Biedrins is the Ultimate Team-First Guy

Andris is dedicated to the franchise in more ways than one.


Monta Ellis got a $66 million deal over the offseason. He responded by tearing up his ankle in one of the more convoluted injuries in recent history. Andris Biedrins got a $54 million deal over the offseason. Did you hear a peep about how he responded?

Probably not. Mainly because Andris kept his head down, choosing to focus on improving his game instead of freewheeling around on forbidden motorbikes. Biedrins spent the summer starring in the lead role for the Latvian national team. Haven't you been wondering where his newfound confidence has been coming from? AB has emerged from the pack as an entirely new player this season - one ready to shoulder more and more responsibility. He's already averaging almost 17 points and 15 rebounds per game - and he's still getting better.

Not only has Andris been a model employee in the gym and on the court, he's also taken a huge hit for the team on paper. For the production we're getting this season it seems Andris is well worth the $9 million he's slated to be making. Biedrins' production looks to be slightly less than, say, Carlos Boozer, but Boozer is making $11 million this year. Biedrins' numbers are even better than Bobcats center Emeka Okafor's (10 ppg, 10 rpg) who is making $9.5 million this year.

Where the Warriors really come away looking like bandits, though, is a few years down the road. Andris is locked into a fixed salary of $9 million per year over the next 6 years. During that time, Boozer is looking to lock up a max contract that could pay him upwards of $22 million. Meanwhile Emeka Okafor will be making around $14.5 million in 2014, and he doesn't look like he's getting much better anytime soon. Yup, Andris will still be making a measly $9 million while his piers - and lessers - rake in the big money, providing the Warriors with valuable cap space to pay for players to surround AB and Monta.

Now that's the kind of player you can build a franchise around.