Andrew Bogut

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.

How the Warriors’ Young Players Will Benefit from Summer League
Apr 20, 2013; Denver, CO, USA; Golden State Warriors guard Kent Bazemore (20) before game one of the first round of the 2013 NBA Playoffs against the Denver Nuggets at the Pepsi Center. Mandatory Credit: Chris Humphreys-USA TODAY Sports

Apr 20, 2013; Denver, CO, USA; Golden State Warriors guard Kent Bazemore (20) before game one of the first round of the 2013 NBA Playoffs against the Denver Nuggets at the Pepsi Center. Mandatory Credit: Chris Humphreys-USA TODAY Sports

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

The Golden State Warriors have not released their roster yet for the 2013 Las Vegas NBA Summer League, but it has been confirmed that Draymond Green, Kent Bazemore, Scott Machado, and Ognjen Kuzmic will play on the team. Festus Ezeli was supposed to play, but he is out for 6-9 months after having knee surgery recently. Klay Thompson and Harrison Barnes will most likely not participate, because they are participating in USA Basketball’s Men’s National Team mini-camp in Las Vegas from July 22-25.

Summer League is a great opportunity for up-and-coming, young players to develop their games more, learn more about a team’s system, try to make a team, or prove why they deserve a bigger role or more playing time. Thompson and Barnes have already proven themselves and have shown why they deserve to have significant roles on the team. The other young players on this team will each benefit from Summer League in a different way.

Green played in the five Summer League games for the Warriors last year and averaged 6.4 points, 7.6 rebounds, and 1.4 steals on 27.8 percent shooting from the field, 20 percent shooting from three, and 90 percent shooting from the free-throw line in 26 minutes per game. Just as the numbers indicate, Green struggled with his shot, much like he did during the regular season, but he rebounded extremely well and shot well from the free throw line. During this year’s Summer League, Green needs to work on hitting his shots more consistently and not shooting too many threes, if they’re not falling. If he works on shooting more efficiently and performs well in Summer League, he could be a valuable asset for the Warriors off the bench, given his superb defense.

Bazemore played in four Summer League games for the Warriors last year and averaged 8.5 points, 1.5 steals, and 1.8 blocks on 46.7 percent shooting from the field and 66.7 percent shooting from the free-throw line in 20.5 minutes per game. Bazemore showed off his athleticism and his stellar defense in Summer League, which ultimately earned him a roster spot with the Warriors. Bazemore has a huge opportunity in Summer League this year, since he doesn’t have to share minutes with Thompson and Barnes like last season. If Bazemore can work on handling the ball more, running an offense, and becoming more of a consistent mid-range shooter, then he could potentially have a more consistent role in the regular rotation for the Warriors next season.

Machado played in five Summer League games for the Houston Rockets last year and averaged 8.0 points, 5.6 assists, and 2.2 steals on 38.9 percent shooting from the field, 28.6 percent shooting from three, and 50 percent shooting from the free-throw line in 25.4 minutes per game. Machado signed a non-guaranteed $789,000 contract earlier this summer with the Warriors. If Jarrett Jack doesn’t re-sign with the Warriors and they don’t sign another point guard, Machado will have an opportunity to earn minutes at the backup point guard position, even though he might share those minutes with Kent Bazmore. Machado’s more of a traditional point guard than Bazemore and is a great passer, but he needs to showcase more of his skills beyond that in Summer League in order to earn his minutes next season.

The Warriors selected Kuzmic with the 52nd overall pick in last year’s draft. He is 7’1″ and is very athletic and mobile, given his size. While playing with Clinicas Rincon in 2011-2012, Kuzmic averaged 10.4 points, 8.6 rebounds, and 2.1 blocks in 24.5 minutes per game. Kuzmic is clearly very strong defensively, is an excellent rebounder, and can block shots at an astounding rate. If he can bulk up, work on his post game, and work on a perimeter jumper, he could help the Warriors add depth to the center position that they need with Ezeli out and Andrew Bogut recovering from injuries.

