Basketball

The 3 Best Trades in Golden State Warriors History

3BestGSWTrades

This article was originally published on Let’s Go Warriors.

Last season, the Golden State Warriors clinched their second playoff berth in just 19 seasons. The franchise hasn’t experienced much success in recent history, but the Warriors made those two playoff appearances because of a few key trades.

The following three trades are not listed in any particular order. Here are three of the best trades in Warriors history:

Trade #1: On January 17, 2007, the Warriors acquired Al Harrington, Stephen Jackson, Sarunas Jasikevicius, and Josh Powell from the Indiana Pacers for Mike Dunleavy Jr., Troy Murphy, Ike Diogu, and Keith McLeod.

This trade was significant, because it led to the “We Believe” era. The Warriors were 19-20 when the trade was made, and, after the trade, the Warriors offense drastically improved. The Warriors finished 42-40 and earned the eighth seed in the playoffs. The Warriors finished the season over .500 for the first time in over a decade. In the playoffs, the Warriors went on to upset the number one seed in the Western Conference, the Dallas Mavericks.

The Warriors finally had a star in Jackson, and Harrington allowed the Warriors to go small and play the run-and-gun style that was so successful. Captain Jack and Harrington truly re-vamped this Warriors team and helped turn them into one of the most exciting, entertaining teams in the NBA.

Trade #2: On February 24, 2005, the Warriors acquired Baron Davis from the New Orleans Hornets for Speedy Claxton, Dale Davis, and cash.

Davis was a transformational force for the Warriors. Before this trade, the Warriors hadn’t had a true franchise player since the Run TMC era. Davis gave them that. Warriors fans immediately loved Davis for his exciting, confident style of play.

As a Warrior, Davis averaged more than 20 points, eight assists, two steals and nearly five rebounds per game. He is among the franchise leaders in three-point field goals, three-point field goal attempts, points per game, assists per game, steals per game, etc. Davis helped turn a Warriors team that had been so bad for so long into a playoff contender.

Trade #3: On March 13, 2012, the Warriors acquired Andrew Bogut and Stephen Jackson from the Milwaukee Bucks for Monta Ellis, Ekpe Udoh, and Kwame Brown.

This trade was a controversial one for many fans, since Ellis was a fan favorite at the time. However, this is, arguably, the most impactful trade in Warriors history. The Warriors weren’t going to become a legitimate force in the Western Conference with Ellis on their team. He was too selfish, and he wasn’t the leader that the Warriors needed.

By acquiring Bogut, the Warriors finally had that dominant inside presence that they hadn’t had in so long. Although Bogut was injured when they traded for him, he was exactly the type of center the Warriors needed. He’s a defensive-minded beast who plays with a constant stream of effort. Bogut wasn’t able to play all of last season, but every Warriors fan could see how dominant the Warriors could be when Bogut was on the floor.

His presence alone altered an opponent’s offensive approach. If a player was even able to get to the basket, there was a good chance Bogut was going to block their shot or, at least, alter their shot and snag the rebound. If the Warriors can get at least 60 or 70 games out of Bogut this season, then they will certainly be one of the strongest teams in the Western Conference.

With all that being said, which trade do you think was the best trade in Warriors history?

The Top 5 Draft Picks in Golden State Warriors History

Top5GSWDraftPicks

This article was originally published on Let’s Go Warriors.

In the past decade, the Golden State Warriors have made some questionable draft selections including Patrick O’Bryant, Ike Diogu, Andris Biedrins, and Marco Belinelli. Despite these poor draft picks, the Warriors, as a franchise, have a rich history and have drafted some extremely talented players.

In order to determine the top 5 draft picks in Warriors history, there are some factors that have to be considered. This is not a ranking of which player was better but more of a ranking of how good the actual pick was. The following picks were ranked and determined based on how long the player was a Warrior, what the player accomplished as a Warrior, and what pick the player was drafted with.

With that being said, here are the top 5 draft picks by the Warriors:

Honorable Mentions: Tim Hardaway and Mitch Richmond

5. Stephen Curry

Stephen Curry was drafted with the seventh overall pick in the 2009 NBA Draft. He is entering his fifth season in the NBA and is, arguably, one of the top five point guards in the league right now. After averaging 22.9 points and 6.9 assists last season, he should’ve been named an All-Star.

Although Curry hasn’t been selected as an All-Star yet, he has accomplished a lot in his four-year career. He was a First Team All-Rookie selection. He won the Taco Bell Skills Challenge in 2011. He had a 54-point game. He made the most three-point field goals (272) in a single season in NBA history.

Over his career, Curry has been the main reason why the Warriors have transformed from the laughing stock of the Western Conference into a legitimate title contender this season. Curry is a superstar, and he will accomplish much more for the Warriors in the coming years. Based on Curry’s career so far and the Warriors’ poor track record with drafting in recent history, this draft pick earned top five honors.

