FanHouse PatrickOBryant

There are certain risks that come with fielding a star-studded team of veterans at the expense of depth. Foul trouble and injury are the biggest concerns. If you don't have much behind your front firepower, losing any measure of your stars results in an unfortunate wrangling of already depleted assets to make up the difference.

Say hello to Doc Rivers' problem for the next two to three weeks.

The 3 PM ET trade deadline in the NBA has come and gone, and while there were plenty of big names rumored to be on the move, few teams actually had the guts to pull the trigger. There were plenty of deals made, however, including one that might have one Eastern Conference team feeling like it's back in the title conversation. A wrap-up of today's events after the jump.

Some guys are just lucky. Not to insinuate 2006's #9 pick, Patrick O'Bryant, hasn't turned into a hard-working guy who deserves what carrots he receives. But the guy was so bad, so (allegedly) lazy in Golden State that the Warriors cut strings after one season. The team was so disenchanted with the Notorious P.O.B.'s work ethic that last November Chris Mullin declined the third-year, $2 million option on O'Bryant for the 2008-09. The Warriors had already seen enough.

That's a bit amazing. Teams are often loath to admit mistakes, and Mullin made that draft pick. By cutting P.O.B.'s contract after a single season, Mullin admitting a huge mistake. Besides, a $2 million contract is something to covet in the NBA, with even middling, unproven talents costing more (like Ronny Turiaf's $4 million a season). You just don't cast cheap youngsters off willy-nilly; something's got to be wrong.

Whatever Golden State saw, Boston did not. Marc J. Spears of the Boston Globe reports the Celtics have signed P.O.B. to a two-year, $3 million contract. Danny Ainge says Kevin Garnett's famous work ethic and intensity will rub off on O'Bryant; history would suggest it's either that, or Garnett will get pissed at a missed rotation in practice and drill P.O.B. in the face. So really, it's a win-win. (Just kidding.)

This would seem to mean little for the team's pursuits of James Posey and Eddie House. It does, however, stick Chris Andersen -- another big Boston strongly considered -- back in the lurch. Free the Birdman!

When a Sacramento columnist used an anonymous busboy who caught Don Nelson eating at Chris Webber's restaurant to infer Webber would soon be a Warrior, I thought it was a joke. But you know, Martin McNeal might have scooped the world, because the Contra Costa Times has a screaming story confirming talks between C-Webb and Golden State.

Two team officials confirmed that the Warriors are in discussions with Webber, who played his rookie season with the Warriors in 1993-94. There is some belief the two parties are close to an agreement.

A different source confirmed that Webber and Warriors coach Don Nelson, who separated on bad terms in 1994, have talked in an attempt to put the past behind them. Warriors executive vice president of basketball operations Chris Mullin has said a big man is on his wish list.

As I said earlier this week, it's a nice story... but it's not likely to help in real terms on the court. Golden State needs to improve its defense; Detroit's defense last year was 2.6 points per 48 minutes worse when Webber was in. It's not a disastrous move -- Webber's probably the best veteran big available, and his passing would be an excellent fit in the grand scheme. But I don't understand why Nelson is unwilling to try solutions from within, especially with youngsters Patrick O'Bryant and Brandan Wright languished on the pine. They'd help the rebounding and defense loads more than Webber ever could.

The much ballyhooed reign of fiscal sanity in Golden State finished with a fitting flourish: Not only did Chris Mullin balk at locking up stud Latvian center Andris Biedrins, but the Warriors didn't pick up the third-year option ($2.3 million) on 2006's #9 pick, Patrick O'Bryant. Andris' payday delay is understandable given the leaguewide caution on early extensions; cost-cutting in the vain of essentially giving up on a lottery pick in one year is rare, unless you're dealing with Tskitishviliesque bust. O'Bryant, though behind the curve, can't be considered that bad.

Tim Kawakami of the San Jose Mercury News has a theory, though: It's all about Baron Davis. Boom Dizzle has an early termination option -- and he's indicated he'll execute it, though simple math says he probably shouldn't. By procrastinating on Biedrins, Golden State will have enough breathing room under the luxury tax to give Baron whatever they think he deserves (should he opt out). There's leeway with Biedrins, who'll be a restricted free agent... allowing Golden State to either come to terms with Andris or wait for some other team to set his value. Monta Ellis will also be an RFA, so Golden State -- once they pay Baron -- will have the chance to decide which of their youngsters is a priority.

So why send P.O.B. into unrestricted free agency next summer? Every dollar counts. That $2.3 million for an iffy prospect isn't a lot to most teams. But, if Kawakami's correct about the motives here, Mullin's construction project needs to fit precise numbers. Maybe isn't a good enough return on investment, apparently.