Basketball

Will Klay Thompson or Harrison Barnes Start Next Season?

thompson_klay_barnes_harrison_split1

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

The addition of Andre Iguodala brings up questions as to whether Klay Thompson or Harrison Barnes will come off the bench for the Golden State Warriors next season. It would make more sense for the Warriors to start Thompson and have Barnes be the sixth man. Here are four reasons why:

1. Thompson plays both sides of the court better than Barnes does, so Thompson is more valuable as a starter.
Although Barnes has potential to become a quality one-on-one defender, Thompson proved in the postseason that he’s the better defender of the two. Thompson shut down Ty Lawson in the series against the Denver Nuggets, and he also did a fantastic job guarding Tony Parker and Manu Ginobili in the series against the San Antonio Spurs. He was able to use his length and size to prevent Parker and Ginobili from penetrating to the basket and scoring on easy mid-range baskets or three-pointers.
Iguodala is a versatile defender who can guard several positions, and he’s one of the best perimeter defenders in the league. Having him alongside Thompson and Andrew Bogut would certainly make this team even better defensively.

2. If Barnes came off the bench, it would allow him to excel even more, given the fact that he’d play against the reserves of the opposing team.
Although some people fear that the addition of Iguodala will stifle Barnes’ growth, Barnes actually would have the opportunity to show off his game even more coming off the bench. Instead of competing against LeBron James or Kevin Durant, Barnes would be able to play against the small forward or power forward in an opponent’s weaker lineup.
Also, with the departure of Brandon Rush, Barnes could become the Warriors’ sixth man and primary scorer off the bench. Given Barnes’ athleticism, he could really excel in this role and become even more of a key component in the Warriors’ rotation.

3. Barnes’ skillset is similar to Iguodala’s, offensively, so it would benefit the Warriors more to have Barnes come off the bench.
Both Barnes and Iguodala are strong, athletic, and quick, so it would make more sense for the Warriors to avoid having two players who play the same position, with very similar skillsets, on the floor at the same time.
Having Thompson start would give Iguodala more room to drive to the basket. It would also allow the Warriors to spread the floor more with an extra three-point shooter, since Thompson is a better three-point shooter than Barnes. If Iguodala, Stephen Curry, or Nemanja Nedovic (if he plays for the Warriors this season) drives to the basket, they will require more attention from the defense in the paint, which would free up Thompson on the three-point line.

4. If Barnes comes off the bench, the Warriors have more range in the types of lineups they can use.
The Warriors would start Curry, Thompson, Iguodala, David Lee, and Bogut. However, the Warriors could decide to go small at any point in the game and use a lineup of Curry, Thompson, Iguodala, Barnes, and Lee or Bogut.
The Warriors have had success before with a small lineup like this one. In their series against Denver, Barnes played power forward several times and did well. He was more active on the boards, and he was able to use his quickness to his advantage against slower power forwards. In addition, Barnes’ ability to play power forward gives the Warriors some flexibility if Bogut gets injured again.

Let’s Go Warriors 2012-2013 Report Cards: Stephen Curry
(AP Photo/Jeff Chiu)

(AP Photo/Jeff Chiu)

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

Stephen Curry is the best player on the Golden State Warriors. In fact, he should’ve been an All-Star this past season. After averaging 21 points, 6.6 assists, four rebounds, and 1.6 steals on 43.4 percent shooting, 44.7 percent shooting from three, and 90.5 percent free-throw shooting in the first half of last season, he was more than deserving of his first All-Star selection.

NBA legends such as Charles Barkley, Kenny Smith, Shaquille O’Neal, and Chris Mullin all believed that Curry should’ve been an All-Star too.

“The biggest omission was Stephen Curry,” Mullin said. “He has been the key player in the Warriors’ 26-15 record. He has played great and has had to do so without Andrew Bogut and Brandon Rush – two key players out with injuries. Curry is the main reason for the Warriors’ first-half success, and he’s the NBA’s best shooter.”

