Jermaine O’Neal

Have the Warriors Addressed All Their Needs So Far This Offseason?

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

The Golden State Warriors went into the offseason with two main priorities: re-signing Jarrett Jack and Carl Landry. Since that didn’t happen, it appeared as if the Warriors would have a weaker roster going into next season. However, based on the moves the Warriors have made so far in the offseason, they have more than made up for their losses.

With the departure of Jack, the Warriors had to fill the role of backup point guard, so they drafted Nemanja Nedovic with the 30th pick in this year’s NBA Draft. In addition, Kent Bazemore has started to develop his ball handling and decision-making skills in order to get more minutes as a backup point guard.

They also signed free agent Toney Douglas, who will most likely play the majority of the minutes as the backup point guard. Although Nedovic and Bazemore are a little unproven, Douglas is a solid backup point guard who can defend extremely well and will more than adequately relieve Stephen Curry of some minutes. Even though Jack was a valuable asset to the team last season, the Warriors made up for his loss with other players who collectively bring similar, or better, skills.

The Warriors signed Marreese Speights to fill Landry’s former role of backup power forward. Speights is 6’10” and 245 pounds, and he can play both power forward and center. Speights is also only 25 years old, and by signing a three-year contract, he will play with the Warriors while he is in his prime. Speights can shoot the mid-range shot, but he lacks some efficiency closer to the basket. He isn’t quite the scorer that Landry was, but he’s a better rebounder and shot blocker. Speights is a quality addition to this Warriors team.

The Warriors also needed to fill the backup center role, since Festus Ezeli is out with his right knee injury and Andris Biedrins was traded. In order to address this need, the Warriors signed Jermaine O’Neal. O’Neal is listed at 6’11” and 255 pounds, and he’s a fantastic shot blocker. O’Neal is a 17-year NBA veteran and six-time All-Star, and he has played in 90 postseason games in his career. O’Neal has experienced a lot of trouble with injuries in the past few years, but he will bring size, defense, and veteran leadership to this team.

One criticism for the Warriors the past few years has been there lack of athleticism. Harrison Barnes certainly improved that aspect, but this team, and any team really, could always use more athleticism. The Warriors addressed this need and more when they signed Andre Iguodala. He brings athleticism, a great work ethic, speed, an ability to excel in the open court, elite defense, playoff experience, and veteran leadership. Iguodala is the complete package. He’s extremely versatile, and his presence alone makes this Warriors team a serious contender to be a top-four team in the Western Conference.

With all these additions, the Warriors also strengthened their bench, which they needed to do with Jack and Landry leaving. The addition of Iguodala also probably means that Barnes will now have to come off the bench, which will only strengthen their reserve unit as well. The Warriors have done a great job this offseason in addressing all their needs.

Golden State Warriors: Are They Championship Contenders?

This article was originally published on Golden Gate Sports.

May 16, 2013; Oakland, CA, USA; Golden State Warriors point guard Stephen Curry (30, left) and power forward David Lee (10, right) react after game six of the second round of the 2013 NBA Playoffs against the San Antonio Spurs at Oracle Arena. The Spurs defeated the Warriors 94-82. Mandatory Credit: Kyle Terada-USA TODAY Sports

The Golden State Warriors had a breakout 2012-2013 season. The Warriors defied expectations and captivated many basketball fans around the nation with their stellar, exciting play.

After their incredible playoff run last year, are the Warriors championship contenders now? They’re certainly close to becoming one of the superior teams in the Western Conference, but they’re not quite a championship contender yet.

One of the reasons why is because of the immense amount of talent in the Western Conference. The Oklahoma City Thunder, San Antonio Spurs, Los Angeles Clippers, and Houston Rockets are among the elite teams in the Western Conference, and some of them could very well contend for a championship. Out of all those foes, it will be tough for the Warriors to even become one of the top-four teams in the Western Conference.

Even if the Warriors are able to become Western Conference Champions, it will still be a long road to their first championship since 1975. Outside of the Western Conference, some of the biggest championship contenders are the Miami Heat, the Chicago Bulls, and the Indiana Pacers.

Even though the Warriors aren’t quite as established and experienced as some of the previously mentioned teams, the Warriors could certainly become a top-four team in the Western Conference this season. Here are some reasons why the Warriors are close to becoming contenders:

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Player Breakdown: What Andre Iguodala Brings to the Golden State Warriors

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

On Thursday, the Golden State Warriors officially acquired small forward and nine-year NBA veteran Andre Iguodala. The 2012 Eastern Conference All-Star has played for the Philadelphia 76ers and Denver Nuggets, and he has career averages of 15.1 points, 5.8 rebounds, 4.9 assists and 1.7 steals in 37.4 minutes per game.

Iguodala, 29, has also played in 41 career playoff games, averaging 14.4 points, 6.0 rebounds, 4.9 assists and 1.8 steals during the postseason.

