NBA Rumors: Why Golden State Warriors Need Tyson Chandler Instead of Nene

Tyson Chandler is planning a trip to the Bay Area this week, and fans in the surrounding area better get ecstatic.

The Golden State Warriors need to change their identity, and the answer is not Nene—it’s the player that finished third in voting for Defensive Player of the Year last season.

The Warriors are coming off a season where they were 27th in points allowed and 19th in rebounding. They were among the softest in the league as opponents knew they could dominate the Warriors in the paint as long as they didn’t engage in a shootout.

Nene (14.5 PPG, 7.6 RPG last season) is an offensive player who shoots a high percentage but provides little in terms of one-on-one defense. He can be pushed around, doesn’t have incredibly quick feet anymore and quite frankly has never shown a keen interest on that end of the floor. He fits the mold of Andris Biedrins.

That’s not what new head coach Mark Jackson wants.

He wants to instill some attitude into his team, and the best way to do as much is with Chandler. He is coming off a banner season where he averaged 10 points on a 65 percent shooting clip while grabbing 9.4 rebounds and registering over a block per game.

He completely turned around the “soft” label that had been prevalent with the Mavericks in and around the paint upon his arrival. His help defense and overall presence around the basket is incredibly valuable in the NBA. He is the kind of guy that can strike a fire in the rest of the Warriors and change the culture.

I’m not saying he makes them championship contenders in the rugged West, but they certainly become serious playoff contenders.

The Warriors may have to fiddle in order to afford his likely $14 million a year salary, but It’s certainly worth it to start a new era on the right foot. If offense was the problem, maybe Nene is the better option…but it’s not.

If the Warriors are serious about contending, they need to land Chandler.