2012 NBA Draft: Golden State Warriors and Lottery Teams Who Must Land Superstars
The Golden State Warriors need to land a superstar in the 2012 NBA draft, but they aren't the only lottery team in need of serious help.
More than anything else, the NBA is a business. Without a marketable star or two, franchises don't sell out stadiums—not to mention that they don't win games.
Here are five teams that need to load up on marketable talent to ensure success in both arenas in the future.
Golden State Warriors
Per basketball-reference.com, since the beginning of the 1994-1995 season, the Warriors have won more than 50 percent of their games only two times (2006-2007 and 2007-2008).
The franchise has gone through eight head coaches during that time, and the biggest star they've had to work with has been Latrell Sprewell—and he was more trouble than he was worth (choke artist).
Much like the Cleveland Cavaliers before LeBron James, the Warriors are in desperate need of a player to lift them out of their current state as bottom-feeders in the NBA hierarchy.
If they can land Anthony Davis and somehow get Stephen Curry to play out an entire season, the Warriors would suddenly be competitive. And given a couple of years, they could be contenders to win the West.
You don't have to travel far from Oakland to find the next team on our list.
The Kings haven't been in a drought as long as the Warriors, and they aren't as talent-starved either. DeMarcus Cousins is one of the most promising big men in the league, and if he can stay focused on basketball, he could become one of the game's greats.
Still, the Kings are missing a key ingredient: They don't have a true point guard.
Tyreke Evans isn't a good fit for Sacramento. He isn't a true point guard, but his style of play is predicated on him handling the ball. He isn't a floor general, and the offense gets seriously bogged down when he attempts to turn himself into one.
Unfortunately for them, the top of the 2012 draft isn't point-guard heavy. Geoff Petrie has his work cut out for him, that's for sure.
Cleveland Cavaliers
The Cavaliers have yet to recover from the departure of King James.
Kyrie Irving was a savvy choice last year, and the rookie has shown signs of becoming a superstar in his own right. But that being said, the Cavs are still in need of some serious firepower to complement the young point guard.
One thing that's exciting for all you Cavaliers fans is the youth on their roster. Besides Antawn Jamison, the average player has only has two-and-a-half years experience, per basketball-reference.com.
What Irving and the Cavaliers really need now is a dominant big man to roam the middle of the court. They need an enforcer. They need Davis or Andre Drummond.
The Hornets lost Chris Paul. Enough said, right?
They desperately need to find his replacement, because since his departure, their offense has fallen down a hole and nobody seems to have a clue where to find it.
Per ESPN, the Hornets rank 29th in the NBA in scoring. Jarrett Jack has filled in admirably in Paul's absence, but he simply isn't the kind of dynamic playmaker you need to run a proficient offense in the NBA these days.
Additionally, the Hornets could an upgrade at the center position. Chris Kayman isn't the answer. They need better production on the boards to keep opponents from double-dipping on offense.
The Hornets won't be fixed in one year, but given the right players, they could be much more competitive next year.
I'd be remiss if I left the Bobcats off this list.
With a record of 7-50, the Bobcats need more than one superstar to make things right. Things got so bad this season that there were reports Michael Jordan was considering selling his share of ownership if things didn't improve (H/T NYDailyNews.com).
More than any team in the league, the Bobcats need Anthony Davis. The top rebounder on their squad thus far in 2011-2012 is BIsmack Miyombo, who only hauls in 5.6 per contest, per basketball-reference.com.
They lack an inside presence to deter teams from ruling the paint, and things won't get any better until the Bobcats find a superstar to dominate the interior.
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