Jaguars' tackle Richard Collier is paralyzed from the waist down after being shot multiple times earlier this month. His left leg was also amputated, according to his doctor.

Attached below is the story from SI.

The offseason roller coaster ride continues for the Warriors.

Since Draft Day, the Warriors' offseason has been one of surprises, bad breaks, and letdowns. A few days after drafting promising rookies Anthony Randolph and Richard Hendrix, the team was left to deal with the gaping hole in the roster made my Baron Davis' unexpected departure. Chris Mullin did everything that he possibly could to fill that void. Monta Ellis was shifted to the point guard spot. Corey Maggette from the Clippers and Ronny Turiaf from the Lakers were acquired and signed to multi-year deals. Mullin then traded for a young back-up point guard, Marcus Williams, from New Jersey.

And no, he wasn't finished yet. Ellis, Andris Biedrins, and Kelenna Azubuike were all taken care of financially, signed to long-term deals. And with the recent signings of Hendrix and Randolph, it looked to be the uprising of a youth movement . With a nice blend of youth and experience, things appeared to be on the "up-and up."

But just when things were going better than planned, the news of Ellis' ankle injury hits the airwaves. 3-4 months. That means no Monta at full strength until around mid-December, which also means that, if the Warriors don't sign or acquire another point guard via trade, Williams or C.J. Watson will be running the point.

Not the outcome everyone had hoped for.

It will be time for the veterans to step in and take the reigns. Now is the time where strong team chemistry will be the most necessary, when things are uncertain. The vets will have to make sure that some form of chemistry or bond between this new group of players is established.

Stephen Jackson and Al Harrington absolutely need to be focused, prepared to be the vocal leaders of the group. They also need to contribute on the court-ideally, socring-on a regular basis.

In addition, Corey Maggette needs to be on top of his game and prepare to shoulder a significant portion of the points load.

Kelenna Azubuike should continue to be an energy spark and a hustle player off the bench.

And finally, let's not forget about Don Nelson. He will need to put his old ways of thinking aside and be a mentor as well as a coach. It is crucial that he takes time to develop the young talent on the roster, unless he wants the team to end up like last year's: tired, a little bitter, and falling short. Anything else is unacceptable.

The Warriors have loaded up for the future, but success in the present depends on a combination veteran leadership and contribution, and team chemistry. Without one or the other, the 2008-09 season will not be a pretty one.

This news just broke not too long ago. The Warriors have matched the Clippers offer made to restricted free agent Kelenna Azubuike. Attached is the story from NBA.com. Great decision.

Baron Davis opting out of a guaranteed $17.8 million is both unexpected and mind-boggling. That amount of money is absolutely nothing to sneeze at; it is money that some of the top players in the league would take in a heartbeat. In fact, at close to $18 million, Baron makes much more than other star guards such as Tony Parker and Steve Nash, who each make around $11million. Why would he walk away from that?

It's nervous time in the city of Oakland. The Warriors still need to re-sign Monta Ellis and Andris Biedrins. Signing BD to a heftier, long-term deal would place the team over the salary cap, or at least come very close to maxing out the payroll. At the same time though, there are only a few teams that can dish out that kind of money. He would most likely have to accept a lower offer, whether it be from the W's, or another team.

According to ABC Local News (Bay Area), the team has 3 options: 1. Let him walk away.

2. Sign him to a longer-term deal at a cheaper price.

3. Do a sign-and-trade with another team.

The next few weeks will tell the tale, but this is a fact: Baron has it good in the Bay Area. Aside from the money, the fans love and support him. The entire city and organization placed their faith in him. The coaching staff even limited his practice time last season so that he could stay healthy all year. During BD's stay with the Warriors, his career was revived, and his bad reputation became a thing of the past. Golden State allowed him to be himself and play his own style. Leaving a situation like that would be a mistake. A big one, at that.

