Golden State Warriors' Draft: The Search for a True Point Guard

With combo guards like Monta Ellis, Marco Bel, Anthony Morrow, and Kelenna Azubuike on their roster, the Warriors' are in need of a true point guard to funnel the ball to all of those scorers.

Jason Kidd may be an option, but it's clear he's on the downside of his career. This is why Golden State will look towards the draft.

Here are three prospects that should be on the Warriors' radar.

Ricky Rubio

The Warriors' crave a true point guard—and Spanish sensation Rick Rubio is the closest thing to it in this year's draft class. Some scouts have gone as far as to deem him the "Spanish Pete Maravich"—and with the way he can accurately deliver the ball during crucial interludes of play, I agree.

At 6'4", he's taller than your typical point guard, which is another plus. The fact that he's more elongated then most at his position will allow him to see over the defenses and find the open man—similar to what NFL Quarterbacks like Peyton Manning and Tom Brady do.

He's also a lefty, which can cause havoc on defense, because nine times out of 10 they're playing and defending against someone who thrives on their opposite hand.

Overall, Rubio looks as if he has the complete skill set of a true distributor, one that could work wonders with the Warriors' However, the only way Golden State will have a chance of selecting him is by garnering the No 2 overall pick or higher. Currently, the Warriors' are stationed at No. 7 and have a 4.3 percent chance of winning the lottery.

Jonny Flynn

Standing only 6'0", Flynn uses his stout frame to elude backcourt traps and knife through defenders, causing havoc on the defense and leading to him find the open man. He's a great assist man, is active in the passing lanes, and his leadership is outstanding for a guard of his age.

In terms of NBA, his stature is his greatest weakness. But we're starting to see a trend develop in diminutive point guards playing above their heights and becoming valuable to their team at the next level—see Aaron Brooks, D.J. Augustin, and Nate Robinson, among others.

Flynn had a historic Big East Tournament and proved to be one of the best game managers in college basketball the past season. He played courageously against Oklahoma, and expects to perform well in the upcoming draft workouts.

Golden State can use a guy like Flynn—a playmaker with a tough attitude and can really ignite the fastbreak. Pair him with Monta Ellis in the backcourt, and the Warriors' now have one of the most aggressive, athletic, and finesse-minded tandems in the NBA—perhaps even the best under 20 years old.

Picking Jonny Flynn at No. 7 looks like a mistake, but given the Warriors' need for an unselfish playmaker, they may have to make the sacrifice in this year's draft.

Ty Lawson

Lawson is the most unselfish candidate of the three, and is also the fastest player in the draft from one end of the basketball court to another. He's currently riding a hot streak that was further inflamed by the Tar Heels victory in the NCAA Championship.

Lawson was undisputedly the most-important player of the NCAA Tournament. His performances during UNC's run—21 second-half points against LSU on a bad ankle, a near triple-double in the Final Four—and his five-to-one turnover ratio in the Big Dance were miraculous.

The Thunder are in dire need of a distributor, as they finished second to last in their division in assists and almost dealt their best passer (Earl Watson) at the trade deadline.

With scorers like Monta Ellis, Anthony Randolph, and Brandan Wright all still developing as scorers, a crafty player with amazing speed and who actually prefers to dish the ball maybe the right prescription for the Warriors.

Though the seventh-overall pick seems like a tad high, Lawson could vindicate the Warriors' decision by having a good series of workouts—similar to what Thunder G Russell Westbrook did in last year's draft.

Or if he has a bad series of workouts with NBA teams has he did last offseason, Golden State can easily trade down and acquire more pieces toward their future and still nab Lawson.