The Importance of Brandon Rush to the Golden State Warriors

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

Brandon Rush only played in two games for the Golden State Warriors this past season, but he is one of the most important players for them going into next season. During the 2011-2012 season, Rush was a stellar sixth man for the Warriors. He played in 65 games and averaged 9.8 points, 3.9 rebounds, and 0.9 blocks on 50.1 percent shooting and 45.2 percent shooting from three (sixth in the NBA) in 26.4 minutes per game. Rush was sidelined with an ACL injury last season, and his presence was certainly missed. He would’ve made the Warriors’ bench even deeper and more dangerous.

Rush has officially picked up his player option with the Warriors for the 2013-2014 season. It’s not clear if the Warriors will be able to bring back other key free agents off the bench, such as Jarrett Jack and Carl Landry, but let’s assume for now that they bring back both. If the Warriors’ bench next season included Jack, Rush, Landry, Draymond Green, and Festus Ezeli, then the Warriors would have one of the deepest rosters in the league.

A sixth man is key to any playoff team. If Jack, who assumed the role of sixth man with Rush out last season, doesn’t re-sign, the Warriors are going to need an effective sixth man who can score and provide energy off the bench even more.

Rush is an extremely valuable asset to have off the bench because of his defense, his three-point shooting, and his ability to attack the basket. He is the best perimeter defender on the team, even though Klay Thompson has improved significantly defensively. Rush has good size and length, so he can defend wing players, which provides a great complement to Thompson’s ability to guard point guards and shooting guards.

If needed, the Warriors could go small and play a lineup with Curry, Thompson, Rush, Harrison Barnes, and David Lee or Andrew Bogut, or Rush could also come in for defensive purposes and replace Barnes in close-game situations. Rush’s defensive ability would also allow Barnes to focus more on offense, so he doesn’t have to expend too much energy on defense.

Rush is also an incredible three-point shooter, which allows the Warriors to spread the floor with several other three-point shooters such as Stephen Curry and Thompson. Having several three-point shooters on the floor also allows Andrew Bogut and David Lee to have more to operate room in the paint.

Rush is a versatile player who can also attack the basket. He’s one of the most athletic players on the team, next to Barnes. He can easily pump fake his defender on the three-point line and cut to the basket because of his quickness and athleticism.

Curry is arguably the most important player to the Warriors. However, a deep bench and a reliable sixth man are also important for a playoff team. Rush is the athletic, defensive-minded, versatile player that the Warriors lacked this past season. He provides energy off the bench and has a wide array of skills that complement this Warriors team well. Rush is an extremely important player to the Warriors, especially if Jack and Landry don’t return to the Warriors next season.

Golden State Warriors: Will Andris Biedrins Step Up Next Season?

This article was originally published on Golden Gate Sports.

Andris Biedrins is quite the enigma.

He went from being an intriguing young center to the last guy off the bench in a matter of a few seasons. He went through serious confidence issues, severe free throw struggles, and some nagging injuries.

Biedrins’ history with the Golden State Warriors has been rocky, but he could have an opportunity to make an impact with the Warriors next season.Festus Ezeli underwent surgery on his right knee recently, and he is expected to miss 6-9 months.

This past season, Andrew Bogut only played in 32 games during the regular season due to left ankle problems, so it’s not clear how healthy Bogut will be next season. Given these uncertainties, Biedrins could play significant minutes for the Warriors. However, it’s not clear if he’ll rise to the occasion given his history with the Warriors.

Jan. 2, 2012; Phoenix, AZ, USA; Golden State Warriors center Andris Biedrins (15) on the court against the Phoenix Suns at the US Airways Center. The Suns defeated the Warriors 102-91. Mandatory Credit: Jennifer Stewart-USA TODAY Sports.

Biedrins started to show his potential during the 2006-2007 and 2007-2008 seasons. Before the 2008-2009 season, the Warriors signed Biedrins to a six-year, $63 million contract. He had a breakout season in 2008-2009 when he averaged 11.9 points, 11.2 rebounds, and 1.5 blocks on 57.8 percent shooting in 30 minutes per game.

