David Lee

Why Andre Iguodala Will Help Harrison Barnes’ Development

hi-res-167303829_crop_exact

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

Many fans have feared that the Golden State Warriors’ addition of Andre Iguodala will stunt Harrison Barnes‘ development. In fact, the opposite is true. If Iguodala starts and Barnes comes off the bench, this will actually help Barnes develop into a better player. Here are three reasons why:

1. Both Iguodala and Barnes have similar skillsets, so Iguodala will be a valuable mentor to Barnes, especially defensively.

Both Iguodala and Barnes are strong, athletic, and quick. Offensively, they play fairly similarly. They both like to drive to the basket using their quickness, they’re both explosive, and they can shoot threes pretty well.

Iguodala’s mentoring will help Barnes’ offensive game grow, but it will be even more valuable to Barnes on the defensive end. One of Iguodala’s strengths is his defense and his ability to guard multiple positions. Iguodala can use his expertise to teach Barnes how to become a better and more versatile defender. In addition to his defensive prowess, Iguodala’s veteran leadership and work ethic will set a great example for Barnes.

2. With Iguodala starting, it will allow Barnes to play more minutes at the power forward position, which he excelled at in the postseason.

The Warriors will most likely start Stephen Curry, Klay Thompson, Iguodala, David Lee, and Andrew Bogut. However, Mark Jackson will certainly want to utilize a smaller lineup, in order to play at a faster pace. At any point in the game or even when finishing games, Jackson could decide to use a lineup of Curry, Thompson, Iguodala, Barnes, and Lee or Bogut.

With Barnes at the power forward position, the Warriors would be able to get into transition and spread the floor more. In the postseason, the Warriors thrived in these scenarios, especially because Barnes’ skillset matches up with the power forward position so well. He has great footwork in post-up situations, he’s faster than most power forwards, and he’s strong enough to keep up with bigger power forwards. Playing Barnes at power forward will benefit not just the Warriors, but also Barnes’ development.

3. With Iguodala starting and Barnes coming off the bench, Barnes will be able to play against the reserves of the opposing team, which will allow him to dominate offensively.

Coming off the bench, Barnes won’t have to share as many scoring opportunities with Curry, Thompson, and Lee. Instead, he will become the go-to scorer off the bench for the Warriors. If he’s playing alongside Toney Douglas, Kent Bazemore, Nemanja Nedovic, or Marreese Speights, he will become the first option on offense. He will be able to showcase his game even more against the reserves of the opposing team. Barnes would provide that instant scoring and energy off the bench that the Warriors lost when Jarrett Jack didn’t re-sign.

Instead of going up against LeBron James or Kevin Durant, he’d probably be facing the small forward or power forward in the opponents’ weaker lineup. This would allow him to take advantage of his superior speed and athleticism. In addition, when Barnes does play alongside Iguodala, Iguodala can defend the elite players like James or Durant, and Barnes can play more freely on offense and defense.

Fans fear that Barnes will play less minutes now, given Iguodala’s presence, and that this will hinder his development. However, whether Barnes starts or not, he will probably play around 25-30 minutes per game anyway, because of his skillset and value to this team. Also, even if he doesn’t start, Barnes could still finish games for the Warriors, if they choose to go small, or if someone is in foul trouble, much like how Jack finished games for the Warriors last year.

Barnes has incredible potential, so it’s understandable why fans could be worried about Iguodala hindering Barnes’ development. However, once the regular season starts and fans are able to see Iguodala’s game, they will see the positive impact that he will have on Barnes’s development. Even with Iguodala starting, Barnes could still have a breakout year for the Warriors next season.

Let’s Go Warriors 2012-2013 Report Cards: Harrison Barnes

150560690_crop_exact

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

Harrison Barnes showed his massive potential in his rookie season with the Golden State Warriors. Off the court, he has a veteran demeanor in that he’s extremely hard-working, professional, confident, and dedicated to improving his game and helping the team win.

On the court, Barnes was the X-factor the Warriors last season. He’s athletic, explosive, and quick. He has a good shooting motion, and he has a high basketball IQ. He knows that when he’s going up against a bigger defender, he should use his speed to beat them. When he’s going up against a smaller defender, he knows to use his strength to out-muscle them.

In the regular season, Barnes averaged 9.2 points, 4.1 rebounds, 1.2 assists, 43.9 percent shooting, 35.9 percent shooting from three, 75.8 percent free-throw shooting in 25.4 minutes per game in 81 games.

ASSOCIATED PRESS

ASSOCIATED PRESS

Barnes likes to drive to the basket and show off his athleticism and explosiveness. He uses pump-fakes to beat his defender, and he uses his speed to get to the rim, instead of always settling for threes. However, this skillset wasn’t always utilized in the regular season. Instead, he got most of his shots on spot-ups and isolations.

He was solid in the regular season, but not quite as spectacular as he was in the postseason when he started to show his true potential. He averaged 16.1 points, 6.4 rebounds, 1.3 assists, 44.4 percent shooting, 36.5 percent shooting from three, 85.7 percent free-throw shooting in 38.4 minutes per game in 12 games.

In the postseason, Barnes showed how confident he is, how he takes good shots, and how he isn’t afraid of the extra pressure in the playoffs. With Stephen Curry injured, Klay Thompson struggling, and David Lee out with his right hip flexor injury, Barnes often became the Warriors’ biggest offensive threat in the postseason.

The Warriors took advantage of his great footwork in post-up situations, his speed, and his strength when they played him at the power forward position. He thrived in that role, because he’s faster than most power forwards, but he has the strength to keep them out of the paint.

In the playoffs, Barnes knew he was the most athletic player on the court, so he used it to his advantage. In the Warriors’ series against the San Antonio Spurs in the Western Conference Semifinals, he would post up Tony Parker and score rather easily, and he wasn’t afraid to go right at Tim Duncan.

In Game 5 against the Denver Nuggets, Barnes also showed how he can take over a game when his teammates are struggling. He hit three three-pointers in the first quarter when others were struggling to score, and he really carried the Warriors for much of the first half. Barnes finished Game 5 with a team-high 23 points, nine rebounds, two steals, and one block. Barnes certainly carried himself like a veteran in Game 5.

AP Photo/Eric Gay

AP Photo/Eric Gay

In the Warriors’ series against the Spurs, Barnes had 19 points and 12 rebounds in Game 1, he had 26 points and 10 rebounds in Game 4, and he had 25 points and seven rebounds in Game 5.

“The guy has grown up before our very eyes,” Mark Jackson said. “He had an off the charts regular season, which put us in position to be the sixth seed. He has elevated his game in the postseason… He’s a guy that’s not afraid of the moment, obviously a guy that embraces the bright lights.”

Barnes certainly has a lot of potential to become a star in the NBA. Next season, he can improve on his off-ball defense and his shooting. He will also probably come off the bench next season because of the Warriors’ acquisition of Andre Iguodala.

However, this will not stunt his development. First of all, coming off the bench would allow Barnes to play against the reserves of the opposing team, which would allow him to dominate offensively. Second of all, the addition of Iguodala is a blessing in disguise for Barnes. Although he probably won’t start anymore, Igudoala would be a great mentor for Barnes. Iguodala could use his defensive expertise to help Barnes grow as a defender, and his veteran leadership and work ethic will set a great example for Barnes.

Barnes has amazing work ethic for a rookie, and, in the playoffs, he showed his veteran demeanor by remaining confident and consistent. The sky is the limit for Barnes, and he will have a breakout season for the Warriors next year.

BarnesGrade

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.

The Importance of Brandon Rush to the Golden State Warriors

62098141

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.