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The 1996–97 NBA season was the Warriors' 51st season in the National Basketball Association, and 35th in the San Francisco Bay Area. The Warriors had the eleventh overall pick in the 1996 NBA draft, and selected Todd Fuller out of North Carolina State University. Due to extensive renovations at the Oakland Coliseum Arena, the team played their home games at the San Jose Arena in San Jose, California this season. In the off-season, the Warriors signed free agent All-Star guard Mark Price, then traded Rony Seikaly to the Orlando Magic in exchange for Felton Spencer, Donald Royal and Jon Koncak at the start of the season. However, Koncak was out for the entire season with a knee injury, and never played for the Warriors.

The team struggled with a 1–5 start to the season, then later on held a 17–29 record at the All-Star break, and lost seven straight games in March, as B. J. Armstrong only played 49 games due to a knee injury, and Bimbo Coles played just 51 games due to a hernia injury. At mid-season, the team traded Royal to the Charlotte Hornets in exchange for Scott Burrell. The Warriors lost six of their final eight games, and finished in last place in the Pacific Division with a 30–52 record.

Latrell Sprewell led the team with 24.2 points, 6.3 assists, 1.7 steals per game, and 147 three-point field goals, and was selected for the 1997 NBA All-Star Game in Cleveland, Ohio, while second-year star Joe Smith continued to show improvement, averaging 18.7 points and 8.5 rebounds per game, Chris Mullin provided the team with 14.5 points per game, and Price contributed 11.3 points and 4.9 assists per game. In addition, Armstrong contributed 7.9 points and 2.6 assists per game, while Donyell Marshall provided with 7.3 points and 4.5 rebounds per game, Coles contributed 6.1 points and 2.9 assists per game, and Spencer averaged 5.1 points and 5.7 rebounds per game.

This season also marked an end of an era, as Mullin was traded to the Indiana Pacers the following season (although he would later on return to Golden State for the 2000–01 season). Also following the season, Price was dealt to the Orlando Magic, while Burrell was sent to the Chicago Bulls, second-year center Andrew DeClercq signed as a free agent with the Boston Celtics, head coach Rick Adelman was fired, and Koncak retired.

Offseason

Draft picks

Round	Pick	Player	Position	Nationality	College
1	11	Todd Fuller	C	United States	North Carolina State
2	40	Marcus Mann	PF	United States	Mississippi Valley State

Roster

1996–97 Golden State Warriors roster

Players

Coaches

Pos. No. Name Height Weight DOB From G 11 Armstrong, B. J.  6 ft 2 in (1.88 m) 175 lb (79 kg) 1967–09–09 Iowa G 5 Booker, Melvin 6 ft 2 in (1.88 m) 185 lb (84 kg) 1972–08–20 Missouri F 23 Burrell, Scott 6 ft 7 in (2.01 m) 218 lb (99 kg) 1971–01–12 Connecticut G 12 Coles, Bimbo  6 ft 1 in (1.85 m) 180 lb (82 kg) 1968–04–22 Virginia Tech C 55 DeClercq, Andrew 6 ft 10 in (2.08 m) 230 lb (104 kg) 1973–02–01 Florida C 52 Fuller, Todd 6 ft 11 in (2.11 m) 255 lb (116 kg) 1974–07–25 NC State C – Koncak, Jon  (IN) 7 ft 0 in (2.13 m) 235 lb (107 kg) 1963–05–17 SMU F 3 Marshall, Donyell 6 ft 9 in (2.06 m) 218 lb (99 kg) 1973–05–18 Connecticut F 17 Mullin, Chris 6 ft 6 in (1.98 m) 200 lb (91 kg) 1963–07–30 St. John's F 35 Owes, Ray 6 ft 9 in (2.06 m) 224 lb (102 kg) 1972–11–30 Arizona C – Peplowski, Mike  (IN) 6 ft 10 in (2.08 m) 270 lb (122 kg) 1970–10–15 Michigan State G 25 Price, Mark 6 ft 0 in (1.83 m) 170 lb (77 kg) 1964–02–15 Georgia Tech F 21 Roe, Lou 6 ft 7 in (2.01 m) 220 lb (100 kg) 1972–07–14 UMass F 32 Smith, Joe 6 ft 10 in (2.08 m) 225 lb (102 kg) 1975–07–26 Maryland C 50 Spencer, Felton 7 ft 0 in (2.13 m) 265 lb (120 kg) 1968–02–15 Louisville G 15 Sprewell, Latrell 6 ft 5 in (1.96 m) 190 lb (86 kg) 1970–09–08 Alabama