Unfortunately, at the end of the day, it's business; it's all about getting as much "paper" as possible. And folks can't be mad at that. BD ultimately has a decision to make: Loyalty or the money?

Choose wisely, and carefully.

Click the link to find out what SF Chronicle writer Gwen Knapp has to say about this ordeal.

As expected, the Warriors will pick 14th in the NBA Draft next week on June 26th. Now the question is: Will they keep it?

The team's best option would be to trade the pick and fill some of the voids that they currently have. They have enough youth, being the 4th-youngest team in the NBA. Instead of adding another young piece to the equation, the Warriors should first develop the young players that they have now, such as Brandan Wright and Marco Bellinelli. The team's main needs are as follows: A skilled, experienced point guard to back up Baron Davis, and a skilled, athletic big man, preferably a power foward who can defend, rebound, and run the floor. To ensure great success for next season, the Warriors have to make moves, during draft day and throughout this offseason.

The W's also need to build a quality bench. The lack of production from the bench proved to be costly down the stretch of this past season. CJ Watson, Mickael Pietrus, Matt Barnes, Austin Croshere, and Patrick O'Bryant will all be free agents on July 1st, and the chances of them all returning are minimal, which is both good and bad. While the players listed have all been somewhat effective in their stints with the team, them leaving creates an opportunity for the Warriors to sign some players of greater quality.

Some Warriors fans, for one reason or another, have been hot on the team acquiring Seattle's Chris Wilcox. In fact, Warriors TV analyst and Bay Area sports talk radio host Bob Fitzgerald suggested that the team could do a sign-and-trade with Mickael Pietrus, trade Al Harrington, the 14th pick, throw in their $10 million trade exception (which expires after draft day), and send that package to Seattle in exchange for Chris Wilcox and Earl Watson.

Some may be skeptical, but this trade would actually killl 3 birds with one stone. The W's get a quick, skilled guard in Watson, a big man in Wilcox who can run the floor and pound the boards, while at the same time, they get rid of one of their hefty contracts by trading Harrington. Both Wilcox and Watson would be good complements to coach Don Nelson's up-tempo system.

In addition, the Warriors should also go after a big name player such as Rasheed Wallace, who by the way, has 1 year left on his contract with the Pistons. A starting lineup consisting of Davis, Monta Ellis, Stephen Jackson, and Wallace alongside Andris Biedrins, would be a deadly combination.

In the end, all deals are up to Chris Mullin and the Warriors' front office. The next few weeks and months will be very interesting.

So what do other people think? Should the Warriors keep the pick and hope for the best, or should they include the pick in a package to get some better players? Would the Seattle trade work? Would Rasheed Wallace fit into Nellie's system? What are some other acqusitions that the Warriors should make in this offseason?

When the current WNBA commercials tell viewers to "expect great", they are not deceiving us. Fans should especially excpect greatness from the Los Angeles Sparks this season. With the return of Lisa Leslie from her pregnancy, the Sparks were undoubtedly expected to make some noise in the Western Conference. But now, with the addition of Tennessee standout Candace Parker, they are legitimate championship contenders. Even though the Phoenix Mercury are the defending WNBA Champions, most people would say that the road to the title is bound to go through Los Angeles.

Candace Parker is probably the most hyped player to ever enter the league, and on Saturday afternoon, she proved that she was worthy of the attention. With her impressive debut versus the Mercury -34 points, 12 rebounds, and 8 assists, she set a record for the most points scored as a rookie in a season opener. CP is for real, and Saturday's game is just the beginning of what is to come.

Parker is the future of the WNBA, and is exactly what the league needs. Click the link below to read what L.A. Times writer Kurt Streeter had to say about this.

Wow, Dallas is making a big mistake. Avery Johnson was not the problem with the Mavericks, the Mavericks are the problem with the Mavericks. It's a shame that he had to go. He's a great man with such a positive spirit. Well, it should be an interesting off-season for Dallas.

Attached is the story from NBA.com...