WASHINGTON, DC - DECEMBER 8: Copyright 2012 NBAE (Photo by Ned Dishman/NBAE via Getty Images)

WASHINGTON, DC – DECEMBER 8: Copyright 2012 NBAE (Photo by Ned Dishman/NBAE via Getty Images)

Instead of being disappointed about not being selected as an All-Star, Curry raised his game to a whole other level in the second half of the season. Curry averaged 26 points, 7.4 assists, four rebounds, and 1.7 steals on 47.6 percent shooting, 46.1 percent shooting from three, and 89.4 percent free-throw shooting.

The second half of the season also included Curry’s unbelievable 54-point game against the New York Knicks at Madison Square Garden. In that game, Curry shot 18-for-28 on field goals, 11-for-13 on threes, and 100 percent from the free-throw line as well. He set a franchise record with 11 made 3-pointers in the game, and he scored the most points in NBA history for a player with 10 or more 3-pointers made. This performance was arguably one of the greatest shooting displays ever.

Curry finished the season averaging 22.9 points (seventh in the NBA), 6.9 assists, four rebounds, and 1.6 steals on 45.1 percent shooting, 45.3 percent shooting from three (third in the NBA), and 90 percent free-throw shooting (second in the NBA) in 38.2 minutes per game in 78 games.

The fact that Curry was able to play 78 games was an impressive feat in itself. Curry had two right ankle surgeries in the past two offseasons, which led many people to label him as “injury-prone.” In the shortened 2011-2012 season (66 total games instead of 82 games), he only played in 26 games and was shut down due to his right ankle injuries. He tweaked his ankle a few times during the 2012-2013 regular season, but given how minor they were, he only had to miss four games. He also played in 12 postseason games and 90 total games this past year, which is incredible.

(April 25, 2013 - Source: Ezra Shaw/Getty Images North America)

(April 25, 2013 – Source: Ezra Shaw/Getty Images North America)

In the postseason, Curry officially became a superstar. He had some incredible performances, including his 31-point effort in Game 4 of the series against the Denver Nuggets. He scored 22 points in the span of about five and a half minutes, and 19 of those 22 points came in the final 4:22 of the quarter.

In the postseason, Curry averaged 23.4 points (sixth in the NBA), 8.1 assists (second in the NBA), 3.8 rebounds, and 1.7 steals on 43.4 percent shooting, 39.6 percent shooting from three, and 92.1 percent free-throw shooting. Curry stepped up when David Lee went down with his right hip flexor injury in Game 1 of the Denver series. Curry also badly sprained his left ankle in Game 2 of the Denver series, but he knew he had to play through it and lead his team to victory.

“He embraced the moment,” Mark Jackson said. “It was like this was something he’s been waiting his entire life for.”

Curry is considered a superstar and one of the best point guards in the NBA by many people, but every superstar can improve their game in some way or another. Curry needs to work on limiting his turnovers, getting physically stronger, drawing more fouls, and becoming a better one-on-one defender. If he can do that next season, he will raise his game to a new level of superstardom.

With Monta Ellis not on the team anymore, Curry knew he had to become more of a leader and a vocal presence on and off the court this past season, which he certainly did. Curry is the face of this franchise, and he’s ready to lead this team to even higher levels of success next season.

StephGrade4

Golden State Warriors: A Perfect Offseason So Far

This article was originally published on Golden Gate Sports.

Make no mistake, the culture’s changing.

The Golden State Warriors made a series of moves in the past few days that have already, arguably, made them one of the best teams in the Western Conference. They traded Richard Jefferson, Andris Biedrins, Brandon Rush, and first round picks in 2014 and 2017 to the Utah Jazz in order to clear cap space. They also received guard Kevin Murphy in the deal.

April 24, 2012; Oakland, CA, USA; Golden State Warriors owner Joe Lacob (right) and former general manager Larry Riley (right) motion for new general manager Bob Myers (center) to address a question from the media during a press conference before the game against the New Orleans Hornets at Oracle Arena. Mandatory Credit: Kelley L Cox-USA TODAY Sports

With more cap room available, the Warriors were able to sign small forward Andre Iguodala to a four-year, $48 million dollar contract. The Warriors have been pursuing Iguodala for a couple years now, and their hard work has finally paid off. The best part of these corresponding moves was that the Warriors were able to keep Klay Thompson, Harrison Barnes, and Andrew Bogut and reduce their payroll for this upcoming season by $11 million.

