2012 NBA Draft: 3 Big Options for Golden State Warriors

This Thursday, at the 2012 NBA draft, the Golden State Warriors had better go big, or go home.

Last season, Golden State was nothing short of dreadful in two key statistical categories. They ranked dead last in the NBA in rebound rate (46.1), which simply measures the percentage of missed shots a team secures. They also tied for fourth-worst in defensive efficiency (106), a measure of how many points per 100 possessions a team allows.

You don’t need advanced statistics to realize that the Warriors didn’t defend or rebound last year. If you watched the games, those weaknesses were clear.

Hopefully, the addition of Andrew Bogut—by all accounts an excellent rebounder and world-class defensive center—will address the Warriors’ two biggest flaws. But Bogut alone isn’t enough to rehabilitate the Warriors’ awful defense and rebounding.

He’s going to need some help.

So here are three realistic frontcourt options the Warriors should look at closely in their search for help on defense, and on the boards.

John Henson

North Carolina’s John Henson is a long, athletic shot-blocker known for tenacious defense and excellent rebounding. He was named the ACC Defensive Player of the Year in both of his seasons at UNC.

And Henson recently wowed scouts at a workout that featured a number of other lottery big men. His stock is soaring.

Sounds like the solution, right?

One thing that’s important to keep in mind is that Henson showed dominant defensive form and rebounding prowess in college. But at the NBA level, his willowy frame may prevent him from fighting through screens and holding rebound position against much larger, stronger opponents.

The NBA is a man’s league, and at 6’10” and 216 pounds, Henson’s got the body of a lanky college kid. If he can add some size, his ability to defend and rebound are second to none. 

He’s projected to go to the Pistons at No. 9 by ESPN, so it wouldn’t be a huge reach if the Warriors snagged him seventh.

Tyler Zeller

Unlike his college teammate Henson, Zeller comes equipped with NBA size. At 7’0” and 247 pounds, Zeller is a very mobile, intelligent defender. He plays excellent help defense and rotates extremely well for his size.

Zeller also became a solid rebounder during his senior season, averaging 9.6 rebounds per game.

However, unlike Henson, Zeller won’t help on defense by blocking shots. His contributions will be much more subtle, and will probably include taking a few charges.

Overall, Zeller is probably the craftiest, smartest and most fundamentally sound defender among all the big men the Warriors could potentially select at No. 7. Although he would be something of a reach (he’s projected to be taken 11^th overall), the 2012 ACC Player of the Year would definitely step into the Warriors’ frontcourt as a ready contributor.

Andre Drummond

Let’s just get it out of the way: Drummond’s got some issues. He’s only selectively aggressive, shoots under 30 percent from the free-throw line and has been known to pull total disappearing acts for long stretches.

But we’re concerned with defense and rebounding, and the scouting reports certainly show he’s capable of both.

At 6’11” and 279 pounds, Drummond is capable of physically dominating the paint.  He has excellent timing as a shot-blocker, as well. At UConn, Drummond sent away 2.7 shots per game. He’s also a decent rebounder (7.6 per game).

Drummond’s ceiling is higher than both Henson’s and Zeller’s. Physically, he is already an NBA player. He’s explosive, athletic, intimidating and has great length. Somewhere inside him, there’s an elite defensive player.

If the Warriors feel like gambling, and Drummond’s shortcomings scare off the six teams picking in front of them, they’d be hard-pressed to do better than the UConn product.