Despite falling short of the postseason, the Golden State Warriors have had a tremendous year: one full of ups and downs, tears, excitement, joys, frustrations, and plenty of non-stop entertainment.

The nation got the opportunity to witness the emergence of Monta Ellis and Andris Biedrins, and also received a sneak peak of promising rookie Brandan Wright. The continued deliverance of heart-breaking shots by Stephen Jackson and Baron Davis brought back memories of last year's playoffs. After all of the adversity that the team went through this past season, they were still able to finish with 48 wins, their best record since 1994. In an insanely competitive Western Conference, where 50 wins doesn't even guarantee a postseason berth, the Warriors, and their fans, still have plenty to believe in.

Fans rode right along with the Warriors on their season-long roller coaster ride: experiencing the highest of highs after wins over the Celtics and World-Champion Spurs, and also the lowest of lows, such as such as embarrassing home losses to the Bulls and Timberwolves. It was a wild ride, with plenty of twists, turns, and bumpy spots, but in the end, we all had fun.

Ladies and gentlemen, here is an amazing year in review: All of the highs, lows, and a few things in between...

BEST GAME: Spurs vs. Warriors, January 7, 2008-Oakland, CA

Baron Davis scored a team high 38 points and grabbed a triple-double in a win over the Spurs in overtime, 130-121. Despite a 3-pointer made by Tony Parker to force the game into OT, Stephen Jackson was clutch down the stretch as usual, hitting 2 3-pointers of his own to knock off the World Champs. Probably the most well-played game of the season.

Runner-up: Celtics vs. Warriors, February 20, 2008-Oakland, CA

The game was close throughout, but Baron Davis hit a fadeaway jumper right before the buzzer sounded in regulation, leading the Warriors to a 119-117 win over the best team in the NBA.

WORST GAME: Bulls vs. Warriors, February 7, 2008-Oakland, CA

The Bulls came into Oracle Arena with the worst field-goal percentage in the league. Their top 3 scorers: Ben Gordon, Luol Deng, and Kirk Hinrich, were all injured, so many people considered this game to be a definite lock for the Warriors. Well, they would be in for a rude awakening. Chris Duhon scored a career-high 35 points, and Joe Smith added 28 as the Bulls shot 55% from the field to win 114-108 in Oakland. Did I mention that it was on national TV? Ouch!

Runner-up: T'Wolves vs. Warriors, January 21, 2008-Oakland, CA

Wow, this was ugly. Both Al Harrington and Baron Davis missed lay-ups in the final seconds of the 4th quarter, losing 109-108 at home, and giving the Wolves just their 6th win of the season. Ugh!

MOST IMPROBABLE WIN: Warriors vs. Hornets, January 30, 2008-New Orleans, LA

The Hornets were sitting atop the Western Conference and riding a 9-game winning streak, until the Warriors came into town. Stephen Jackson scored a team-high 26 points, and Baron was booed into 23 points and 9 assists in a convincing win over New Orleans, 116-103.

Runner-up: Warriors vs. Lakers, March 23, 2008-Los Angeles, CA

Captain Jack hit back-to-back triples in the final seconds of the 4th to lead the Warriors to an impressive 115-111 win over the Lakers, beating them in L.A. for just the first time since 2003. Hoorah!

MOST IMPROBABLE LOSS: Warriors vs. Pacers, January 16, 2008-Indianappolis, IN

The W's were up 18 and in full cruise control going into the 4th

quarter, but somehow, they the Pacers storm all the way back to take the lead and win, 125-117, giving up over 40 points in that quarter. Wow.

MOST INSPIRING GAME: Warriors vs. Kings-November 28, 2007-Sacramento, CA

Just a day after his mother passed away from cancer, Matt Barnes showed up in uniform to play with the Warriors. Though his game was off (naturally), the team came together, wearing wristbands in remembrance of Barnes' mother, to compose a comeback win over the Kings, 103-96. It was just a beautiful moment, and a real indicator of how close-knit the Warriors are as a team, both on and off the court.