Although the Warriors weren’t able to persuade Dwight Howard to sign with them, they still have a fantastic lineup. The Warriors will start Stephen Curry, Thompson or Barnes, Iguodala, David Lee, and Bogut.

Regardless of if Thompson or Barnes will start, the Warriors have so much talent in their starting lineup, with a good mix of both young players and veterans, that they will most certainly contend for some of the top spots in the Western Conference this upcoming season.

The Warriors were not only able to shed a significant amount of cap room, but they also were able to trade two players, Jefferson and Biedrins, who didn’t contribute much of anything last season. It’s a little unfortunate for fans to see Rush leave, but they should be optimistic about the player they were able to get by shedding these contracts.

Iguodala averaged 13.0 points, 5.3 rebounds, and 5.4 assists with the Nuggets last season. For his career though, he’s averaged 15.1 points, 5.8 rebounds and 4.3 assists per game. His scoring has declined over the past couple years, but he’s also expanded and developed his game more.

The one-time All-Star can do a little bit of everything. He can score, he can rebound, he can pass, and he’s one of the best perimeter defenders in the league. He’s also very active and intense on the court. He will bring lots of energy and passion to this team, because he is such a fierce competitor. He also makes big plays on both offense and defense when his team needs it the most, which the Warriors witnessed in their playoff series against the Nuggets. He’s versatile too, as he can play and guard several positions.

May 2, 2013; Oakland, CA, USA; Golden State Warriors shooting guard Klay Thompson (11) defends Denver Nuggets shooting guard Andre Iguodala (9) on the drive during the first quarter of game six of the first round of the 2013 NBA Playoffs at Oracle Arena. Mandatory Credit: Kelley L Cox-USA TODAY Sports

The Warriors finally have someone who is strong enough and quick enough to guard players like Kevin Durant and LeBron James. He could also guard Russell Westbrook and help Thompson guard Tony Parker, if the Warriors end up facing the Spurs in the playoffs again next season.

Curry surely knows how good of a defender Iguodala is. Iguodala guarded Curry for much of the Warriors-Nuggets playoff series, and when Iguodala was defending him, Curry had a hard time establishing his rhythm and scoring. Iguodala used his length, size, and quickness to disrupt Curry.

Those two also have a history off the court. They both were on the USA men’s national basketball team that won the gold-medal in the 2010 FIBA World Championship, and they became good friends. It will be interesting to see how much of their chemistry on the court will carry over from that experience.

The addition of Iguodala will not affect the Warriors’ overall team chemistry. First of all, Iguodala’s skillset matches the other Warriors players’ skillsets very nicely. For example, he is aggressive on offense and likes to drive to the basket, which will help Thompson and Curry get open on the three-point line.

Second, his energy and enthusiasm will be great in the locker room. He’s a veteran presence who can help teach younger players such as Kent Bazemore or Nemanja Nedovic, if he is able to play for the Warriors next season. Iguodala is also a hard worker and focused on winning, which are qualities that can be contagious in a locker room.

Third, Iguodala loves playing in an up-tempo system like the Warriors play in. He loves utilizing his speed and athleticism in transition. He’s also used to playing in fast-paced games, because it’s the same style he played in on the Denver Nuggets.

Iguodala was offered a four-year, $52 million contract offer with the Sacramento Kings, but the Kings ultimately rescinded the offer. Iguodala wanted to play for a contending team, so he clearly wanted to wait and see if the Warriors were going to be able to move their large contracts and sign him.

May 2, 2013; Oakland, CA, USA; Denver Nuggets shooting guard Andre Iguodala (9) congratulates Golden State Warriors point guard Stephen Curry (30) game six of the first round of the 2013 NBA Playoffs at Oracle Arena. The Warriors defeated the Nuggets 92-88. Mandatory Credit: Kyle Terada-USA TODAY Sports

“Mainly, the coach and the culture, the environment,” Iguodala said about why he wanted to sign with the Warriors. “I feel like they have a good culture there, a lot of great guys, great locker room. The way they’ve got those guys playing with such confidence, that comes from the coach.”

