie: Marco Belinelli

When the Warriors exiled Jason Richardson to Charlotte, the conventional wisdom was that Monta Ellis was your new starting two-guard. Don Nelson would like you to take your conventional wisdom and suck on it, thanks.

Nelson gave some hints as to what he foresees for Golden State over the next eight months, making it clear that rookie Marco Belinelli -- not Monta Ellis, winner of the NBA's Most Improved Player Award last season -- is the front-runner to take over the starting spot left vacant by the trade of Jason Richardson.

Ellis is only six months older, despite his two years of experience in the league. But he is the reigning Most Improved Player (grumble grumble). That might tell us how good Belinelli has looked behind closed doors (never mind what he's showed us in public view).

Maybe this has less to do with Belinelli as it does Baron Davis and the Golden State point guard situation. Yes, Troy Hudson is in town. But Ellis has shown a bit of playmaking ability from the point -- not enough to be a full-time one, but enough to spell Baron. Monta could very well be that third guard to fill up both slots, getting as many minutes as Marco while having a bit more freedom with parts of the second unit. And of course, fickle Nellie could change his mind a million times by November, let alone when the season really gets weighty.