MOST DEVASTATING GAME: Lakers vs. Warriors, March 24, 2008-Oakland, CA

"The Call". In a critical game in a tight Western Conference playoff race, veteran official Bob Delaney made an atrocious decision by calling Monta Ellis for an offensive foul with 4.2 seconds remaining in the game, which should have clearly been a NO-CALL. The W's then had to foul, and the game was over. The Lakers went on to win in OT, 123-119.

Runner-up: Nuggets vs. Warriors, April 10, 2008-Oakland, CA

The final nail in the coffin for the Warriors and their playoff hopes. We believed. (L 114-105)

BEST COMEBACK WIN: Wizards vs. Warriors, February 11, 2008-Oakland, CA

The W's were down as many as 22 points in the 2nd half, yet they rode on the back of Stephen Jackson, who scored 41 points, to rally and beat the Wizards, 120-117. Captain Jack to the resuce again!

BIGGEST EXCITEMENT FOR THE FRANCHISE: Warriors vs. Hornets on ABC, April 6, 2008

The W's were shown on ABC for the first time since 1994. Even though they lost, it was a huge stepping stone for a franchise that has been ignored and overlooked for so long.

BIGGEST DISAPPOINTMENT FOR THE FRANCHISE: Baron and Stack-Jack left off of the 2008 All-Star team.

They were blackballed, along with the Warriors. To be the only winning team in the league without an All-Star was just a shame. Conspiracy? Maybe. (Byron Scott, I'm talking to you!!)

Runner-up: The Chris Webber Experiment.

Need I say more??

Now, on to the Player Awards:

BEST PLAYER: Stephen Jackson.

Even though Baron continued his overall excellence this season, Jack has proven to be the most valuable to the Warriors. Without him, the team began the season 0-6, and quickly got back on track after his return. His overall excellence, both on and off the court, was remarkable.

WORST PLAYER: Warriors Bench.

After such a fantastic season last year, the bench production slowly but surely disappeared, which proved to be costly down the stretch.

MOST IMPROVED PLAYER: Andris Biedrins.

It's impossible to believe that he's even better than last year. He led the leauge in field goal percentage this season, and nearly averaged a double-double.

Runner-up: Monta Ellis.

If there's anyone who deserves the NBA's "Most Improved Player" award twice in a row, it's the "Mississippi Bullet."

MOST SURPRISING PLAYER: Brandan Wright.

Looked great during his few stints of playing time: dunking, rebounding, and blocking shots. He will be a dominant force in the league for years to come.

And that was an amazing, up and down year in review. Watching the Warriors has truly been a pleasure-frustrating at times, but mostly a pleasure. They are fearless, exciting, physically and mentally tough, and confident. In a November 2007 issue of VIBE Magazine, staff writer Chris Ryan wrote: "Watching the Warriors play is like listening to great rap-a mix of improv and execution, cockiness and vulnerability, and a whole gang of fun." No argument there. Because of them, basketball is fun again.

Warriors fans: Missing the postseason is painful, but look on the bright side: this team will be great for years and years to come. This is only the beginning. 48 wins is not a failure. Think about it this way: It took a historically talented Western Conference to keep the W's out the playoffs, and that says plenty.

Yes, I'm very bitter about the W's missing the postseason, but I'm even more disturbed about what went down during that game in Phoenix Monday night. Why would Don Nelson wait until the 81st game of the season, a "do or die" game, to give Baron a half off? He ran him into the ground all season, so why stop now? This was just a terrible end to a fantastic year.

BD has almost single-handedly changed the face of the Warriors franchise. He took them to the postseason after 13 years, he has helped to lead the team to 48 wins, their best season since 1994, but yet, he's all of a sudden not good enough to play in the W's biggest game of the year. Even the TV analysts were surprised, and a few of the players as well. There was no excuse for Marco Bellinelli, Kosta Perovic, and Austin Croshere to be getting more minutes than the STAR PLAYER. It was unfair to throw Baron under the bus like that. Maybe Nellie already knew it was over, who knows.

