| Warriors Like Ike Authored by Payam Jahromi - July 1, 2005 - 6:15 pm
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I didn't see him play as often as some other players in the draft, so I won't pretend to be an expert on Arizona State basketball.
But I do know this: Chris Mullin drafted for need instead of taking the best player available or the player with the most "upside potential," and that sends one distinct message.
The Warriors want to win now.
It's a good bet that high schooler Gerald Green will wind up better than Diogu. Andrew Bynum could be a monster in five years. But for the 2005-06 season, Mullin believed Diogu was the guy to help them win now. Not later.
If you're a Warriors fan, that should be a sign of relief. For years now, the Warriors have looked to draft a savior or a future franchise player. They were always starting over, with nothing or nobody to get excited about. In other words, the draft meant everything. This year, they didn't need the savior.
Baron Davis took care of that need last year. Jason Richardson is a future All-Star. Andris Biedrins is 19 and everything points to him being special. Mickael Pietrus is a superb athlete and defender off the bench. Mike Dunleavy is a smart and does a little of everything. You get the picture. The Warriors have talent.
This wasn't the year to draft for the future. This was the year to draft for now and for need. And that need is low-post scoring and physical toughness in the paint, both of which are Diogu's strengths.
Diogu doesn't fill every need. There are questions about his man defense and we'll know soon enough if he can handle himself on that end of the court. We’ll just have to wait and see on how he turns out. But the Warriors had the right idea.
Diogu, who didn't attend the draft, said he expected to go between 15-25. That works out well for him because he'll need the extra money when he sees the house prices in the Bay Area.
In the second round, the Warriors took guys with plenty of potential in Monta Ellis and Chris Taft. As everybody knows, Taft was touted as a lottery pick two months ago. He can be a steal or just another second-round pick that didn’t make it. Excellent pick. I would have liked to seen them take Taft and Andray Blatche. You figure one of the three big guys would have worked out.
Here are some takes on the rest of the lottery:
1. Bucks: They had to pick Bogut. With no clear-cut No. 1, you go with the big man.
2. Hawks: Marvin Williams has tons of "potential" and "upside."
3. Jazz: Is Deron Wiliams really going to better than Chris Paul?
4. Hornets: Paul slipping to them was perfect. He's already my favorite to win rookie of the year.
5. Bobcats: Felton may have been a reach, but if you feel strongly about a guy, take him.
6. Trail Blazers: I hear that Martell Webster could be the best shooter in the draft. Seriously though, did you see his grandmother’s hat?
7. Raptors: Villanueva with the seventh pick is potentially one of the worst lottery picks ever. Let’s see, here’s a guy who has all the basketball skills to be dominant, yet he’s underachieved and has been criticized for his lack of passion in his two years in college. I’m sure he’ll turn all that around in the NBA. In Toronto no less.
8. Knicks: Every single Warriors fan should send a thank you letter to Isiah Thomas for taking Channing Frye and not allowing him to be available for the Warriors. At 6-foot-11, he's "soft" and tends to disappear at times. The New York fans will love him.
10. Lakers: The fact that the 7-foot, 300-pound Andrew Bynum went to the Lakers increased his chances of becoming a star by 70 percent. Wait, Jerry West is no longer their GM? Better make that 30 percent.
Even if Bynum turns out to be a stud, that won't happen for at least three years. Which makes it a puzzling fit since Kobe is in his prime and Phil Jackson wants to win now.
11. Magic: I've been told that Fran Vazquez is the most NBA-ready big man outside of Bogut. I'll have to see it to believe it.
12. Clippers: Yaroslav Korolev over Gerald Green and Danny Granger? Gotta love the Clippers.
13. Bobcats: They took Sean May, then later they placed a phone call to the Hawks and Timberwolves to see what it would take to get Marvin Williams and Rashad McCants and go for the repeat.
14. Timberwolves: Talk about a bad start for McCants' pro career – after hearing his named called, he goes up to shake David Stern's hands and the commissioner isn't paying attention. Ouch.
I can be reached at pjahromi@sbcglobal.net |