In last season’s playoff series against the Warriors, Iguodala averaged 18.0 points, 8.0 rebounds, 5.3 assists, and 2.0 steals on 50 percent shooting and 48.3 percent shooting from three in 40.5 minutes per game.

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

“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.”

So what will Iguodala bring to the Warriors? Well, he brings a little bit of everything. Iguodala is an extremely versatile player who can play and guard several positions. He can score, he can rebound, he can pass, he’s good in transition, and he’s one of the best perimeter defenders in the league. He’s also extremely athletic, he can come through in the clutch, and he’s a fierce competitor.

Because of Iguodala’s defensive prowess, the Warriors now finally have someone strong enough and quick enough to guard the elite small forwards like Kevin Durant and LeBron James.

Just ask Stephen Curry how good of a defender Iguodala is. Iguodala used his length, size, and quickness to disrupt Curry throughout the Warriors’ playoff series against the Nuggets.

Off the court though, Curry and Iguodala are good friends. They both played on the USA men’s national basketball team that won the gold-medal in the 2010 FIBA World Championship. Curry claims that Iguodala will have a positive impact on the Warriors’ team chemistry.

“From my experience with him, he’s a really low key guy who works hard,” Curry said. “He’s not high-maintenance or anything. Doesn’t have an ego. That’s pretty much the make-up of our locker room. He can be a vocal guy, a guy that can check somebody but be respectful about it. He fits that accountability style we’re going for.”

Iguodala seems like the perfect pairing to this Warriors team. First of all, he’s aggressive on offense and likes to drive to the basket, which will help Klay Thompson and Curry get open on the three-point line.

Second, as Curry alluded to, he will be a great addition to the Warriors’ locker room. His veteran leadership and impressive work ethic will set a great example for the younger players on the Warriors such as Thompson, Harrison Barnes, Kent Bazemore, and Nemanja Nedovic.

Third, Iguodala thrives in an up-tempo system, which he played in while on the Nuggets. His speed and athleticism in transition will certainly be a valuable asset to the Warriors.

The Warriors have added other key pieces to their rotation including Nedovic, Marreese Speights, Toney Douglas, and Jermaine O’Neal. The Warriors will have a deep, well-rounded roster next year, and they could definitely make a deep playoff run. The addition of Iguodala makes this Warriors team a serious contender in the Western Conference.

Player Breakdown: What Jermaine O’Neal Brings to the Golden State Warriors

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

The Golden State Warriors have agreed to a one-year contract worth around the league minimum of $2 million with 17-year NBA veteran and six-time All-Star Jermaine O’Neal.

O’Neal has experienced a lot of trouble with injuries in the past few years, but, last year with the Phoenix Suns, he was in great shape and was rarely injured. Last season, O’Neal had a resurgent year with the Suns when he averaged 8.3 points, 5.3 rebounds, and 1.4 blocks in just 18.7 minutes per game in 55 games. He claims his improved health comes from a knee treatment he received in Germany before last season and again recently. O’Neal missed most of those 27 games last season because his daughter had to have surgery to repair a leaky heart valve.

The Warriors needed to add another center that could back up Andrew Bogut while Festus Ezeli recovers from his knee surgery. O’Neal will probably only play about 18 minutes per game when Ezeli returns, but he can still provide some extra defensive help to the Warriors. Here are three things that O’Neal brings to the Warriors:

1. Size
O’Neal is 6’11” and 255 pounds. With the departure of Andris Biedrins and Ezeli’s injury, the Warriors will certainly benefit from O’Neal’s size, ability to block and alter shots, and his presence in the paint.

On offense, O’Neal can use his size and length to post up and score in many different ways in the paint. Also, given Bogut’s history with injuries, O’Neal’s size will come in handy if he needs to start in place of Bogut.

2. Defense
O’Neal was arguably one of the Suns’ best interior defenders last season. He’s clearly an excellent shot blocker, as he’s averaged 1.8 blocks per game over his career. He’s also a good rebounder, as he’s averaged 7.3 rebounds in 27.4 minutes per game over his career.

He also does the little things well on defense too. He positions himself well, he contests shots aggressively, and he doesn’t foul too much.

3. Veteran Leadership
O’Neal has played in 90 postseason games in his career and has averaged 12 points, 6.7 rebounds, and 1.8 blocks in 27.7 minutes per game. He has played for six different NBA teams before the Warriors including the Portland Trailblazers, Indiana Pacers, Miami Heat, Toronto Raptors, Boston Celtics, and the Phoenix Suns.

After playing in the league for 17 seasons, O’Neal will definitely be a valuable veteran off the bench, and he can share his vast playoff experience with this young Warriors team. For example, he could provide some mentoring to Ezeli. His veteran perspective and leadership will be a great asset for this Warriors team.