For some reason, I have a bad feeling about this. We all want answers, an explanation...something! Maybe there is beef, and maybe there isn't, but this whole thing had better be resolved quick. I don't want anything happening in the offseason that's going to mess up the chemistry and dynamic of the team. But umm, yeah Nellie, what's really going on with you??

*Click the link to read what Oakland Tribune sports writer Monte Poole thinks about all this...

This has been an amazing year for the NBA: so many headlines, great stories, and plenty of drama. As the regular season comes to a close, I wanted to take a little time to reflect on some topics that created buzz in the league this year. Below are 21 questions (Format inspired by VIBE Magazine) that came to mind as I began to reminisce on the wild, crazy season that was...

1.) Did anyone else have a problem with players, such as Sam Cassell and Damon Stoudamire, leaving their respective teams midseason to sign with championship contenders?

2.) Which team was more disappointing: the Chicago Bulls or the Miami Heat?

3.) After an embarrassing, drama-filled season, where will the New York Knicks go from here?

4.) Is there anyone out there on the East Coast that doesn't think the Celtics will make it to the NBA Finals?

5.) We knew that New Orleans had talent, but did anyone really expect the Hornets to be this good?

6.) Aren't you disappointed that the Warriors will probably miss the playoffs this year?

7.) And how good was the Western Conference this season that 50 wins isn't enough to secure a playoff spot?

8.) With the addition of Greg Oden next season, should we expect the surprising Blazers to make a postseason run in 2008-2009?

9.) And speaking of GO, who told him to get that mohawk??

10.) How many Western Conference coaches went into shock after Pau Gasol was traded to the Lakers?

11.) And speaking of trades...After all of the early criticism, hasn't the Shaq trade worked out nicely for the Suns?

12.) Who knew that the Rockets would be able to win 22 straight games (10 without Yao Ming), and why are they only in 5th place?

13.) Didn't Dwight Howard single-handedly revive the Slam Dunk Contest this year?

14.) And wasn't it lazy for the Grizzlies' Rudy Gay to ask for dunk suggestions on YouTube?

15.) Joakim Noah was the most annoying rookie in the league this year. Agree or disagree?

16.) With all that he's accomplished this season and over the course of his career, isn't Antawn Jamison still one of the most underrated players in the NBA?

17.) What happened to all of the Tony Parker buzz this season?

18.) What the hell was Shaq thinking when he named himself "The Big Cactus?"

19.) And wasn't it kinda messed up that he publicly threw Pat Riley and the Heat under the bus after his departure?

20.) Who grew the best beard this season: Baron Davis, Drew Gooden, or DeShawn Stevenson?

21.) Which was more bizarre: the Nuggets scoring 168 points vs the Sonics, or the Sonics scoring 151 vs the Nuggets?

BONUS: Who ya got for MVP: KG, KB, or CP3?

Last week, it was Denver and the Warriors going to the playoffs. This week, it's Dallas and Denver, but actually, I think Golden State will edge out Denver for that last playoff spot. They were dead in the water a couple of days ago, but the Nuggets losing back-to-back games to the Kings and Sonics has created more momentum for the Warriors. This just makes Thursday's game between them even more important. Here are their remaining schedules:

Denver-

Tue 08 @ LA Clippers

Thu 10 @ Golden State

Sat 12 @ Utah

Sun 13 vs Houston

Wed 16 vs Memphis

Golden State-

Tue 08 vs Sacramento

Thu 10 vs Denver

Sat 12 vs LA Clippers

Mon 14 @ Phoenix

Wed 16 vs Seattle

What do you all think? Denver or Golden State? Who will be staying home??