4. Wilt Chamberlain

The Philadelphia Warriors drafted Wilt Chamberlain as a “territorial pick” in 1959. In his rookie season, he averaged 37.6 points and 27.0 rebounds and won the Rookie of the Year Award, All-Star Game Most Valuable Player, and NBA Most Valuable Player. In his six seasons with the Warriors, he averaged over 30 points and 20 rebounds. In the 1961-1962 season, he averaged 50.4 points and 25.7 rebounds.

The Warriors didn’t see much success when Chamberlain was on the team though. He was criticized fiercely for averaging so many points and rebounds, yet not converting his personal success into the team’s success.

Although Chamberlain is one of the greatest players in NBA history, he ranks at number four, in terms of Warriors’ draft picks, because he only played six seasons with the Warriors and the lack of team success during that time.

3. Chris Mullin

The Golden State Warriors selected Chris Mullin with the seventh overall pick in the 1985 NBA Draft. He played a total of 13 seasons with the Warriors in two stints. He was a five-time NBA All-Star and was named to the All-NBA First Team in 1992. From 1988-1993, Mullin averaged more than 25 points and five rebounds, and the Warriors made five consecutive playoff appearances.

Mullin was known for this shooting, passing, decision-making, and his constant effort on the court. He wasn’t known for his speed, so he had to out-smart his opponent and keep them off balance using fakes, stutter steps, etc. Of course, Mullin, Hardaway, and Richmond formed the “Run TMC” trio for the Warriors, which featured high-scoring, fast-paced play.

Mullin’s 13 total seasons as a Warrior earns him the number three spot.

2. Nate Thurmond

The San Francisco Warriors drafted Nate Thurmond with the third overall pick in the 1963 NBA Draft. Thurmond played a total of 11 seasons with the Warriors. He was a seven-time NBA All-Star and a two-time NBA All-Defensive First Team selection. He’s also the first player in NBA history to record a quadruple-double.

Thurmond played alongside and backed up Wilt Chamberlain during the beginning of his career. When Chamberlain was traded to the Philadelphia 76ers, Thurmond became the starting center and proved to be exactly what Chamberlain wasn’t for the Warriors.

Thurmond was one of the greatest rebounders and shot blockers in NBA history. Although Thurmond was one of the most dominant centers to play the game, he wasn’t able to bring the Warriors a title.

1. Rick Barry

The San Francisco Warriors drafted Rick Barry with the second overall pick in 1965. Barry played for eight seasons with the Warriors in two different stints. He won the NBA Rookie of the Year Award in 1966. He’s also an eight-time NBA All-Star, five-time All-NBA First Team selection, and was the NBA All-Star Game MVP in 1967.

Barry was known for his pinpoint three-point shooting, his basketball IQ, his excellent execution on defense, and his accurate, yet strange, free-throw shooting. Barry is regarded as one of the best small forwards to ever play in the NBA.

He helped bring the Warriors their first and only NBA championship, so far, in 1975, and he was named the NBA Finals MVP. Since he is the only player on this list to bring the Warriors a championship, he deserves to be named the best draft pick in Warriors’ history.

Golden State Warriors: How Klay Thompson Can Become an Elite Defender

Nov 19, 2012; Dallas, TX, USA; Dallas Mavericks shooting guard O.J. Mayo (32) drives to the basket as Golden State Warriors shooting guard Klay Thompson (11) defends during the second quarter at the American Airlines Center. Mandatory Credit: Jerome Miron-USA TODAY Sports

This article was originally published on Golden Gate Sports.

Klay Thompson is an underrated defender. All Warriors fans know that he’s a great shooter; he’s a Splash Brother for a reason. One of the highlights of Thompson’s sophomore season, though, was his improvement on the defensive end.

Thompson might not have the astute instincts on defense that great defenders like Andre Iguodala or Tony Allen have, but he has learned to use certain qualitites to his advantage. First of all, he is a versatile defender. He has the ability to guard point guards, shooting guards, and small forwards.

Second, he can guard pick-and-rolls well, which is a valuable skill for a shooting guard. Thompson has shown the ability to effectively stop his opponent from driving or kicking off of a pick-and-roll. According to Chris Palmer of ESPN.com, among players with at least 200 possessions guarding the ball handler in pick-and-rolls, Thompson gave up the fewest points per possession last season, with 0.686. In order to compare, Paul George of the Indiana Pacers was named to the 2013 All-Defensive Second Team, and he gave up 0.783 points per possession.

Third, he has quick reactions and can move his lower body quickly. He moves his feet quickly and can keep his opponent in front of him. This benefits his teammates, because then he doesn’t need other help defenders to slide over, which would expose the paint or the basket. His quickness also allows him to guard smaller players, such as point guards, effectively. He proved this in the playoffs when he hounded Tony Parker and Ty Lawson and disrupted their rhythm.

Lastly, he uses his size and length to his advantage. His 6-foot-7 frame allows him to be physical, force tough shots, and do hard, quick close-outs. Thompson uses his length to guard bigger shooting guards or small forwards.

Thompson still has room for improvement though. First of all, he can learn to limit his fouls. Sometimes, he can be too aggressive on defense, which leads to him reaching in or shoving too much.

