FanHouse RonnieTuriaf

Notes from a trip to the NBA Summer League in Las Vegas.

Chris Mullin has had a pretty eventful offseason. He lost his star player (Baron Davis) to the Los Angeles Clippers, signed Corey Maggette, signed Ronnie Turiaf, and now is trying to decide whether to match the Clippers' offer sheet on Kelenna Azubuike. You'd never know the guy has so much on his mind at summer league though. He's been watching the games intently, keeping an eye out for talent, shaking pretty much everyone's hand, signing autographs and pretty much just taking it easy. It seems like everyone knows him and is happy to see him, stopping to shake his hand and chat with him. He did take a few minutes out of his time to talk to me about a few things, though, and gave me the scoop on the Azabuike signing. Almost.

MM: What's summer league like for a GM?

CM: Summer League is all about giving guys opportunities to show what they can do. You know, scoring, like they might not be able to in other situations, so you see what they're capable of. You can explore what they can do.

MM: What do you feel like Ronnie Turiaf brings to your club?

CM: Great experience, a lot of help on the boards, shot blocks, defense, guys that can do those things, but keep our pace. He's actually really fast. It's not often that you get big guys that can do that, so we think he's going to be really great for our team.

Notes from a trip to the NBA Summer League in Las Vegas.

Ronny Turiaf gambled by exploring his options in free agency, and it panned out. He signed a 4 year $17 million offer sheet with the Warriors, who desperately need someone with his skillset. The Lakers elected not to match, and so now he's headed to the Bay. Turiaf's known as a fun and likable guy, and he was even kind enough to help out with a halftime activity at the Summer League with a lucky fan. He was nice enough to talk to me about his new teammates, what he brings to the Bay, and oh, yeah, he wouldn't get a head tattoo. Turiaf gave incredibly hard answers, and you can tell he's happy about how things worked out.

MM: How does it feel to sign the new contract?

RT: Huh? (Cocks eyebrow.)

MM: How does it feel to be a Warrior?

RT: Yeah, that's a better question. How does it feel to be a Warrior? It feels great. It's a young team that likes to play fun basketball. They like to run and gun, and play a high speed brand of basketball. So it's a great opportunity for me, and I feel very fortunate that the Warriors felt I could bring something to the table to help them win basketball games.

So the face of your franchise and your most beloved player, Baron Davis, skipped town. And your top replacement target, Gilbert Arenas, re-signed with his club. And the next big target on your radar just spurned you and hopped over to the East for more money. So who do you turn to, after inking an aging small forward for a bit of cash while you try and convince Monta Ellis to stick around?

You sign Ronny Turiaf, of course!

The Warriors have come to a verbal agreement with Lakers restricted free agent Ronny Turiaf on a four year deal worth an estimated $17 million. As he is a restricted free agent, the Lakers have seven days to match the Warriors offer.

It's an interesting signing, because if the Warriors are able to pry him away from the purple and gold, he provides a number of things they lack. Along with Corey Maggette, Turiaf represents a greater commitment to defense. In addition, Turiaf can actually rebound, which the Warriors failed miserably at last season. He does make sense with their system though, as he's a high energy guy who can come in and play a few minutes or more, and is extremely flexible and provides a spark. He's also a fan favorite that would fit in with the Warriors scrappy image. That is if the fans haven't all thrown themselves off a bridge after Baron left.

So far, this series has been as exciting and drama-filled as we could ask for. Game 2 is tonight in Boston, let's get a little roundtable action going again. Your panelists are Matt Moore, Brett Edwards, and Tom Ziller.

In another of our continuing series, five things to keep an eye out for tonight in the Nuggets at Lakers game. Be sure to check out the FanHouse LiveBlog hosted by Brett Edwards as well!

1. Hangover, So To Speak: Well, other than Carmelo Anthony and his trouble, the J.R. Smith ticking time bomb, and the bus catching fire, I guess the Nuggs don't have much going against them. This isn't a team known for its resiliency, and it'll be interesting to see if they can battle back against the Lakers, on the road. A blowout win today will the first real blowout of the playoffs, and will set at one for the series. Confidence is going to be an issue for the Nuggs.

2. Will The Odom Show Continue?: Lamar Odom has become, well, what everyone thought he always could but never would be. If Lamar can counteract Carmelo, this can be a huge plus for the Lakers. Conversely, if he shrinks back into, um ... Lamar Odom, there could be problems for the Lakers. Kobe Bryant versus Carmelo and Iverson is not a match-it game you want, even with Pau Gasol on your side.

3. Instant Energy: Linas Kleiza versus Ronnie Turiaf. That's a pretty good indicator of the difference between these two teams. Kleiza can be hugely effective if he gets his stroke down, and if the Nuggets choose to pass to him. Turiaf has one role and one role only. Defend the paint, block shots, and put back dunks. He doesn't have to have a great game, just make plays and get his team fired up. Kleiza needs to have a huge series, because a fully operational Lakers squad against the Melo and Allen Iverson show will be a meltdown.