| 30 Teams, 30 Days: Golden State Draft Preview Authored by Jason M. Williams - June 9, 2009 - 3:43 pm
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2009 Draft Picks: 7th
Pre-Draft 2009-10 Projected Starters:
PG Jamal Crawford
SG Monta Ellis
SF Stephen Jackson
PF Anthony Randolph
C Andris Biedrins
Key Reserves:
SF Corey Maggette
SG Anthony Morrow
SF Kelenna Azuibuike
PF Brandan Wright
C Ronny Turiaf
What the Warriors Do Well:
The Warriors were decimated by injury and uncertainty throughout the 2008-09 season, so it is difficult to gauge how good/bad this team is coming out of the Baron Davis era. For as long as Don Nelson is away from Maui and on an NBA sideline, his teams will play an exciting, high-octane brand of basketball.
Monta Ellis and Andris Biedrins are the two most crucial members of the team, but one is a shooting guard in the body of a point guard and the other is a big that has no post game. Their attributes outweigh their deficiencies, but need to be complemented by better fitting talent around them.
The depth Golden State can bring off the bench is suitable for a playoff team, with Corey Maggette bringing consistent offense, Ronny Turiaf as a defensive monster and good play on the wings from Kelenna Azuibuike and Anthony Morrow.
The X-factor on this current group is Anthony Randolph and how quickly he develops, which may be impeded by Nelson.
Greatest Areas of Improvement:
A Point Guard With Size
Ellis is a unique scorer, but his ability to play the point position is highly dubious. As a part time point guard that shares the floor with other ball-handlers like Jackson, he is certainly good enough to handle it, but he can’t be counted on to play the position in a traditional way. Ellis played the best basketball of his career when paired with Baron, as he could play the off guard while defending points.
A True Power Forward
The Warriors have hybrid forwards in Randolph and Wright, but their best post player is Maggette. Golden State hasn’t had a true back to the bucket scorer in eons, which is why the fan base is constantly clamoring for a Paul Millsap type of power forward.
Who’s Gone Number 7 Recently?
Over the past five years, solid starters have fallen to the seventh pick. There is no reason to believe the Warriors can’t find a player who can make an immediate impact on the squad next season.
2008
Eric Gordon, Los Angeles Clippers
2007
Corey Brewer, Minnesota Timberwolves
2006
Randy Foye, Boston Celtics (traded to Portland, then to Minnesota)
2005
Charlie Villanueva, Toronto Raptors
2004
Luol Deng, Phoenix Suns (traded to Chicago)
Who Should the Warriors Target?
For more in-depth analysis and background regarding the players that the Warriors should target in this year’s Draft, click on each player name to be redirected to Christopher Reina’s Prospect Report piece.
- Tyreke Evans of Memphis
Evans played a lot of point guard at Memphis and given his size, he would be an ideal fit to pair with Ellis. He doesn’t have the perimeter shot that Nelson typically covets from a guard, but he is incredibly tough and is a great scorer off the dribble.
- Jordan Hill of Arizona
If Hill is on the board with the seventh pick, the Warriors will have to look closely at selecting the true power forward. Hill has plenty of athleticism to fit in as a run and gun finisher, but his post game gives the club an element they don’t currently have at the position.
- Jrue Holiday of UCLA/Stephen Curry of Davidson/Jonny Flynn of Syracuse/Brandon Jennings of Roma
The Warriors have been linked to each of these four point guards, but Holiday is the only player of the group that could be paired with Ellis without giving up too much size and strength defensively. He also is more of a true point guard in comparison to Jennings and curry.
Picks Over the Past Five Years
The Warriors have had misses where they should have had hits and hits where they should have had misses. Chris Mullin did extremely well in getting Monta Ellis with the 40th overall pick in 2005, but also passed on Andrew Bynum for Ike Diogu. Patrick O’Bryant is already almost out of the NBA and Marco Belinelli has never clicked with Don Nelson. The final pick of Mullin’s tenure could end up being his best in Randolph.
2008
Anthony Randolph, 14th
Richard Hendrix, 49th
2007
Marco Belinelli, 18th
Jermareo Davidson, 36th
Stephane Lasme, 46th
2006
Patrick O’Bryant, 9th
Kosta Perovic, 38th
2005
Ike Diogu, 9th
Monta Ellis, 40th
Chris Taft, 42nd
2004
Andris Biedrins, 11th
Who Do the Fans Want?
