DRAFT THREAD part II: Come Together.... Right Now....

[Sleepy51]

I don't understand why you guys are saying he can't create his own shot...you know...since he can.

Well he was a 6'7" guard in the NCAA. He could create his own shot because at that size in the NCAA he can shoot over the top of pretty much anyone guarding him. The bar is going to get raised at the NBA level and he will have to be able to make a few things happen putting the ball on the floor to create NBA space for that jumper.

But I also have nothing against a great catch and shoot player. I think that skill is vastly undervalued by NBA fans. Hitting shots that teamwork and the system create for you is a pretty vital component to encouraging good team play and sharing the ball. No one will keep passing to guys who don't make shots.

I just hope he can play some D.

[turk3d]

One of the problems (I think with some people) is that they want to make these new guys starters right away. Aint gonna happen (unless we want to be a lottery team again next year and Lacob aint going for that). As a 6th man, Thompson won't having to defend the best players most of the time, since he'll likely be getting much of his minutes against the 2nd string. And as for Jenkins, I'd like to see him become our guard defensive stopper (when Curry is getting torched out there).

So I think both players have the potential to fit in quite nicely. And Thompson (unlike Morrow) is not just one dimensional and at an inch taller and a bit quicker (he seems to have very good footwork) he should be a better defender than Morrow was (and Reggie too) @ the two position, even if not great. And let's not forget of course that this guy can shoot the lights out. Could be dynamite coming off the bench for us.

AMMO is going to be better than Klay...and that's not a knock on Thompson.

Tow totally different players, and I'm much rather have Klay here than Ammo. Ammo is strictly score, score, score for him to be good. And it's been 3 years already and Morrison has been pretty bad so far (even if he does eventually turn it around). I don't think it will take that long for Thompson Ihe's a lot more NBA ready than Morrison coming in imo). Dude has shot well below 40% his first 3 years in the league and < 30% from 3pt range his last two. Doesn't look good for someone who's supposed to be a shooter.

[turk3d]

He'll play defense, or he won't play. At least that's the message that MJs been putting out there. You can do that when you have the players you need on the bench. When No Neck Williams is your #1 on the depth chart, it pretty hard to do (sub for your starters when they're not giving defensive effort).

[xRapHeadx]

Anthony Morrow not Adam Morrison.... lol.

[cellomac1212]

We needed a 3rd guard, with some height, and a possible 6th man to replace No Neck. We got him plus we got a backup PG with a good all around game. Our guard problem is more or less solved. Now we can just focus on the bigs and maybe a backup SF.

+1. There's so much whining around here it's not even funny.
Pre-draft: We need a big guard Wah, Wah, Wah.....
Post-draft: Our big guard isn't a great defender Wah, Wah, Wah....

I wonder when people are going to realize there are few quality defensive minded shooting guards in the league. It isn't people blowing by our backcourt (as a good offensive guard can blow by anyone), it's the lack of help and rotation d that follows. Then it's the lack of securing a rebound when they miss.

We just got two really good guards with size that both should be able to spell Monta and Steph with minutes immediately and allow Steph and Monta to not need to be on the court at the same time all day, and all you guys can do is cry.

I like Leonard but you can't just draft one defensive wing player and expect an entire culture change. This team is an offensive team (and has been for over 10 years), if you don't like it, switch teams. The best shot at success is getting our offensive players to play as hard d as they can and buy into a defensive system to the best of their ability. Success does not lie in favoring defensive minded players over the type of team we already have unless your in favor of a complete rebuild. It will take years on top of more years to change this roster defensive. I'm more of a build on what you got type of guy, the people complaining must be more of start completely over types of guys.

We got size in the backcourt, be happy!!!!!!

Totally disagreed with your post. We have a new owner, a new head coach and a new assistant head coach. If we are going to change the mindset, this is the time to do it. By drafting Thompson and assuming he stays, the Warriors will just continue with the trend they have tested, and failed, for most of past 15 years.

I don't know if you realize, but the predominant message pre-draft is we need more defense, not we need a big guard. There is some relation to that because typically good defense comes from a guard with above average size, so you may have confused with the actual message.

To me, it was loud and clear that the coaching team thinks we needed to focus on the D, and we have not done that with the Thompson-pick. We have, in fact, picked a guy where Nellie and Smart would absolutely love to have. That right there is an issue. If you want to change the team's mindset, drafting a guy who fits that need will be a great start, and the Warriors failed to do so.

A player like Leonard may not change the entire culture, but it will send a clear message - Instead of just talks, the management team is seriously about follow-through this time around. And it is not like the talent disparity between Thompson and Leonard is very big that Thompson is the BPA. In fact, Leonard was ranked higher in many expert's opinions pre-draft.