You know, Denver really perplexes me. They have 2 All-Stars in Allen Iverson and Carmelo Anthony. They have one of the stongest defensive players in the league in Marcus Camby. They score close to 200 points per game, and they have one of the deepest benches in the NBA, yet they're at the bottom of the playoff bracket. Why is that? They have so much potential! It's really frustrating because the Nuggets have the pieces to become a championship contender. There's something missing. Can anybody point it out?

*By the way, for those who constantly harp on the Warriors for lack of defense, don't forget to include the Nuggets in that conversation as well. Giving up 151 points to the Sonics is atrocious.

Pathetic. Atrocious. Horrendous. Sorry. Abysmal, Ugly, and downright Frightening. Those are some words to describe the Warriors' lopsided 111-86 loss to the Dallas Mavericks last night.

Golden State's dreadful performance was very reminiscent of the 1996 movie "Space Jam". In that movie, aliens from outer space created a plot to steal all of the talent from 5 NBA players. Once all of their talent was stolen, They completely forgot what they were doing on the floor. The Warriors were not much different. Not only did they combine as a team for only 10 assists, but they gave up 44 fastbreak points to the Mavericks, compared to a whopping total of 16 for themselves. The defense was non-existent, and, as the total number of assists reflects, there was no ball movement; just pure "run-and-shoot" offense. To top everything off, Al Harrington and Stephen Jackson combined for a dismal 2-for-20 shooting. The Warriors appeared completely drained of all their energy.

The game was relatively close at halftime, with Dallas leading 60-50. But huge games from Jason Terry (31 pts) and Josh Howard (28 pts), combined with the surprising return of Dirk Nowitzki (18 pts, 6-for-15 shooting), prevented any chances of a Warrior comeback.

Last night's loss was very uncharacteristic of Golden State, who has a tendency to thrive in high pressure, high drama situations. Judging by their performance, one would never know that they're in a dogfight with Dallas and Denver for the 2 final playoff spots in the Western Conference. Despite this, the team appeared to lack focus and all sense of urgency.

The Warriors had better get that urgency back quick, because they are now 2 games back of Dallas, and a full game behind Denver for the 8th and final playoff spot. They must finish with a better record than either one of those teams, because they have lost all tiebreakers. Each of the 3 teams has 7 games remaining in the regular season.

All is not lost, but now is the time for the Warriors and their fans to be concerned. To make the postseason, they basically have to win out, like last season. They are very much capable, but efforts like last night's aren't going to get it done.

Most people have already written the Oakland A's off in this upcoming 2008 MLB season, but they actually don't look half bad in preseason play. They scored 23 runs against the S.F. Giants on Saturday in a rout (23-5). They've also defeated the Milwaukee Brewers 11-4 and the Colorado Rockies by a score of 3-2. The A's roster looks strong so far, and anything can happen during the season. This may not be a 90- loss campaign after all.

This happened about five days ago, but I'm just hearing about it. My heart goes out to them, their families, and my alma mater.

The Houston Rockets have won 13 games in a row, but that streak is likely to come to an end very soon. Center Yao Ming suffered a stress fracture in his left foot, and will miss the remainder of the 2007-2008 NBA season, including the playoffs. He will undergo surgery.

Not having Yao in the middle makes a huge difference. He averaged 22 points and 11 rebounds this season, and is an 85 percent free throw shooter. He has been an excellent defender and improving post player, and with his size, he has the ability to change many shots in the paint. Even though Houston has many sharp shooters, the question will be: How will they fill the void at the center spot? Dikemebe Mutombo could be a factor, but not only is he aging, he also hasn't seen the court much this season.

The Rockets had better solve this problem quick, because they are among the 10 Western Conference teams in a dogfight for 8 playoff spots. If they lose 2 games, they're out of the playoff picture, and with teams like Denver and Golden State breathing down their necks, every game is crucial.

The Rockets shouldn't be written off just yet, but this is a devastating blow to the team, who have had trouble advancing past the first round of the postseason for the past few years. Tracy McGrady is constantly judged by his lack of playoff success, and this will continue if Houston fails to find a solution to their problem.