| Warriors Options On Draft Day Authored by Payam Jahromi - June 26, 2006 - 1:32 am
Let’s assume the Warriors don’t trade up or down during Wednesday’s NBA draft. They are picking at No. 9, just like last year. I’m leaning in one of two directions. The first option is to think big. As in a center.
Most mock drafts are thinking along the same lines – almost every mock has the Warriors taking Bradley center Patrick O’Bryant.
Given the other choices available, I think it’s a good pick if he’s available.
O’Bryant is only 20 years old and many feel he’s at least a couple years away from making an impact at the next level. He played two years at Bradley and is considered a late bloomer. He’s an excellent rebounder and shot blocker, and he’s a surprisingly good free-throw shooter (70% last year) for a 7-footer.
The Warriors already have a 7-footer in Andris Biedrins whom the team is waiting to turn the corner. Do they really want to have two centers like that?
I don’t know, but it’s time for Adonal Foyle to go. I’ve always felt that Foyle would make a great backup center. But given the makeup of the Warriors roster, he always seems to find the starting lineup.
Get rid of Foyle and give me the center combo of Biedrins and O’Bryant. And when they get into foul trouble, go small.
Or…
Perhaps the most pressing need for the Warriors is athleticism and defense in the frontcourt. Dunleavy, Murphy and Diogu are not exactly athletic freaks, and they’re all poor defenders.
They need a guy who can defend some of the top forwards in the Western Conference. Guys like Marion, Melo, Odom, Brand, KG and Dirk just to name a few.
If you look at the top teams in the league, they all have defensive studs in the frontcourt (Miami has Udonis Haslem, Dallas has Josh Howard, San Antonio has Bruce Bowen and Tim Duncan, Detroit has Ben Wallace and Teyshaun Prince, Phoenix has Marion, and so on).
The Warriors have nobody like that. Not even close. Mickael Pietrus and Monta Ellis are good defenders, but they’re guards (Pietrus is a borderline forward, but he’s better suited guarding smaller guys). Maybe Chris Taft can provide some tough D, but let’s see him stay healthy first.
Whether they get that player in the draft or in a trade, it must be addressed. That brings me to the one guy in this draft who can potentially be a great defender: Cedric Simmons of N.C. State.
Simmons, who is also coming off his sophomore year, is 6-9 and can play the power forward or center position. He has a 7-4 wingspan like Diogu, but his game is almost the exact opposite of Ike’s. Simmons is raw offensively and doesn’t have the polished low-post game of Diogu, but he has the athleticism, defense and shot-blocking to make an immediate impact on that side of the ball.
Simmons is tough, athletic, plays defense and rebounds. In other words, he potentially brings everything the Warriors lack in the frontcourt.
If you any questions or comments, you can reach me at pjahromi@sbcglobal.net |