The Warriors still have some areas to address though. Since Festus Ezeli is sidelined with a knee injury, Jarrett Jack signed with the Cleveland Cavaliers, and Carl Landry signed with the Sacramento Kings, the Warriors need to acquire a backup center, a backup point guard (if Nedovic doesn’t play this upcoming season), and another big off the bench.

With the use of their traded player exceptions, the Warriors will have about $17 million to spend before they hit their hard cap. They will have to use this money to acquire players using minimum salary contracts, their full mid-level exception ($5.15 million first-year salary), or either their room exception ($2.6 million) or bi-annual exception (about $2 million).

After all of these moves, both the Warriors and Iguodala have to be extremely happy about this upcoming season. Now that a high-calibur player like Iguodala has signed with the Warriors, Golden State has become a destination where other players will want to play.

This is exactly what Joe Lacob wanted to happen. He wanted to create a winning franchise, make bold moves, and lure big-name free agents to sign with the Warriors. He certainly has done that and more so far. This offseason has been pretty close to perfect for the Warriors.

An Opinionated Reaction to the Heat’s NBA Finals Win
Photo by Jonathan Asuncion. (Philstar.com/NBA.com Philippines)

Photo by Jonathan Asuncion. (Philstar.com/NBA.com Philippines)

After last year’s Finals, I wrote about how disappointed and emotional I was that the Heat won. After the Heat beat the Spurs in Game 7 in this year’s NBA Finals, I can’t say that I’m any less disappointed or emotional. Unfortunately, my disdain and disapproval of the Heat has grown even stronger.

The Heat have a deeper roster than they did last year, so they are more of a “team” than they were last season. However, it still pains me to watch such a disrespectful, classless team win, especially when a quality team like the Spurs had a chance to win. To be fair, the Spurs had their opportunity in Game 6 to win, and they blew it. The Heat earned their Game 7 win, but it’s disappointing to watch a team built on such unsportsmanlike principles win the ultimate title in basketball.

Throughout the regular season, I couldn’t sit through an entire Heat game without feeling angry, baffled, or upset. I couldn’t stand watching a group of players that were so cocky and unsportsmanlike, including LeBron James, Chris Anderson, Chris Bosh, etc.

To be perfectly honest, I don’t mind watching Dwyane Wade. He continues to amaze me on both the offensive and defensive end. He has unmatchable speed, great instincts, and can side-step or fake out anyone he wants to. He also is an incredible shot blocker for a shooting guard. He’s the ultimate fierce competitor and, despite his struggles and battles with injuries, he looked like the best player on the Heat many times.

Despite my appreciation for Dwyane Wade’s game, LeBron James is the one that epitomizes my problems with the Heat. The amount of fawning and pure ass-kissing for LeBron from fans, analysts, and commentators is sickening. People act as if he’s the Messiah. He’s a basketball player. A cocky, ruthless athlete. Calm down, people.

LeBron’s endless complaining is also difficult to watch. Just like a four year-old, when something doesn’t go his way, his instinct is to put on his pouty face and complain. What’s even more maddening is that more often than not, he’s the one that’s creating the contact on the “foul” that he wants to have called.

He is so big and strong that he can get overly physical when on offense and defense and get away with it because of his massive size. He throws his elbows around and will give a sly shove to his defender in order to create the contact, in hopes of getting a foul call. Usually, he can fool a ref by doing that and shoot free throws that way. If not, he’ll receive the normal “superstar” treatment and get to the free throw line automatically. When he doesn’t get to the line, he complains about “being fouled” and acts like a victim.

Ronald Martinez, Andrew D. Bernstein/Getty Images

Ronald Martinez, Andrew D. Bernstein/Getty Images

Also, he epitomizes everything I loathe about the Heat. Yes, he is incredibly talented, athletic, and competitive. He is the best player in the NBA right now and might be one of the greatest players ever. I won’t deny that. However, I don’t respect how he plays the game. He’s always complaining about calls, grandstanding, unnecessarily taunting opposing teams, and he lacks class. Yes, many superstars have acted like that before. Maybe this is just me, but the players I like and respect the most are the ones that show character. They treat the game and their opponents with respect. They play for the love of the game not the fame, like LeBron does.