According to Andrew Perna’s Golden State Warriors Lottery Summit, an interactive forum featuring the responses of true RealGM hoops fans hoping to add their two cents to the Warriors Draft discussion, the fans of Golden State have made it known that they would like to get a pass-first point guard.
The Verdicts
1. What could the team have done differently to make the playoffs?
Hopper15: If we kept Monta Ellis out of Jackson, Mississippi after signing his contract, and have passed on Corey Maggette.
Sleepy: If we kept Monta away from scooters…
dubs4sho-tho: Spread the playing time out a little more, especially to the young guns earlier in the season. With a seven-man rotation for the most part, our team was just fatigued by the end of the season
.
gking: If we relocated to the Eastern conference. This squad just didn't have the manpower to make the playoffs in the West.
KR4: Nothing, they weren't going to make the playoffs.
ryder: Not happening.
MockDrafter: Nothing with the roster they had.
gswhoopsman: If we got Anthony Randolph into the rotation earlier, and have kept Baron Davis instead of signing Maggette.
and1GS: If we had not signed Maggette, waited out Al Harrington's contract by not doing the Crawford deal, and had stolen Monta's moped.
GSWbandwagon: Trade for LeBron? Undo every non-draft management decision of the last two offseasons? Lock Monta in the practice facility during the offseason?
FireNellieQuick: If we BELIEVED.
brownwarriors: Monta not being injured, and having Randolph in the rotation earlier.
gswhoops: Really, I don't see how we could have made the playoffs this season without some serious injuries to other Western conference teams.
floppymoose: Move to the Australian League.
apcoxy: If we released Don Nelson from his coaching job on Day One.
TB: Nothing, but not signing Maggette, firing Nellie, and keeping Monta off his scooter would have been HUGE for this team.
Mylie10: If the front office kept Baron in town and still signed Turiaf, drafted Randolph, picked up Anthony Morrow, re-signed Biedrins, re-signed Monta, and then forced Monta to stay in Oakland for the offseason.
2. Where were the team’s biggest strengths?
Hopper15: Getting to the foul line and scoring points.
Sleepy: It's hard to focus on any on-court strengths with all the buzz from the front office, coach and injured list. I guess the correct answer here is Randolph.
dubs4sho-tho: Our depth at shooting guard.
gking: The depth was pretty good with guys like Turiaf, Maggette, Morrow, Kelenna Azubuike and Watson usually coming off the bench.
KR4: Building the young guys -- Randolph, Morrow, etc.
ryder: Providing fans at the arena with a great time, the first half success of Andris Biedrins, and lucking into Randolph at #14 last year.
MockDrafter: Two-guards.
gswhoopsman: Scoring, I guess.
and1GS: Scoring.
GSWbandwagon: Using the home crowd’s energy to win games.
FireNellieQuick: BELIEVING.
brownwarriors: The bench, and it’s oozing talent.
gswhoops: Scoring and shot blocking.
floppymoose: The suckers…I mean fans.
apcoxy: Three-point shooting.
TB: The Oracle crowd, shot-blocking, scoring points, and Randolph.
Mylie10: The center combination of Andris and Ronny.
3. Who had a surprisingly effective season?
Hopper15: Turiaf.
Sleepy: We all knew that Morrow would dominate the league when he hit something like 200 threes in the summer league. So I’ve got to go with Watson’s play late in the season, when it didn't matter anymore.
dubs4sho-tho: Turiaf and Maggette.
gking: Turiaf, Randolph and Watson.
KR4: Morrow and Watson.
ryder: Turiaf, Belinelli and Morrow.
MockDrafter: Turiaf.
gswhoopsman: Morrow.
and1GS: Turiaf and Randolph.
GSWbandwagon: Watson, Morrow and Turiaf.
FireNellieQuick: Turiaf.
brownwarriors: Marco Belly in the short time he played, and Turiaf.
gswhoops: Turiaf, Randolph, and surprisingly, Maggette (once he became a sixth man).
floppymoose: Morrow and Turiaf.
apcoxy: Azubuike.
TB: Turiaf and Morrow.
Mylie10: The Anthony’s.