Back then, Biedrins was confident and active both offensively and defensively. He showed off his great defense when he blocked shots, covered the whole floor, and in pick-and-roll situations. The Warriors thought they had found the center of their future.

However, Biedrins started to embark on his downward spiral during the 2009-2010 season. He shot a career-low 16 percent on free throws that season and only attempted 25 free throws.

Because of Biedrins’ lack of success at the free throw line, he appeared to not want the ball as much, because opposing teams would just foul him to prevent him from getting off a good shot. This shook Biedrins’ confidence so hard that it doesn’t like he ever recovered.

Biedrins also suffered many injuries throughout his career that slowed his progression in becoming more of a confident player again. Biedrins only played 33 games in the 2009-2010 season because of back and groin injuries.

When Keith Smart took over the head coaching job for the Warriors in the 2010-2011 season, Biedrins had another opportunity to regain some confidence and play like his old self. He started off the season well, but, unfortunately, was hit by injuries again.

Despite the potential and the talent that Biedrins showed early on his career, he has become a permanent end-of-the-bench player for the Warriors. This past season, Biedrins came into games just to provide extra fouls and to play garbage minutes in games that had already been decided. Because of his new role, it seems unlikely that Biedrins would step up next season if given the opportunity to.

Biedrins has been in similar situations before where he has had the opportunity to start or provide valuable, effective minutes off the bench. Bogut was injured at the beginning of the season, so Biedrins had the opportunity to start the season at center and ultimately become the backup center for the Warriors.

Before last season started, every player on the Warriors showed up early to Oakland, before training camp even started. Except for one. Biedrins ultimately lost the backup center job to Ezeli, not just because he was working out on his own before camp, but also because Ezeli was able to learn the system before Biedrins got there.

“At the end of the day, everybody else was here, so that was the concern–putting in principles, putting in ideas, putting in plays, competing, the comraderie. That was the issue,” Mark Jackson said about Biedrins not coming to training camp early.

Jan 18, 2012; Newark, NJ, USA; Golden State Warriors center Andris Biedrins (15) gets a slam dunk during the first half against the New Jersey Nets at the Prudential Center. Mandatory Credit: Jim O

Biedrins also shows a tentativeness in games that he doesn’t show in practice. The pressure of an actual game and the fear of disapproval by the fans clouds Biedrins’ thought process during a game.

He often works out in the offseason with Utah Jazz center Al Jefferson, who claims that Biedrins is a completely different player during their practice sessions. He claims that Biedrins attacks the hoop more, uses spin moves, and shows his explosiveness. Jefferson has advised Biedrins to act like he is guarding him during games, which would hopefully make Biedrins more comfortable and not second guess himself.

“He always tells me to play in the game like I do in the practice,” Biedrins said. “He says, ‘C’mon, you can be so much better than that.’ And I kind of agree with him.”

The only way that Biedrins can try get back to his old self is to regain his confidence. His fear of getting fouled and having to shoot free throws changes everything about how he approaches a game.

Biedrins becomes absent on offense because he fears contact so much. Because of this, he doesn’t post up as much, he’s not as comfortable in pick-and-rolls, and the Warriors essentially end up having to play offense with just four players.

On defense, Biedrins still displays his athleticism, his ability to block shots, his footwork, his high level of activity, and his ability to help his teammates. Although he can end up fouling too much, Biedrins needs to channel that same energy he shows on defense in his entire game. He can attempt to get back to the same player he was a few seasons ago, but, as mentioned before, it all comes down to his confidence.

If Biedrins can find a way to regain some confidence and play in games with the same energy he has in practice, then he can start to get back to the player he used to be. However, it’s unlikely that he can get back there in just one offseason. It will take a couple solid seasons for him to feel like his old self.

Because of this, it’s unlikely he will step up significantly next season, but he can at least start to regain his old form and contribute to the team in any way he can, especially because his team might need him to if Ezeli and Bogut are out.