For example, one of my favorite NBA players is Kevin Durant. Durant is also a fierce competitor, but he never disrespects the game or his opponents. Even in commercials, Durant is always portrayed as the nice guy, and he’s not portrayed that way intentionally to try to gain fan approval like in LeBron’s commercials. Durant is naturally a kind person, and that’s what makes him the best superstar in the NBA, to me.

Another example is Stephen Curry, my absolute favorite player in the NBA. He is exactly the type of player that an organization would want to be the face of the franchise and would want to build around. He’s respectful, humble, and grateful. Curry is genuinely a good person, and his rise to superstardom has not changed who he is as a person or how he conducts himself on the court.

It was even more frustrating to witness LeBron’s conceited actions and unnecessary theatrics when he was playing a team that is the ultimate example of class. The Spurs organization has been one of the most respected franchises in all of sports for a long time. First of all, they have three of the most genuinely nice, respectful players in the NBA. Tim Duncan, Tony Parker, and Manu Ginobili are known league-wide for their respect of the game and their opponents, their dedication, and their hard work.

In addition to these three incredible players, the Spurs have built the core of their team the right way, through the draft. They have stated that they always try to draft players based on their character, not just their talent. They sure have had a lot of success because of these principles. The Spurs are truly the Anti-Heat.

The Heat are built on exactly what I don’t like about sports: big money for the superstars, classless principles, dirty plays, constant complaining, and endless flopping. Because of LeBron’s arrogance, need for approval and acceptance, and the Heat’s grotesque playing habits, it made it really hard for me to respect their success, especially when they were playing against a team who played just as hard but with more respect for their opponents and for the game. The Heat earned their championship, but that doesn’t mean they deserved it.

How Nemanja Nedovic Can Help The Warriors
Nemanja Nedovic (Photo: LithuanaBasketball.com)

Nemanja Nedovic (Photo: LithuanaBasketball.com)

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

The Golden State Warriors selected Nemanja Nedovic with the 30th pick in the 2013 NBA Draft. Nedovic is a 22 year-old combo guard who is from Serbia and has played professionally for four years in Europe. He’s currently playing for the Lithuanian club Lietuvos rytas in the Lithuanian A League, and he’s averaging 11.1 points, 2.4 rebounds, and 3.8 assists in 18 games.

In a conference call yesterday with members of the Warriors media, he said he has a commitment to the Serbian national team, but he still plans on playing in the Las Vegas Summer League. It’s not clear yet if Nedovic will play for the Warriors in the 2013-2014 regular season though. If he does, he could prove to be a valuable asset off the bench for the Warriors for several reasons.

First of all, he’s very athletic, and the Warriors could surely use some more athleticism. His stat line might not sound that amazing, but he has been called the “European Derrick Rose” because of his speed and explosiveness. He uses his speed to beat his man to the basket, where he can either finish with a layup or explode to the rim for a dunk. Standing at 6’4″ and 195 pounds, he has good size for a point guard, and he can guard shooting guards too. He has a 41″ vertical, so he’s an incredible dunker for his size.

Second, he’s extremely effective in the open court. Again, he can use his speed to get steals on defense and break away from a defender to get an easy dunk in transition.

Third, he attacks the rim and is fearless. He finds ways to get into the paint, and he has a quick first step. He utilizes his ball handling skills to get past a defender, and he can finish strong above the rim.

Fourth, he has shown improvement in his ball distribution skills. When Nedovic drives to the basket, his ability to finish draws defenders in, which allows him to pass to open teammates. He’s improved his drive-and-kick skills, and this skill could be extremely valuable to the Warriors, given how they spread the floor with three-point shooters. Nedovic claims that he’s more of a point guard than a shooting guard, but he’s willing to play whatever position the team wants him to.

Lastly, Nedovic says he’s a hard worker, and he knows what he needs to improve on, which is an admirable quality for a young player. He also said he’s had 12 or 13 different coaches since 2007, so he knows how to adapt to a new coach, new system, and new teammates.

