Golden State Warriors’ assistant coach Keith Smart's lucky red tie and nifty suit he had put on on NBA Draft Lottery night didn't seem to shed it's magic as the Warriors ended up with the predicted 14th pick.
However, the 14th pick might not be as bad as it looks.
There are many prospects that might wind up in Oakland this summer that include:
D.J. Augustin, 5-11, point guard, Texas, 20: Size is the only question with Augustin, the consummate point guard.
Russell Westbrook, 6-4, point guard/shooting guard, UCLA, 19: Good defender and excellent athlete who made vast improvement this year.
Darrell Arthur, 6-9, power forward, Kansas, 20: Athletic big man who might thrive outside Kansas' restrictive system. .
Chase Budinger, 6-7, shooting guard, Arizona, 20: Great athlete who can shoot and score.
After observing these vastly talented players and weighing out the most influential options, I picked Russell Westbrook from UCLA.
People might contend that the Warriors are "midgets" and a big body in the middle has to be a priority.
However, backtracking to the 2007-2008 season, the Warriors failed to make the playoffs in, the greatest weakness in the team lies in a lack of a proficient back-up point guard.
Coming in to last season, the Warriors looked like a complete team, most importantly with a back-up point guard in Troy Hudson to spell Davis some minutes during games.
Mid-season Troy Hudson suffered a knee injury and apparently retired. C-J Watson, an outstanding D-League player, joined the team but did not earn the trust of Don Nelson due to the fact that he was a rookie.
And we all acknowledge the Nellie rookie paranoia, don't we?
Russell Westbrook could conceivably be that point guard that fills in the gap for the high paced Warriors.
Westbrook is an athletic and explosive combo guard with the length to make up for his lack of height. Attacks the basket with a lethal first step and crossover ability. He can handle the ball well and gets into the lane effortlessly.
Westbrook finishes well at the rim and is unafraid to go up in traffic. With a huge wingspan, it allows him to play much bigger than his 6-3 height. In addition, he has an excellent mid-range game.
However, he must continue to improve his body strength.
12 comments Last one added about 1 year ago — Leave a Comment
Miguel Jose about 1 year ago
No way Augustin is dropping to #14.
Chad Ford has Golden State taking Kevin Love, saying he will be a great complement for Biedrins. Love was a dominant player as a freshman. Biedrins should be able to handle the quicker frontcourt players, and compensate for Love's deficiency in athleticism.
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Khalid Shakran about 1 year ago
Augustin might drop to number 14 for sure!
K. Love with the Warriors?? No way. I've watched K.Love closely and he likes to play among half-court. Fast game-play is not his habit at all. So if he was matched up with the Denver Nuggets or the Golden State Warriors, it would not be a good scene to watch. He doesn't run at all. Another argument might fall in that the Warriors might actually want K.Love because the Warriors miserbaly fail in the half court matchup with other teams. And I think you're right when you say that.
But overall, Love and the Warriors- no chemistry in sight yet.
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Guruprasad Ramprakash about 1 year ago
dude Khalid there is no way n planet earth that Augustin's dropping to 14. Teams are looking for Point Guards that can lead their teams like Chris Paul and Deron Williams can. DJ and Russell Westbrook definitely have that potential plus u got teams like Sacramento and Indiana looking desperately for a Point Guard. Sorry, kiddo.
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Khalid Shakran about 1 year ago
You really don't know anything about basketball or the draft this year. Are you comparing Westbrook and Augustin to CP3 and D-Will? Wow, you really don't know anything!! And I know Sac town and the Pacers need point guards. That's why I said POTENTIAL PICK FOR THE WARRIORS. Lastly, don't call me kiddo, beezy.
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Evan Aczon about 1 year ago
I agree. Love doesn't really play a full court, fast paced game very well. Arthur is a very mobile big man, and another big athletic forward may be the thing that Nelson will settle for.
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Khalid Shakran about 1 year ago
Yeah, I wouldn't take Love if I were the Warriors. Arthur is defenitely a more mobile big man. I think a point guard really might do the trick for the warriors though. And don't forget we have a skinny 6'10 forward that's surely gonna blossom next year.
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Andrew Kneeland about 1 year ago
Well, body strength can be easily improved with sessions in the weight room. If he does that, Westbrook would fit in great with Golden State. Nice article.
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Khalid Shakran about 1 year ago
Yeah, absoultely. Although, that was the case for Monta Ellis too, because he was so undersized and Mike Montgomery didn't feel like playing him. It's the same case for Westbrook here, but I think Westbrook is more explosive. All UCLA point guards are unique in a way, I guess.
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Play Defense about 1 year ago
I think Love could do some interesting things for the W's. He certainly is used to igniting the fast break via his outlet passing as he did at UCLA. That being said, I doubt he gets picked by the W's. As for Westbrook, that'd be an interesting choice and he does have high potential. However, as you mentioned, Nellie has a propensity not to play rookies that much, especially one as critical as a point-guard, I would think. That works against him a bit.
Still, I like the fact that there are still options for the Warriors at #14. Whether it's to get another big man, or supplement a back-up at SF or PG, there are definitely valuable pieces available. Or, they could be packaged in yet another trade. Who knows?
Different experts have the W's picking all sorts of different people, so it really is a crapshoot. Plus, Nellie and Mully like to keep us guessing. Thanks for the article.
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Khalid Shakran about 1 year ago
Thanks for the Comment Tim. But I really doubt Love and the Warriors now, however, you never know what might pop up at any given moment during the off-season. Yeah, Nellie and rookies are not on a good note together. It was evident with every star that is blossoming now on the team (Monta and Biedrins). I just hope one thing happens next season: BRANDAN WRIGHT!
Thank you.
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eric schembri about 1 year ago
he is garbage dude. we dont need a skinny point guard to go along side monta ellis we either need a big body to clog the middle and run the break or a strong point guard and there isnt one worth taking at the 14th pick.
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Khalid Shakran about 1 year ago
No, he isn't garbage at all. Well, Monta was skinny when he entered the league. Did your perception change about him now that he's emerging as a superstar? He can be a good back-up point guard to BD. We really don't need a man in the middle, because hopefully Brandan Wright will fill in that hole next season. Wright will definitely be stronger and get a little bigger for next season. He can grab rebounds for sure with that extraordinary length. And so can Biedrins too, although he just becomes bogged down game after game. It's all eyes on Brandan Next season! But overall, the criteria for a back-up point guard for my Warriors are present in Westbrook. Only thing he needs to improve of course is his body strength, which can easily arrive in the NBA. Thanks for the comment though
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