4. Who had a surprisingly ineffective season?
Hopper15: Brandan Wright.
Sleepy: Wright.
dubs4sho-tho: Ellis.
gking: Jamal Crawford. He put up decent scoring numbers, but was really lacking in assists and had a terrible FG%.
KR4: Jackson.
ryder: Wright.
MockDrafter: Marcus Williams.
gswhoopsman: Wright.
and1GS: Jackson.
GSWbandwagon: All things considered, no one really.
FireNellieQuick: If you expect them to be bad, you aren’t surprised.
brownwarriors: Captain Jack played horribly.
gswhoops: Crawford. Nelson's system should be perfect for him, but it just didn't click.
floppymoose: Harrington.
apcoxy: Wright.
TB: Jack. He tried to do all the things he couldn't do, and forgot to do the things he's good at.
Mylie10: Chris Mullin.
5. How confident are you in the front office heading into the offseason?
Hopper15: Not the least bit.
Sleepy: Haha, I hope you get banned for asking such a question.
dubs4sho-tho: Not confident at all. It’s obvious that our management has bottom-line profit as the only priority.
gking: I liked what I heard from GM Larry Riley on the recent season ticket holder conference call.
KR4: About as confident as I am giving a dissertation on brain surgery.
ryder: I'm confident that Nellie will make a big splash. I'm not too confident that I'll like it.
MockDrafter: Fairly confident. They can’t do any worse, can they?
gswhoopsman: I’m confident we'll draft a good player, but in all other respects no confidence.
GSWbandwagon: [Laughs]
FireNellieQuick: I’m confident one exists.
brownwarriors: 0%.
gswhoops: About 50%. Riley hasn't really proven himself yet, so I'll hold off on judging him.
floppymoose: I'd be more confident if the front office were heading into the wood chipper.
TB: I wouldn't be surprised if we extended Maggette's contract and drafted Darrius Heyward-Bey.
Mylie10: The front office is a joke right now.
6. What are the team’s biggest needs in the draft?
Hopper15: Point guard.
Sleepy: Probably a point guard.
dubs4sho-tho: A solid point guard.
gking: A pass-first point guard that is willing to set up other players.
KR4: A pass-first ball handler.
ryder: Someone who can pass and hopefully help take the ball out of Jackson's hands.
MockDrafter: No need. Just find the right deal or draft best available.
gswhoopsman: A passing point guard, beef inside and a perimeter defense.
and1GS: Point guard, defense and leadership.
GSWbandwagon: A superstar.
FireNellieQuick: Passing, defense and…a head coach?
brownwarriors: A true point guard.
gswhoops: A point guard and a big body to bang in the post.
floppymoose: A point guard.
apcoxy: A point guard.
TB: A point, and preferably one with a brain.
Mylie10: With the emergence of Randolph in the front court along with the center tandem, it has to be point guard.
7. Who would you like the Warriors to take with the 7th pick?
Hopper15: Ricky Rubio. If he doesn’t fall, then Tyreke Evans.
dubs4sho-tho: Brandon Jennings or Jrue Holiday.
gking: Try to trade up to select Rubio. Otherwise, Holiday.
KR4: Rubio, Ty Lawson or Jonny Flynn.
ryder: Whatever point guard Nellie signs off on and is willing to take under his wing -- unless it's Lawson.
MockDrafter: Best available player or work a deal to move up or down.
gswhoopsman: Evans or Holiday.
and1GS: Evans.
GSWbandwagon: I have no idea if we can’t find a way to get Blake Griffin or Rubio.
FireNellieQuick: Can we draft Larry Izzo out of Michigan State?
brownwarriors: The best player available.
gswhoops: Jennings, Evans or Holiday.
floppymoose: I'll go with Jennings, but I'm really not sure at all.
apcoxy: Rubio, Holiday, Jennings, Patrick Mills, or Terrence Williams.
TB: Rubio, Jrue, Stephen Curry, or Jennings, in that order.
Mylie10: I’d love Rubio, but probably Holiday.
Click here to read other draft previews in our 30 Teams, 30 Days series
Who do you want the Warriors to draft at number 7? Feel free to contact Jason M. Williams with your thoughts. He can be reached at Jason.Williams@RealGM.com for comments and questions. |
