Jarrett Jack

Two Players Who Will Have Breakout Seasons For The Warriors

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

The Golden State Warriors have some great, young talent on their team. Stephen Curry, arguably, became one of the best players in the league last season. Klay Thompson has proven that he’s one of the best three-point shooters in the league. Harrison Barnes showed off his incredible explosiveness and athleticism throughout the year, and Draymond Green and Festus Ezeli have shown a lot of valuable skills as well. Curry has already ascended into superstar territory, and Thompson has shown that he’s more of an all-around player than many people assumed. With that said, of the Warriors’ young core, here are two players who will have breakout seasons next season:

1. Harrison Barnes

For much of the season, Barnes became the X-factor for the Warriors, meaning that if he played well, the Warriors would win most of the time. He also showed that he can come up big in the biggest moments. In the postseason, Barnes elevated his game to a whole new level. After averaging 9.2 points and 4.1 rebounds per game in the regular season, Barnes averaged 16.1 points and 6.4 rebounds per game in 12 postseason games. He also shot a higher percentage from the field, from three-point range, and at the free-throw line.

Barnes has so much potential, and he’s so fun to watch, mostly because of all of his vicious dunks. He has shown flashes of brilliance that leads many Warriors fans to believe that he could one day become one of the best small forwards in the NBA. He also has this veteran-like demeanor that makes fans believe that he’s going to continue to work as hard as he can to get better and help the team. If Barnes continues to stay aggressive on offense, shoot efficiently, and learn to defend more consistently, he will have a huge breakout season for the Warriors next season.

2. Kent Bazemore

Bazemore might not have a “breakout” season in the same way that Barnes might, but he certainly has the potential to become a key contributor to the Warriors next season. Bazemore will have a huge opportunity in the upcoming Las Vegas NBA Summer League to prove to the Warriors that he can become a valuable part of the regular rotation. Bazemore is known for his defensive ability. He can block shots, get steals, and guard point guards, shooting guards, and small forwards. He needs to prove that he can become more of a scorer though.

If the Warriors aren’t able to re-sign Jarrett Jack, Bazemore will have an even bigger opportunity. Along with Scott Machado, he will compete for backup point guard minutes. It’s likely that he could take over the majority of the minutes that Jack used to play though because of his ability to play both the point guard and shooting guard positions. Bazemore needs to work on his shooting, but he doesn’t need to average 15 points per game, especially with Brandon Rush coming back next season. If he can contribute about eight points per game, he will, in his own terms, have a breakout season for the Warriors and become a key contributor off the bench.

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: Which Free Agents Could Replace Jarrett Jack and Carl Landry?

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

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The Golden State Warriors have two key free agents this offseason: Jarrett Jack and Carl Landry. If the Warriors are unable to re-sign both of these players, they will need to address filling the backup point guard and backup power forward roles in the offseason.

Jack proved to be the perfect complement to Stephen Curry in the Warriors’ system. Jack’s toughness and his ability to attack the basket provide the perfect balance to Curry’s unbelievable three-point shooting. When he plays alongside Curry, he plays point guard, which allows Curry to slide over to the shooting guard position, so Curry can focus more on shooting than distributing.

Jack would be the Warriors’ best option for backup point guard given the leadership, toughness, and intensity that he provided. Some possible replacements for Jack that are 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, or Sebastian Telfair.

Augustin would probably be the best option to replace Jack out of those players, because he could easily fit into this Warriors team. Augustin played last season for the Indiana Pacers and clearly didn’t fit into their slow-paced system. Augustin would flourish in the Warriors’ up-tempo, defense-dependent system. He’s excellent in pick-and-rolls, and he would give the Warriors another quality three-point shooter. Although Augustin wouldn’t provide the same toughness that Jack does, he turns the ball over less than Jack does. Augustin has averaged 2.2 turnovers and 5.8 assists per 36 minutes in his career, and Jack has averaged 2.5 turnovers and 5.6 assists per 36 minutes. The Warriors could surely use less turnovers.

Landry was a valuable rebounder and offensive weapon off the bench, and the Warriors hope he picks up his player option for next season. If he decides not to though, some replacements could be Elton Brand, Andray Blatche, Jason Maxiell, Antawn Jamison, DeJuan Blair, Jermaine O’Neal, or J.J. Hickson. Although Hickson is arguably the best power forward out of this group, he rejuvenated his career last season with the Portland Trailblazers as their starting center. He will most likely not want to settle for a backup power forward role and will want a pay increase that the Warriors can’t afford.

Brand seems to be the best remaining option. He didn’t have much success last season as a reserve for the Dallas Mavericks, but Brand is still solid defensively, as he averaged 1.3 blocks in just 21.2 minutes per game last season. He also has averaged 9.1 rebounds per game over his career, which would be a valuable asset off the bench.

Ideally, the Warriors could re-sign both Jack and Landry and keep the same core of players intact for next season. Both Jack and Landry will draw a lot of attention as free agents though because of their stellar play last season. The Warriors have to be prepared for this and have a backup plan for which free agents they should target to replace Jack and Landry.

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.