GSA Re-analysis

Recently, the GSW resigned backup center A.Foyle and Point Guard D.Fisher of the LAL. Conventional wisdom said C.Mullin overpaid for both. It's easy to beat-up on the GSW who have not been to the playoffs in 10 years. ESPN revisited the signings and made this more positive assessment:

Before you bash Chris Mullin on the assumption that he grossly overpaid Adonal Foyle and Derek Fisher, be advised of two very crucial caveats.

Fisher got nearly $40 million from the Warriors because Mully is trying to change the culture there. So he paid top dollar to beat out Houston for a veteran of three championship teams.

As for Foyle, who I, like you, previously considered the most overpaid free agent of the summer ... we're all wrong. Turns out the sixth year of Foyle's controversial $42 million deal is a team option. Which means Foyle will most likely never see that money. Which means Foyle's five-year deal is really worth slightly more than $30 million, which means he's only getting slightly above the league's average salary.

Knowing it was going to lose Erick Dampier, and knowing that Foyle can at least block shots, Golden State giving him $30-plus million over five years doesn't sound nearly as unreasonable.

Paying 40 M for D.Fisher isn't blunted by the fact GS was bidding against Houston. This does indicate motive for C.Mullin's decision and face it - a club that needs to change its culture does so by signing players because of traits other than talent, potential and cost. Ask J.West who paid 36 M for GSW free agent B.Cardinal. D.Fisher is one of those players. How much has he benefited from teams leaving him open while double teaming Shaq and K.Bryant compared to how much he sacrificed his stats for the good of the team?