In Game 1 of the Western Conference semifinals against the San Antonio Spurs, Thompson fouled out with 3:57 left in the fourth quarter. At that point, the Warriors were up by 16 points, and Thompson had held Parker to 12 points on just 4-of-15 shooting. After he fouled out, Parker scored six points on 3-of-3 shooting, and the Spurs went on an 18-2 run to send the game to overtime. Thompson needs to limit his fouls next season in order to stay on the floor for the significant moments during games.

Second, he can work on blocking more shots. Last season, Thompson only blocked 0.5 shots per game, and, in the postseason, he only blocked 0.6 shots per game. The next step for him is translating his impressive size and length into more blocked shots.

Third, he can rebound more. During defensive possessions, he could bring more intensity on the glass. Great rebounders simply want the ball more than everyone else, regardless of their size.

Again, because of advantageous size for a shooting guard, Thompson should be able to average around five or more rebounds per game. In the 2012-2013 regular season, Thompson averaged 3.7 rebounds per game, and, in the postseason, he averaged 4.6 rebounds per game. Thompson should rebound around the same amount or more, given his height, as other shooting guards such as Kobe Bryant, who averaged 5.6 last season, James Harden, who averaged 4.9, or Dwyane Wade, who averaged 5.0.

Lastly, Thompson can improve on his help defense. His one-on-one defense already improved significantly last season, but, this offseason, he should focus more on his help defense. A great defender is able to not just contain the player they’re guarding, but also clog passing lanes and anticipate plays. By doing this, Thompson will be able to get more steals and force more turnovers, which will help make him an elite defender.

Thankfully for Thompson, there’s another versatile defender on the Warriors that he can learn from. Iguodala is quick and has good length too. Iguodala is an elite defender in the NBA, so Thompson should try to learn as much from him as possible in order to become a better overall defender.

If Thompson improves on limiting his fouls, blocking more shots, rebounding more, and helping more on defense, then he could potentially become an elite defender in the NBA. This would certainly help bring the Warriors to a whole new level defensively too. Defensively, the sky is the limit for Thompson.

Stephen Curry vs Russell Westbrook and the Other Intriguing Warriors vs Thunder Matchups for 2013-14
Cary Edmondson-USA TODAY Sports

Cary Edmondson-USA TODAY Sports

This article was originally published on Let’s Go Warriors.

The Golden State Warriors and Oklahoma City Thunder will most likely be two of the top-four teams in the Western Conference this upcoming season. Here are five of the most intriguing matchups between these two teams:

1. Stephen Curry vs. Russell Westbrook

Curry and Westbrook are arguably two of the best point guards in the league. However, they play completely differently. We all know that Curry is one of the best shooters in the NBA. He shot an incredible 45.3 percent from three last season, and he can score in many different ways. He’s also one of the best and most creative passers in the league.

Westbrook is one of the most athletic players in the NBA. He’s incredibly quick, and he can beat anyone in transition and in the half court. He might have a questionable shot selection sometimes, but he’s a strong finisher and can beat anyone into the paint.

This matchup of pure shooting versus extreme speed and athleticism will surely be an intriguing one this upcoming season.

2. Harrison Barnes vs. Kevin Durant

Speaking of athletic, Barnes proved many critics wrong last season by displaying his explosiveness and athleticism. Barnes became one of the Warriors’ most exciting players because of his insane dunking ability. Just ask Nikola Pekovic, Anthony Randolph, or Ersan Ilyasova.

Durant can score in so many different ways. He attacks the rim, but he also has a smooth shooting stroke. It will be quite the matchup to see one of the most promising small forwards in the NBA, Barnes, go up against one of the best small forwards right now, Durant.

3. Andre Iguodala vs. Kevin Durant

Iguodala is also extremely athletic and can score in many different ways, just like Durant. He slashes to the rim, but he can also spread the floor and shoot threes. In addition, he’s one of the best perimeter defenders in the league, so seeing him going up against Durant, offensively and defensively, will certainly be fun to watch.

4. Klay Thompson vs. Kevin Durant

Thompson isn’t quite the athletic, all-around scorer that Durant or Iguodala is, but he’s arguably one of the best three-point shooters in the league, just like his backcourt teammate. This Splash Brother shot 40.1 percent from three last season, and he’s been working on driving to the basket more. He also has shown much improvement on the defensive end. He’s not quite the defender that Iguodala is, but he showed in the playoffs that he can effectively guard smaller guards, such as Ty Lawson or Tony Parker. When the Warriors go small, it will be interesting to see him guard a larger, longer small forward like Durant.

5. David Lee vs. Serge Ibaka

This will be a fun matchup to watch when the Warriors are on offense. Lee is criticized a lot for his defensive deficiencies, but he is extremely skilled offensively. He can post up, shoot the mid-range shot, and he’s a great passer for a power forward.

On the other side, Ibaka is a beast defensively. He led the NBA last season in blocks per game with 3.03, and he was named to the NBA All-Defensive First Team for a second consecutive season this year. Ibaka uses his athleticism and his long wingspan to disrupt players in the paint. This matchup, featuring Lee’s offensive abilities and Ibaka’s stellar defense, will certainly be an entertaining one.