Head coach Rick Adelman Assistant coach(es) George Irvine Rod Higgins John Wetzel Legend (DP) Unsigned draft pick (FA) Free agent (S) Suspended (IN) Inactive Injured Roster

Roster Notes

• Center Jon Koncak missed the entire season due to a knee injury, and never played for the Warriors.
• Center Mike Peplowski missed the entire season due to a torn knee ligament sustained during the preseason.

Regular season

Season standings

z - clinched division title

y - clinched division title

x - clinched playoff spot

Record vs. opponents

Game log

This section is empty. You can help by adding to it. (January 2011)

Player statistics

Regular season

• Denotes player spent time with another team in the season. Stats reflect time with the Warriors only.

Player Statistics Citation:

Awards and records

This section is empty. You can help by adding to it. (January 2011)

Transactions

Trades

Free agents

Player Transactions Citation:

References

1. 1996-97 Golden State Warriors
2. Heisler, Mark (June 27, 1996). "The Surprises Are Few". Los Angeles Times. Retrieved June 2, 2023.
3. Bembry, Jerry (June 27, 1996). "76ers Make Iverson the 1, Philadelphia Takes Georgetown Guard; Camby Goes Second". The Baltimore Sun. Retrieved June 2, 2023.
4. Hillyer, John (July 1, 1996). "Warriors Sign Top Draft Pick". SFGate. Retrieved June 2, 2023.
5. "1996 NBA Draft". Basketball-Reference. Retrieved June 2, 2023.
6. "Warriors to Play in San Jose Arena". SFGate. March 22, 1996. Retrieved January 28, 2023.
7. "San Jose Approves One-Year Warriors Deal for Arena". Associated Press. March 27, 1996. Retrieved June 27, 2022.
8. "Warriors Sign Mark Price". The New York Times. Associated Press. July 22, 1996. Retrieved January 18, 2022.
9. "Warriors Sign Mark Price to Multi-Year Deal". Deseret News. Associated Press. July 22, 1996. Retrieved December 27, 2022.
10. Steele, David (September 21, 1996). "Price Wants to Show That Warriors Made Right 'Risk'". SFGate. Retrieved October 7, 2022.
11. "Seikaly Traded to the Magic". The New York Times. Associated Press. November 3, 1996. Retrieved July 31, 2021.
12. "Seikaly Gets Wish, Goes to Magic". Los Angeles Times. Associated Press. November 3, 1996. Retrieved December 3, 2022.
13. Johnson, L.C. (November 3, 1996). "All Aboard...Seikaly". Orlando Sentinel. Retrieved September 16, 2022.
14. "Golden State Grants Seikaly His Trade Wish". The Spokesman-Review. Associated Press. November 3, 1996. Retrieved June 23, 2023.
15. "NBA Games Played on February 6, 1997". Basketball-Reference. Retrieved January 2, 2023.
16. Steele, David (February 21, 1997). "Warriors Trade, But Mullin Stays; Burrell Acquired from Charlotte -- and That's All". SFGate. Retrieved November 9, 2022.
17. Steele, David (March 17, 1997). "Golden State's Health Is in Guarded Condition". SFGate. Retrieved July 29, 2021.
18. Sheridan, Chris (February 20, 1997). "Nuggets Made Three Trades, Hornets and Pacers Two Each". Associated Press. Retrieved July 31, 2021.