Golden State Warriors: Why Mark Jackson Will Triumph Without Top Assistant Mike Malone

This article was originally published on Golden Gate Sports.

Former Golden State Warriors head assistant coach Mike Malone was recently hired as the new head coach of the Sacramento Kings. Before coming to the Warriors with Mark Jackson in 2011, Malone had 10 years of assistant coaching experience. He was previously the assistant coach for the Cleveland Cavaliers during the LeBron James reign and for the New Orleans Hornets from 2010-2011.

The Warriors will be without their main X’s and O’s coach of the staff, meaning he drew up the majority of the plays for the Warriors, especially during timeouts and in close-game situations. Mark Jackson and the Warriors will have to make some significant adjustments in Malone’s absence.

Jackson finished seventh in this season’s Coach of the Year voting. Despite his accomplishments last season, the departure of Malone will certainly be a tough loss. Malone is known as a defensive guru and was the mastermind behind the Cavs’ defensive scheme from 2005-2010, which was remarkably successful. He also helped set up the Warriors’ current defensive system, which yielded the fourth best opponent field goal percentage (43.9 percent) in the NBA during the regular season.

December 12, 2011; Oakland, CA, USA; Golden State Warriors assistant coach Michael Malone (center) instructs during the first quarter of the open practice at Oracle Arena. Mandatory Credit: Kyle Terada-USA TODAY Sports

Malone made some significant changes to how the Warriors defended the pick-and-roll, and this alone drastically improved the Warriors’ overall defense. In a high pick-and-roll situation, Malone decided to implement a system called “Ice” coverage.

In “Ice” coverage, when the pick is coming, the guard steps in front of the player they’re guarding, so their opponent can’t use the screen that’s coming for them. Meanwhile, the big man on defense stays back away from the screen in the paint and faces the direction where the opposing guard is attempting to drive.

Before Malone came to the Warriors, David Lee or Andris Biedrins, the two starting frontcourt players in 2010-2011, would attempt to stop the opposing guard at the spot of the pick, which often resulted in the Lee or Biedrins recovering late to their man. This simple adjustment allowed for more coverage of the paint and the opposing team to settle for contested jump shots.

The Warriors will need to ensure that they can consistently execute the defensive schemes that Malone implemented. Although Malone was the “defensive coordinator” of the Warriors, Jackson must have been a part of implementing this defense, so as long as his coaching staff understands the system, the Warriors should be able to continue to play the quality defense that they did last season.

Also, if Andrew Bogut can stay healthy for at least 65-70 games next season, his consistent, dominant inside presence would automatically improve the Warriors’ defense because of his ability to change and block shots.

The media has portrayed Jackson as just a motivator, but he is more than prepared to be on his own and coach without Malone. In addition to his coaching credentials from the past two seasons, Jackson was also a great leader during his 17 seasons as a point guard in the NBA. He played in the 13th-most games in NBA history, and he finished third all-time in assists. Jackson was an incredible floor general, so he clearly knows how to run a game and execute a game plan.

In addition, he can compete and hold his own against any great coach out there. In the Warriors’ playoff series against the Nuggets, Jackson outcoached former Nuggets coach George Karl. Jackson set the competitive pace when he decided to start Jarrett Jack at point guard and move Harrison Barnes to power forward in David Lee’s absence, even though the official starting lineups announced Carl Landry as the starting power forward.

Jackson always found a way to counter every move or adjustment that Karl made. Karl countered by starting Evan Fournier and going small too, but Jackson’s youngsters, Klay Thompson, Barnes, Draymond Green, and Festus Ezeli outplayed any lineup that Karl put out there.

Karl also made several mistakes in the series, such as running isolations for Andre Miller, not knowing how to effectively guard both Stephen Curry and Thompson and not attacking the paint enough. Jackson took advantage of these mistakes by utilizing an effective zone, targeting Miller defensively, and controlling the transition game. Jackson, and not the more experienced Karl, brought the intensity and competitive spirit that was needed to win the series.

