| With The 9th Pick, Golden State Selects… Authored by Payam Jahromi - June 26, 2005 - 9:07 pm
I think I have an idea. Chris Mullin hasn’t hinted on who he might take, but I’m going to give it my best guess.
I think the Warriors will draft Hakim Warrick.
The Warriors brought the Syracuse forward in for a second workout today, along with Danny Granger. I don’t think you bring a guy in twice if you weren’t seriously considering drafting him. Then again, it could be one of those smoke screens for other teams. I doubt it.
The closer we get to draft day, the higher Granger and Channing Frye’s stocks are rising, meaning there’s a good chance they’ll be gone when the ninth pick rolls around.
Spain center Fran Vazquez has been said to be the most NBA-ready of all big men who could be available when the Warriors pick, and we know Mullin isn’t afraid to take a European player.
But something tells me that Mullin will go with who he perceives as the best player available, and Warrick could be that guy.
Warrick wouldn’t solve the Warriors’ obvious need for a big man who can score inside and protect the basket defensively. But his athleticism and incredible passion for the game could come in handy.
Warrick, who is most known for his game-winning block on Kansas’ Michael Lee in the 2003 National Championship game, is an athletic freak. He’s undersized at 6-foot-8, but his long arms and 38-inch vertical leap should help make up for that.
He’s a good fit on an up-tempo team like the Warriors. As a regular on “SportsCenter’s Top Ten plays,” Warrick would thrive with point guard Baron Davis in the transition game.
He does not have a traditional low-post game and often relies on his athleticism more than basketball smarts. But for the Warriors, that may not be the worst thing. They have a primarily un-athletic frontcourt with Adonal Foyle, Troy Murphy and Mike Dunleavy.
Also, Murphy and Dunleavy aren’t exactly known for defense, and that’s where Warrick would help. He could be the Warriors’ version of Teyshaun Prince or Shawn Marion.
Perhaps the biggest question mark about Warrick is that he’s a “tweener,” never a good title. He played power forward in college, but because of his size, he’ll be a small forward in the pros. He also doesn’t have a go-to move, another cause for concern.
But last year Warrick developed a decent mid-range jumper, and if he continues to work on his shot (the easiest thing to work on) and ball handling, he could be a steal. He also found a way to get to the line on a consistent basis.
You can measure a kid’s height, but you can’t measure his heart. Many have said he’s a smaller Darius Miles, which is a good comparison. But Warrick has a big heart and, unlike Miles, his character and work ethic have never been questioned.
Something tells me Warrick could be a Warrior.
Other possibilities
Charlie Villanueva – The fact that the NBA invited him to the draft’s green room is a good indication that his stock is rising. He is the definition of “high risk, high reward.” I have mixed feelings about Charlie V.
It’s never a good thing when a guy has been labeled “potential cancer.” But at the same time, he’s very talented, smart, and he’s 6-11. As we all know, you can’t teach size.
I personally would stay away. Questions about one’s character can be overblown (see Amare Stoudamire), but do you really want to take a chance on a guy who has been called the following: passive, not motivated, weak defender, cancer, uninterested, and lack of killer instinct? Me neither.
Johan Petro – I’ve never seen him play, but here’s my problem with Petro. For a guy who is 7-1, 250 pounds and only 19 years old, why isn’t he a top five pick? In other words, if this guy has showed “any” type of skills, he’d be projected higher wouldn’t he? This is the same reason I’m scared of Andrew Bynum.
Not having seen Petro or Bynum play, I know I’m not qualified to make judgments, but scouts have seen them play. And we all know that if a big man shows potential for being special, he gets drafted higher than he probably should.
Whatever happens, it’ll happen soon.
I can be reached at pjahromi@sbcglobal.net |