19. Brown, Clifton (February 21, 1997). "Jackson Is Back with Pacers". The New York Times. Retrieved January 4, 2023.
20. "Trading Deadline Becomes Much Ado About a Little". Los Angeles Times. Associated Press. February 21, 1997. Retrieved November 18, 2022.
21. "1996–97 Golden State Warriors Schedule and Results". Basketball-Reference. Retrieved June 28, 2021.
22. Jorgensen, Loren (February 8, 1997). "No Offense, But Malone Would Rather Be Home". Deseret News. Retrieved April 20, 2023.
23. Fry, Darrell (February 8, 1997). "On to the Next Stage". Tampa Bay Times. Retrieved December 28, 2022.
24. "1997 NBA All-Star Recap". NBA.com. NBA.com Staff. September 13, 2021. Retrieved May 16, 2023.
25. "1997 NBA All-Star Game: East 132, West 120". Basketball-Reference. Retrieved November 27, 2021.
26. ^ "1996–97 Golden State Warriors Roster and Stats". Basketball-Reference. Retrieved June 28, 2021.
27. "Warriors Trade Mullin to Pacers". The New York Times. Associated Press. August 12, 1997. Retrieved January 18, 2022.
28. "Warriors Send Mullin to Pacers for Ferrell, Big Man Dampier". Deseret News. Associated Press. August 12, 1997. Retrieved June 20, 2023.
29. "Pacers Get Mullin from Warriors for Two Players". Los Angeles Times. Associated Press. August 13, 1997. Retrieved July 10, 2022.
30. "Warriors Send Mullin to Indiana". The Washington Post. August 13, 1997. Retrieved July 12, 2022.
31. Nevius, C.W. (August 13, 1997). "Mullin Gets His Wish; Warrior Great Goes Quietly to Pacers". SFGate. Retrieved December 1, 2022.
32. "PRO BASKETBALL; Warriors Send Price to Magic". The New York Times. Associated Press. October 28, 1997. Retrieved November 18, 2022.
33. Johnson, L.C. (October 28, 1997). "Magic Pay Price for Scoring". Orlando Sentinel. Retrieved January 1, 2022.
34. Steele, David (October 28, 1997). "Warriors Ship Out Price; Point-Guard Glut Gone; Magic Deal Shaw, Vaughn". SFGate. Retrieved December 4, 2022.
35. Fry, Darrell (October 28, 1997). "Magic Thinks Price Is Right, Pays with Shaw, Vaughn". Tampa Bay Times. Retrieved June 23, 2023.
36. Armour, Terry (September 20, 1997). "Simpkins-Burrell Trade in Works". Chicago Tribune. Retrieved July 25, 2022.
37. Steele, David (September 23, 1997). "Warriors Acquire Bulls' Simpkins; Burrell Swapped for 6-10 Power Forward". SFGate. Retrieved December 15, 2022.
38. Greenberg, Alan (October 26, 1997). "Can Pitino Handle Full Control?". Hartford Courant. Retrieved October 7, 2022.
39. "Warriors Fire Adelman After 2 Seasons". The New York Times. Associated Press. April 29, 1997. Retrieved January 8, 2023.
40. Steele, David (June 6, 1997). "Warriors Hire Carlesimo; Coach Given Control; G.M. Twardzik Fired". SFGate. Retrieved October 22, 2022.
41. "Warriors Center Peplowski Out for Year with Bad Knee". SFGate. October 20, 1996. Retrieved May 1, 2023.
42. "1996–97 Golden State Warriors Transactions". Basketball-Reference. Retrieved July 3, 2021.

See also

• 1996-97 NBA season

• Golden State Warriors seasons
• 1996 in sports in California
• 1997 in sports in California
• 1996–97 NBA season by team