Lowell Cohn of the Press Democrat claims that Malone was the main strategist for the Warriors, so his departure will impact the Warriors greatly. He discusses how Malone was the details guy, and that even though Jackson would tell Malone some general ideas for an upcoming play, Malone was the one to draw out the play and explain it to the team during timeouts.

However, Joe Lacob hired Jackson to be the head coach of this team for a reason. In fact, Malone was even up for the same head coaching position, before Lacob decided to hire Jackson to be the head coach. Jackson was chosen because he’s smart, analytical, and a confident, convincing leader.

May 16, 2013; Oakland, CA, USA; Golden State Warriors head coach Mark Jackson instructs against the San Antonio Spurs during the fourth quarter in game six of the second round of the 2013 NBA Playoffs at Oracle Arena. The Spurs defeated the Warriors 94-82. Mandatory Credit: Kyle Terada-USA TODAY Sports

Jackson will adjust to the added pressure of not having the best assistant coach in the league, because his whole team is behind him and wants to succeed as much as he does. Jackson said from Day 1 as head coach that he wanted to change the culture around the Warriors, which he has done. This Warriors team loves to play as the underdogs and to play for each other.

“The main reason why we’re here is Coach,” Bogut said about the Warriors’ success in the playoffs.

Jackson has displayed a great balance between commanding respect and authority while also maintaining his motivational and comedic personality. His energy and passion led to great team chemistry, which was a large reason why the Warriors had such a successful breakout season.

“I think we showed this year that it’s a big factor from the top down, from coach Jackson through all his staff and through our players…” Curry said when asked about the Warriors’ chemistry. “The vibe in our locker room is real energetic and fun and real personable, I think from Day 1.”

Jackson might not be a pure, fundamental coach like some others, but he has a system set in place with his team, and he is more than capable of executing it without Malone.

Also, Jackson still has a quality group of assistant coaches to help him. It’s rumored that Jackson will most likely name Pete Myers his new head assistant coach. Another possibility is to promote assistant coach Darren Erman, who has focused on developing the talent of the young players on the Warriors.

With the help of his assistants and his motivational spirit, Jackson might have to work a little harder without Malone, but he can certainly continue to build a winning culture with the Warriors.

Golden State Warriors: Should They Re-Sign Jarrett Jack or Carl Landry?

This article was originally published on Golden Gate Sports.

Apr 20, 2013; Denver, CO, USA; Golden State Warriors guard Jarrett Jack (2) warms up before game one of the first round of the 2013 NBA Playoffs against the Denver Nuggets at the Pepsi Center. Mandatory Credit: Chris Humphreys-USA TODAY Sports

The Golden State Warriors have some big decisions to make this offseason. They will have to assess if they can keep both of their key free agents, Jarrett Jack and Carl Landry, and, if they can’t afford to keep both, they need to decide which player of the two they should sign. Jack and Landry have both expressed that they want to come back to the Warriors. They will each have to discuss all possible situations though with their families and agents.

Jack averaged 12.9 points and 5.6 assists in 79 games this season, and he also finished third in the NBA’s Sixth Man of the Year Award voting. Jack made a little more than $5 million this season, but his level of play might have increased his value in free agency. He will certainly be a highly sought-after free agent, but he has expressed that he’d love to come back to the Warriors. However, Jack might be searching for a long-term deal, which the Warriors might not want to or be able to offer him.

Jack has been quite the journeyman around the league in his career so far. In his eight NBA seasons, he has played for five different teams. Curry has said that his biggest selling point to Jack to re-sign has been that Jack has found a home with the Warriors, and he could settle in here where he already knows what his role will be.

“As soon as I walked in the locker room, I looked down at my jersey and there just is a sense of pride that I have wearing it that I haven’t had as a professional,” Jack said. “Most of the time in college you go somewhere because you love it and there’s a connection there that’s deeper than basketball.

“I guess in the NBA since it’s such a business you usually don’t get that unless you’re one of those guys, one of the lucky few, that get to stay with one franchise for a long period of time.”

