Last season Chris Mills and Danny Fortson combined to play less than 2. 5 percent of the Warriors' total minutes, yet they ate up close to 25 percent of the team's payroll.

If you're looking for a reason why the Warriors couldn't retain Gilbert Arenas, that's a good place to start.

Thursday is the final day the Warriors can match the Wizards' $60 million- plus offer sheet to Arenas, but the Golden State brass has been resigned for a couple of weeks to losing the effervescent point guard.

An NBA rule hinders teams over the salary cap that try to re-sign players who don't have their so-called "Bird rights," which generally require three years of service with the same club.

Arenas, a second-round pick in 2001, became a restricted free agent after playing only two years, so the Warriors were limited to offering him a contract starting at no more than the midlevel exception of $4.9 million.

The team has widely blamed the rule for its inability to lure back Arenas. But just as damaging to the Warriors' chances, both of re-signing Arenas and upgrading their roster, has been a proclivity for taking on big contracts of ultimately unproductive players.