Golden State Warriors: Power Ranking Who Takes the Last Shot Next Season

How many Achilles' heels can one team actually have?

For the Golden State Warriors, the real problem may be finding enough fingers to point for the blame of this season's failures.

There's the rookie coach (Mark Jackson) asked to lead a talent-deprived roster to just the franchise's second playoff berth in nearly 20 years. Jackson was in over his head before being handcuffed with a severely restricted training camp and a hectic 66-game season.

There's the general manager (Larry Riley) who failed to find enough physical players to fit Jackson's defensive schemes, swung wildly and missed at free-agent centers, then sent the team's top two players (Monta Ellis and Ekpe Udoh) for one (Andrew Bogut) who they knew would never suit up this season.

There's Joe Lacob who paid a not-quite-so ludicrous $450 million (thanks to Magic Johnson and company) for a franchise lacking in talent, but bursting with optimism. Lacob fueled the fire with not just playoff talks, but championship talks. Then he wasted the team's amnesty clause on Charlie Bell's expiring $4 million contract despite his team holding one of the league's worst contracts (Andris Biedrins). The success-starved, hopelessly loyal fanbase responded in kind.

And let's not forget that talent-stricken roster. Injuries (Stephen Curry) aside, the team has been plagued by an over-reliance on ineffective isolations and perimeter jumpers, a lack of size and energy and a team defense that still resembles the teachings of their former defensive guru and (this one's tough to choke out) Hall of Famer, Don Nelson.

This year's Warriors squad showed how important late-game production is, you know, back when they actually played some close games. So the biggest question mark for next season (other than mortgaging the future for two injury-prone "superstars") is this: Who takes the final shot in close games?

Here's some candidates and their cases for getting the nod.

6. Nate Robinson/Charles Jenkins

If Stephen Curry is healthy next season, neither of these players will be on the court with the game on the line. Robinson, a free-agent-to-be, may not even be with the club.

But assuming Robinson re-signs and assuming Curry's less than 100 percent (would either surprise anyone?), these two have staked their claims to being next year's closer.

The biggest argument for Robinson taking the shot is that he wants to take the shot. That desire may stem less from the moment itself and more from him wanting to take every shot. But at least he wants the ball in his hands. That's the biggest characteristic of any closer.

As for Jenkins, his argument has only started in the last month. But what a month it's been for the rookie.

He doesn't have the flash of a Curry or the bravado of a Robinson. Neither of those is a knock on the blue-collar point guard.

He's just starting to show some of the scoring prowess that allowed him to graduate as Hofstra's all-time leading scorer. He knows his strengths (midrange jumpers, dribble penetration) and weaknesses (perimeter shooting) and plays his game accordingly.

5. Andrew Bogut

If memory serves correctly (it's been a while since the Big Aussie actually played), Bogut possesses a serviceable post repertoire, poor free-throw shooting (57.4 percent for his career) and above-average passing ability (for a big, that is).

Bogut was a nice get for the Warriors at the deadline (if he stays healthy), but the excitement of his arrival in the Bay has nothing to do with offensive skills.

He's averaged better than 15 points just once in his career (15.9 in 2009-10) and will likely find most of his points off putbacks and deep entry passes.

Either Jenkins or Robinson would be a much more logical choice for taking the last shot, but Bogut has one big advantage on them...he'll actually be on the court.

4. Brandon Rush (or Any of the Warriors' Small Forwards)

The Warriors not only have to find a way back to their likely-lost lottery pick, but they need to find a high enough pick to snag a starting-caliber small forward.

Oh, and that small forward needs to be able to start yesterday.

This isn't a knock on Rush (who's been better than even he could've imagined) or any of the Warriors dozens of small forwards (Dorell Wright, Dominick McGuire, the corpse of Richard Jefferson).

Well, in a way I guess it is a knock on them because the Warriors need to upgrade the talent at the position.

Rush would be the likeliest candidate of these four because he can do something better than each of those players. His shooting ability moves him ahead of McGuire, and his ability to create when the perimeter shot is not an option keeps him in front of Wright.

Oh, and the fact that he can move will keep Jefferson behind him.

3. Stephen Curry

Is there any chance that Curry's rehab involves work on his handles, quickness and decision-making?

It's a long shot to say the least, but Warriors fans should certainly hope so.

Curry has improved his assist-to-turnover ratio in each of his three seasons in the NBA, but his career-best 2.12 assists to turnovers was just 36th-best in the league (and third-best on the Warriors, trailing Robinson and Jenkins).

Curry is one of the league's best shooters and could easily move in to the super-exclusive 50-40-90 club before his career is over. But he has yet to show the handles and decision-making that a closer needs to have. It's hard to imagine Curry running the last possession and managing anything better than an 18-footer.

2. David Lee

What NBA franchise rests their late-game hopes on the shoulders of an undersized power forward whose lack of athleticism restricts his ability to go over his defenders AND whose most reliable offensive threat is a slightly above-average midrange jumper?

For the Warriors, there aren't many other logical options.

Lee has solidified himself as the team's best player this season, posting 19.8 points on 50.6 percent shooting and 9.6 rebounds along the way.

He's a smart player and one that maximizes his abilities, a rare trait for professional athletes.

But for everything listed above (i.e., his lack of size and athleticism) he'll never be a great player nor a top option on a contending team.

Still, the threat of the midrange jumper creates great spacing for the offense and his ability to finish with either hand around the basket keeps his defenders somewhat at bay. That spacing combined with his passing ability make him a legitimate candidate to be the Warriors' closer.

Unfortunately, it's hard to think of Lee as the closer of a playoff contender.

1. Klay Thompson

With less than a month remaining in Thompson's rookie campaign, there have been a few certainties about his game so far. He possesses one of those rare perimeter shots where it looks good no matter the result. He plays with a high basketball IQ and exerts good energy on both sides of the floor.

But like most rookies, the jury's still out on where his game will go from here.

Since inheriting the role vacated by Monta Ellis at the trade deadline, Thompson has posted 16 points or better in nine of the Warriors 13 games. This stretch has also seen his first career 20-point game (he's had three) and his first career 30-point effort (31 on March 24).

But is this scoring run the product of a well-rounded offensive attack or that of being forced into a scorer's role on a talent-short roster? Is he a scorer who can shoot or just another Warriors shooter (Reggie Williams, Anthony Morrow)? Is he Ray Allen or J.J. Redick?

Ideally, the Warriors are closing with Thompson next season. Curry and another shooter space the floor for Thompson to attack while Lee's midrange threat creates even more space. The Warriors could even add a third three-point shooter at "power forward" and slide Lee to center to give Thompson even more room.

He's got James Harden potential and, if he can realize that sooner than later, the Warriors have to like their chances. If he's the next Quentin Richardson, well, there may another tanking movement next season for 2013's top-six protected draft pick.