Landry averaged 10.8 points and six rebounds in 81 games this season, and he finished as the Warriors’ fifth-leading scorer and third-leading rebounder. Landry made $4 million this season, and he has a player option for next season for $4 million. It’s not clear if Landry will take that player option though, because it depends on what other offers he receives from other teams. Landry, like Jack, said he’d like to come back to the Warriors, but he also wants to keep his options open as he might also be offered a longer-term deal.

“Right now, I’m just going to try and clear my head and not worry about what’s ahead of me,” Landry said.“Sit down with the coaches and my mom, my family and my agent and see what’s the best for me in the future.”

Feb 22, 2013; Oakland, CA, USA; Golden State Warriors power forward Carl Landry (7) questions the call against the San Antonio Spurs during the third quarter at Oracle Arena. The Golden State Warriors defeats the San Antonio Spurs 107-101 in overtime. Mandatory Credit: Kelley L Cox-USA TODAY Sports

Warriors general manager Bob Myers has said that he is willing to go into the luxury tax in order to acquire the right players. Last offseason, Myers and the rest of the Warriors’ front office wanted to acquire Landry and re-sign Brandon Rush, and, in order to do that, the team would have to go into the luxury tax without knowing if they’d be able to get out of it.

According to Myers, the ownership group, Joe Lacob and Peter Guber, told them to spend whatever they needed to if they thought Landry and Rush were important to the team. Myers will continue this philosophy when entering into discussions with Jack and Landry.

“That’s a blessing to be able to work in an organization like that where it’s not budget, it’s not cost, it’s not dollars, it’s winning,” Myers said.

Several players on the Warriors have also shown that they want both Landry and Jack to re-sign.

“I want them back,” Stephen Curry said. “They’re great teammates. They’ve added a lot to us as a team and what we’re trying to do.”

Andrew Bogut has expressed the same desire. However, he realizes that it might be a difficult task to bring back both.

“In an ideal world, it’s very important (to bring them back), but being a realist we probably can’t keep both of them,” Bogut said. “I don’t think we’ll have cap room to keep both, even though we’d like to. They’re going to both demand some pretty good money.”

So if the Warriors decide they aren’t fiscally able to re-sign both Jack and Landry, who should they aim to re-sign? Who will be more valuable to the Warriors next season? Both players were important to the Warriors and their playoff run, so which one would be easier to replace in free agency then?

Some point guards who are going to be free agents and would most likely be in the Warriors’ desired price range are Will Bynum, D.J. Augustin, Earl Watson, Jerryd Bayless (who has a player option with the Grizzlies for next season though), Jamaal Tinsley, Sebastian Telfair, etc. None of these players would adequately fill the role that Jack had, and wouldn’t make up for his scoring, passing and leadership.

Some power forwards who are going to be free agents and would most likely be in the Warriors’ desired price range are Elton Brand, Andray Blatche, Jason Maxiell, Antawn Jamison, DeJuan Blair, Jermaine O’Neal, J.J. Hickson, etc.

May 16, 2013; Oakland, CA, USA; Golden State Warriors point guard Jarrett Jack (2) passes out the ball between San Antonio Spurs point guard Gary Neal (14) and center Boris Diaw (33) during the first quarter of game six of the second round of the 2013 NBA Playoffs at Oracle Arena. Mandatory Credit: Kelley L Cox-USA TODAY Sports

Obviously, it’s not guaranteed that the Warriors could persuade any of these players to win, but their playoff run could certainly help attract some of them. This group of power forward free agents seems stronger than the group of available point guards. Because of this, if the Warriors could only afford to re-sign either Jack or Landry, it seems as if the Warriors should aim to re-sign Jack. Of course, the Warriors have the option of acquiring a point guard or power forward via trade, but regardless of the potential trades, Jack had a strong leadership role and presence on this team.

Although it would be ideal to bring Landry back too, it seems as if there are better options to replace Landry, which makes Jack more valuable to the Warriors next season.