2012 NBA Free Agency: Should the Golden State Warriors Extend Brandon Rush?

While it wasn't quite Stephen Jackson and Al Harrington for Mike Dunleavy and Troy Murphy, and certainly wasn't Baron Davis for Speedy Claxton and Dale Davis, the Brandon Rush for Lou Amundson may have been the Warriors best deal in recent years.

When the Warriors acquired the former two-time All-American Kansas Jayhawk one week before their season opener, the response was generally ho-hum. Rush (the 13th pick in the 2008 draft) was coming off three productive, but frustrating seasons with the Indiana Pacers. On the court, Rush was an above average defender with a reliable three-point shot, but struggled with consistency in terms of both minutes and production.

Since his arrival in the Bay Area, Rush has produced. His statistics fall pretty much in line with his career averages (9.1 points, 3.3 rebounds in 24.9 minutes this year, 8.9 and 3.5 in 26.9 for his career), but he's become a much more efficient scorer. The career 42.7 percent shooter has connected on exactly 50 percent of his field goals this season, thanks in no small part to his ridiculous 54.5 percent three-point shooting.

In addition, his defense has been either better than advertised, or more noticeable given the defensive limitations of some of his teammates. He's not quite LeBron James chasing down fast breaks, but opponents certainly are wary of him on breakaways. He also shows confidence in his ability to guard anyone one-on-one on the perimeter.

Rush has been a large part of the improved play of the team's second unit (nicknamed the "Dub-Stitutes") and his play has forced the front office to consider extending the impending restricted free agent.

That question may depend largely on how the club feels about rookie Klay Thompson's development. Thompson, Rush and Wright would seemingly be all fighting for the same minutes next season.

But the Warriors should lock up Rush, and do it sooner than later. Regardless of the struggles of the starting five this season, it's hard for anyone to deny that this second unit is special. Keeping Rush's defense around allows the club to hide Thompson on that end of the floor and Rush's perimeter shooting spreads the floor for Thompson (or Nate Robinson).

He may not ever earn a starting spot for the Warriors, but his game is well suited to come off of the bench. If the organization can assemble a playoff-caliber starting five for head coach Mark Jackson, Rush could prove invaluable down the line. Be it timely scoring or a stretch of harassing defense, Rush's impact will be felt more often than not.