Check out a full scouting report below:

Nedovic can improve on his shooting, his defense, and his decision making. In terms of his shooting, he has a good release and mechanics, and he’s slowly gaining more confidence shooting off the dribble and in catch-and-shoot situations. He raised his field goal percentage this season from 27% to 34%, but he still needs to work on consistency.

On defense, Nedovic has the physical tools to guard both point guards and shooting guards, but he needs to improve on his focus. He needs to work on helping his teammates more, recovering if his man beats him, and defending through screens. He believes he can guard quick, athletic point guards, which would really help the Warriors, given Stephen Curry and Jarrett Jack’s weaknesses on defense.

He can also work on his overall decision making as a point guard and decreasing his turnovers. However, with Curry and maybe Jack playing in front of him, Nedovic could fluorish as a secondary ball handler who can help create shots for his teammates and attack the rim.

Nedovic will wear #8 for the Warriors. This seems fitting, because a lot of his skills seem similar to the last player to wear #8 for the Warriors: Monta Ellis. Nedovic has also said that his biggest NBA idol growing up was Kobe Bryant, who also wore #8 in the beginning of his career.

Nedovic is an intriguing, young player who could really provide a spark off the bench for the Warriors. It will be interesting to see how he does in Summer League, and, hopefully, he’ll be able to play for the Warriors next season.

Should the Warriors Try to Acquire Carlos Delfino?
March 14, 2013 - Source: Scott Halleran/Getty Images North America

March 14, 2013 – Source: Scott Halleran/Getty Images North America

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

When NBA Free Agency opens on July 1st, the Golden State Warriors should try to increase the depth of their roster. According to Tim Kawakami of the San Jose Mercury News, the Houston Rockets plan on declining Carlos Delfino’s $3 million team option for the 2013-2014 season, which means Delfino will be a free agent. It’s not clear yet which teams will have the most interest in him, but should the Warriors try to acquire him?

Delfino will most likely be a cheap option as a free agent, but, with that said, the Warriors don’t exactly have a ton of money to spend. Carl Landry has opted out of his player option with the Warriors for next season, so he’ll probably receive a multi-year deal from another team. If the Warriors make a hard push to re-sign Jarrett Jack, it doesn’t seem like they will have any money left to acquire a player like Delfino, even if he doesn’t cost much. Hypothetically, let’s assume the Warriors have the cap space to sign him. Would Delfino be a good fit for the Warriors?

Last season with the Rockets, Delfino averaged 10.6 points, 3.3 rebounds, 2.0 assists, and one steal on 40.5 percent shooting from the field, 37.5 percent shooting from three, and 85.7 percent shooting from the free-throw line in 25.2 minutes per game.

Delfino is listed at 6’6″ and 230 pounds. Given his size and frame, he is able to play shooting guard, small forward, and even power forward sometimes in small ball lineups. His versatility would be a significant asset off the bench for the Warriors.

Delfino is a good three-point shooter, so he would allow the Warriors to spread the floor even more and take advantage of their already stellar three-point shooting. He also plays pretty decent defense and can come up with a steal every once in a while, so, given his wide range of skills, he could be a nice addition to the Warriors’ bench.

Given how many young players the Warriors have, he also would provide a quality veteran presence off the bench as well. Delfino has played seven years in the NBA so far, and he has played for the Detroit Pistons, Toronto Raptors, Milwaukee Bucks, and Houston Rockets. He also has played in 41 playoff games in his career, which would certainly be a valuable asset to a team who has limited playoff experience.

The Warriors already have several small forwards, such as Harrison Barnes, Brandon Rush, Draymond Green, and Richard Jefferson. However, if the Warriors are able to get rid of Jefferson’s expiring contract in a trade, Delfino could be a great addition to this team. Also, if the Warriors aren’t able to re-sign Jack, the Warriors will need to add more depth to their roster in order to make up for some key reserves. Given the structural and financial limitations that the Warriors have, it doesn’t seem likely that they’d acquire Delfino, but if given the option and the right situation, he might be a solid veteran, versatile player to add to this young roster.