Golden State Warriors: 5 Lineup Experiments Mark Jackson Should Try

With all of the uncertainty surrounding the NBA's labor negotiations and the upcoming season, one theme is certainly resonating around the Bay Area hoops scene: excitement.

Any team handing the reins over to a rookie coach with no head coaching experience can reasonably expect a brief bout of butterflies. But that intestinal tingling in owner Joe Lacob's stomach might be coming from a different sort.

Mark Jackson is not your typical rookie coach. Not only did he log 17 seasons in the league himself, but he also served as the point guard, or the coach on the court if you will, and backbone of his team.

Add that to the fact that players and executives alike had the opportunity to get to know the man better through his services in ESPN's broadcast booth, and it is easy to understand why Lacob feels that the rook was his best option.

With the confidence of an ownership behind him, Jackson finally gets his chance to display his basketball knowledge on the game's grandest stage.

And with the tools that Jackson inherits at his disposal, please forgive Jackson if he is even more antsy for the league to strike a deal than even the most diehard NBA fans.

5. Playing Jeremy Tyler and Andris Biedrins Together

Depending on how Jackson constructs his backcourt with this massive frontline, this could be the anti-Don Nelson lineup.

There are no gimmicks with the group. No perimeter power forwards, no big men launching three-pointers regardless of their shooting percentage (here's looking at you, Radmanovic).

This could be the big, shot-blocking, rebounding frontline that Warriors fans have coveted for as long as one can remember.

That's a frontcourt that stretches over 186 inches and tips the scale at 502 pounds. (Don Nelson just spit his Mojito all over his laptop and the sands of Maui.)

If Tyler's midrange shot is as reliable as some scouts think it is, this is a lineup that should truly be able to score inside and out while dominating the glass at the other end.

Of course, if Jackson really wants to see the Warriors blocks soar he could always...

4. Play Tyler Alongside Ekpe Udoh

While the length would not quite be the same (Udoh is two inches shorter than Biedrins) the wingspan and leaping ability of these twin towers would wreak havoc on opposing penetrators.

Udoh led the Warriors with 1.5 blocks per contest last season despite appearing in under 18 minutes in his 58 games.

Tyler is certainly the Warriors' most explosive big man in quite some time and scouts rave about his ability to play above the rim at both ends of the floor.

Jackson would like to see more offense from Udoh to really make this a dynamic duo, but perhaps his leash with the former Baylor star will be longer than that of his predecessor (Keith Smart).

When given the opportunity last season, he showed better post moves than scouts said he possessed and Warrior fans can only hope that he's continued to put in the kind of work needed to take his game to the next level.

Granted, the entire basketball nation assumes that Jackson will attempt to install this amount of focus on the defensive end of the floor. But the Warriors will still need some offense from somewhere. So maybe Jackson should...

3. Give Charles Jenkins Some Minutes

Sure the minutes may come at the expense of fan favorite Jeremy Lin, but Jackson has to figure out a way to get this rookie in the game plan.

While much of the post-draft buzz surrounding the Warriors concerned Tyler's anything-but-traditional path to the league or Klay Thompson's bloodline, Jenkins' numbers alone spoke volumes to the Bay Area faithful.

The rookie can score the basketball—no matter how he's defended. According to data from Synergy Sports Technology, the former Hofstra star ranked in the top 25 in the nation in isolation, in the pick-and-roll and in catch-and-shoot situations.

In other words, it's pick your poison when guarding the 6'3", 220-pound slasher.

Though he played the off-guard position, he could find a majority of his minutes coming at the point guard spot where the Warriors had a glaring void this past season. He actually had more assists with fewer turnovers (4.8:2.0 to 4.5:3.2, respectively) than Lin in their respective senior seasons.

I know what you're thinking. We're three slides in and have yet to discuss Monta Ellis or Stephen Curry. Well, since you asked why doesn't Jackson just...

2. Limit the Backcourt Duo to 70 Combined Minutes Per Night

And just like that, folks, I'm officially Nellie's most hated blogger.

And with the love-hate relationship that the fanbase has with his backcourt duo, I'm probably your most hated or most loved writer with this suggestion.

But people (including you, Jackson), hear me out. This stat may not blow your mind, but consider this: Monta Ellis led the league with 40.3 minutes per game last season. And his numbers decreased from the previous season's 41.4.

As much as experts like to talk about the toll that Ellis exerts on his body every night with his slashing style, why not consider the kind of damage these minutes put on his surgically reconstructed ankle?

Smart found himself in the fanbase's doghouse with his roller coaster minutes that he allotted for Curry last season. And this is by no means saying limit Curry's minutes this season.

But with Thompson, Lin and Jenkins as possible alternatives (sorry, Charlie Bell) and the Warriors still with the roster spots to add to that backcourt, they should not need more than 35 minutes a night from either of these players.

Jackson has plenty of time to figure this whole thing out, but maybe he should consider this starting five...

1. Curry (PG), Ellis (SG), Thompson (SF), Lee (PF), Tyler (C)

With all of the fuss about the backcourt duo, Ellis and Curry still give the Warriors the best chance to win and rightfully earn their place in this starting five. As such, David Lee (far from the team's most popular player) has the passing and shooting ability to spread the floor for the Warriors shooters and slashers to operate and for Tyler to maximize his post game and explosiveness under the rim.

That leaves us with Thompson. Heralded by some scouting services as this draft class' best shooter (sorry, Jimmer!), Thompson could quickly show the rest of the league that he's more than a spot-up shooter. Thompson's 3.7 assists and 1.6 steals led his Washington State squad and finished his 0.97 blocks cracked the Pac-10's top 10. In other words, think Dorell Wright with better ball-handling.

And speaking of Wright, his season clearly surpassed all expectations for him. But, as one scout said early this past season, this team is good with Wright in the starting lineup, but they could be great with him as their sixth man.

With the bench providing offense (Wright, Jenkins, possibly Biedrins) and defense (Udoh, Amundson, possibly Biedrins) the second unit should outscore the opposition's second unit more often than not.

The rookies, any possible free-agent signings (love Tyler, but imagine this starting five with Nene under the basket) and Biedrins are the biggest question marks that will determine if Jackson's squad is playing any postseason ball in the upcoming season.

But, if nothing else, this is a lineup that should justify the excitement that next season could bring.