2011 NBA Draft Grades: Will Golden State Warriors' Bold Moves Pay Off?
Golden State Warriors Make the Grade with 2011 NBA Draft Results
It would not be a stretch to say that the 2011 NBA draft was going to be the first step towards a brighter tomorrow for the Golden State Warriors. It was going to be the first draft for new owners Joe Lacob and Peter Gruber, not to mention new executive Jerry West and new head coach Mark Jackson.
First and foremost, the Warriors got their man with the No. 11 overall pick, as they used it on Washington State shooting guard Klay Thompson. The Warriors, and West in particular, made virtually no effort to hide their fondness for Thompson and his sweet-shooting ways in the days leading up to the draft. If he was available, they were going to take him.
After that, the Warriors were silent for a while. It wasn't until shortly after the Charlotte Bobcats picked Jeremy Tyler in the second round that the Warriors popped up again, handing the Bobcats a check for Tyler's rights.
A few moments later, the Warriors used the 14th pick in the second round (No. 44 overall) on Hofstra point guard Charles Jenkins. He is an unheralded prospect, but he definitely put up numbers in college.
When you sit back and put the Warriors' draft in perspective, there's no denying that the big picture is interesting, to say the least. The Warriors clearly acquired some pieces for a foundation, but exactly how and when they will be put in place is difficult to determine.
Naturally, Thompson is the key player here. As many have already opined, his arrival probably means that Monta Ellis will be traded sooner or later. Ray Ratto of CSN Bay Area told me on Twitter last night to "assume nothing" on an Ellis trade, but the fact of the matter is that Thompson makes Ellis expendable. Couple that with the rumblings about Ellis wanting a change of scenery, and the odds of him sticking around in Oakland for much longer seem pretty slim.
It will be a sad day for Warriors fans when Ellis gets traded, no doubt about that. However, one presumes they (I should say "we") will get over it if Thompson lives up to the Reggie Miller comparisons.
And then there's Tyler, who might just be the biggest project player in this year's draft class. He committed to play for Louisville in 2008 but ultimately dropped out of high school to go play professionally in Israel instead. His development has suffered as a result, and it will likely be a while before he is NBA-ready.
However, Tyler has star potential. He's 6'11" and 260 pounds, and he has athleticism to spare. He supposedly claims to have a 40-inch vertical leap, which is pretty insane for a man his size. In a perfect world, Tyler will be the talented big man that the Warriors desperately need.
In that same perfect world, Jenkins will be a solid backup for Stephen Curry, which is another thing the Warriors desperately need.
If we go ahead and ignore the elephant in the room that is the looming lockout, my guess is that the only player that will have a significant role on the Warriors next season is Thompson. He is either going to start in Ellis' place, or he is going to provide points off the bench.
After that, who knows? I'm not sure I share Jackson's belief that the Warriors will be a playoff team in 2011-2012, but I will say that I'm more optimistic about the team's future than I have been in quite a while.
Because that's pretty much the whole idea, I guess I'll be the first to say it:
Mission accomplished.
Grade: B
