We’re talking about virtually the last spot on the Warriors roster. No big deal, right? In a perfect world, that player will be sitting on the bench in the postseason.
No big deal? Try to tell that to the last guy on the bench. Try to tell that to teammates of Briante Weber Saturday night. Not to mention the coach who had to break the news to Weber that the Warriors were letting him go after two 10-day contracts. Weber knew the deal. He told me Friday “you control what you can control. That’s all I can do is control my actions, how I go about things, and continue to get better.” At the same time, Weber felt like he was fitting in with this group, and they quickly gave him a nickname: “Baby Russ.” Weber said he used to call himself “Rondo 2.0.” Hopefully, with a better jumper and less drama.
It’s all good for Weber: the Warriors gave him a shot to get back into the league after cups of coffee in Memphis and Miami last season, and he has now signed a 10-day deal with the Charlotte Hornets. He got a close-up look at the best team in the NBA, and he made a connection with some of the best players on the planet. Now, Weber gets a chance to continue his career and get what he really needs: more time on the floor.
After Saturday’s win over the Nets, Steph Curry said he appreciated the attitude and effort Weber brought to the team the last few weeks. Curry said he hoped Weber landed with another team “because he has a lot to offer this league. His tenacity on the defensive end and his confidence. There was a reason he was on our organization’s radar.”
Shaun Livingston tweeted Weber is “a player in this league. Stay focused keep it pro and good karma will follow you. Keep grindn Brodie. Luv.”
Coach Steve Kerr said it was very difficult to tell Weber they were letting him go and that they liked Weber and thought he could be a player in this league. He added the team had already targeted a point guard to replace Weber. It’s reported to be Jose Calderon, who has negotiated a buyout with the Lakers and has reportedly been waived this afternoon. He has until Wednesday to get a deal with a new team in order to be eligible for the playoffs.
Kerr made a classy move that was also a sign Weber was going to be released: he let him play the final couple of minutes of Saturday’s win over the Nets. Weber made a layup, then stole a pass and made a transition jumper at the free throw line.
Did the Warriors make a mistake, saying goodbye to a young player with a fairly promising future, potentially for a 35-year-old defensive liability? Long-term, maybe. Short-term, the Warriors are in win-now mode. Briante Weber wasn’t going to see playoff time unless the game was a blowout or someone got hurt. He still has to develop a consistent offensive game.
In the best-case scenario the Warriors wouldn’t need someone like Calderon, either. It’s likely about comfort level. The Warriors know what Calderon can and can’t do. They trust a veteran of more than a decade if he’s called upon, and he can still hit a three-pointer.
That’s about it.
I’ve seen writers already describe Calderon as the Anderson Varejao of this year: someone at the end who will contribute very little. However, the Warriors had an imbalance of too many centers and too few guards and let Varejao go. Calderon has a low bar to clear to be more effective than Varejao on the floor, but as with Weber, his release didn’t go over too well in the locker room.
If Calderon does anything at all to help the Warriors get another title, that will be forgotten. Weber won’t be forgotten by guys in the locker room, either.
Who knows, he could be back some day.