Team D is more important than individual D. D. Wright in a good situation will look like a great defender, on the Warriors he only looks average. Perimeter D is about understanding help D. There is no player in the league that can single handedly keep a great finisher from blowing by them. Once blown by, a great defender understands where his help will be and funnels the offensive player into the help (hence looks like a genious for doing so after being blown by). Who would Leonard have funneled Kobe into after being blown by? Absolutely nobody... With no offensive game and no help d, Leonard would ride pine all year. At least we got some players who can contribute immediately. You build D from the inside out not the outside in. We can put the best perimeter defenders in the league as our starters but once the offense breaks the perimeter, they still will get the layup. Once the Warriors fix their inside presence on D, that's when they need to look towards fixing their perimeter D. It just ain't the time for that right now. Let this CBA kick in and watch how teams with 2 and 3 centers getting starting money start to panic.

[Twinkie defense]

I don't see how Klay gets compared to Morrow, unless just because they both convert a high percentage of their three point shots. Klay has much more basketball skills - dribbling, court vision, finding others, BBIQ...

I think the problem with Leonard and Singleton was just that while they are very good athletic, physical specimens, their games are lacking, and it would have been a reach to select either of them at #11. Riley said they would have been comfortable taking Singleton lower (and Kawi probably much lower), and in fact they were looking to trade down and get multiple picks, but had to buy their extra pick instead.

I've been pimping Kawi as much as anyone, but if Logo and Riley don't think he's a baller, that they don't have NBA-level skills for that slot in this draft, I'm gonna go with their best assessment.

[Amazing Curry]

Did anyone catch how even for some of the PGs selected, their highlight videos say "GOOD passer" while Klay's highlight showed "GREAT passer"? Don't know if that's something to note as well. Also, having a dad that played in the NBA, I feel like he knows what to do to be able to make a contribution to the team.

[Mylie10]

Twink,
Klay was as much a reach as those 2 were....Are you Larry Riley? Because it would make sense based on some of your posting.

Since I last checked defense was the OTHER part of what counts in the NBA, and both of those guys are probably better offensive players, then Klay is defensively.

They are both bigger, stronger, rebound the ball better, to go along with their defensive prowess. Both will be working on their offense and may carve out a nice niche there, but Klay may or may not ever be a defender, because they (defenders) tend to be born (mindset) versus taught.

I'd much rather have strengthened our toughness, rebounding, and defense with either of those two versus adding another spot up shooter to go with our vast array of spot up shooters.

[Quackenboss]

BPA. It's not Best Defensive Player Available.

Our front office thinks Klay will be a better NBA player than Kawhi, Singleton, Burks, etc. and so they took him. I wouldn't expect anything else. If it turns out in a couple years that their talent-evaluating abilities are lacking, them we can get rid of them. Until then, I'd prefer they keep drafting whom they feel is the BPA.

But I think Klay will be fine defensively. He looks like Kevin Martin physically, but Klay's got a much more well-rounded game.

[Mylie10]

No $hit Sherlock....Of course they're gonna be the ones who make the pick...Duh...Last time I tried to make an actual NBA deal I was blasted.....I told the guy I was a REALGM and he just laughed at me.

[510TWSS]

I agree with Twink. Singleton was far too limited to be a starter. His calling card was that he could be a great, versatile defender. After that we're grasping at straws at what he could be good at.

Grab defenders through FA. That way we already know if they can defend well or not. Trading down was the only way we were getting Singleton and probably Kawhi from what Riley said.

[Quackenboss]

No $hit Sherlock....Of course they're gonna be the ones who make the pick...Duh...Last time I tried to make an actual NBA deal I was blasted.....I told the guy I was a REALGM and he just laughed at me.

That's not what I was saying.

I meant that there's no reason to think that Riley et al didn't factor in the defensive abilities of Kawhi and Singleton when they were formulating their draft board. They still thought Klay was the BPA. You think that Kawhi and Singleton will be able to develop passable-to-decent offensive games. I guess our front office didn't.

[Mylie10]

You're of course right Quack, because they chose Klay over those guys.

But I'd like to point out that one of the best talent evaluating organization in the World (San Antonio Spurs) were willing to trade a known proven commodity for Kawhi.

I would have taken Singleton over a jump shooter based on size, athleticism, the ability to guard 3 positions. Singleton knows his bread is buttered with his D, but he also knows that to be really good he needs a 3 point shot...which he is working feverishly on.

I hope our front office is right, because i actually root for the Warriors over my own thoughts on the draft.

[Onus]

typically defense only perimeter players are drafted in the late 1st to 2nd rd or go undrafted. If they have some hope of an offensive game they may go late lottery to mid 1st. But very rarely do defensive players go in the lottery unless ur a center.

This draft was just so weak up top that gms and analysts were just trying to predict who could carve out a role on a NBA team. That's why these players like Kawhi and Singleton were being talked about being lottery picks. They could come in and possibly fill that defensive role player. In reality there were multiple defensive players taken in the 2nd rd.

Shumpert was suppose to be a late 1st early 2nd and he got picked in the middle and all the knicks fans hated it.
Tyler Honeycutt, Malcolm Lee, Travis Leslie, Deandre liggins, hell there's plenty of undrafted players available that could be found that could fill that role, ie, Julyan stone, Damian Saunders.

Offensive skilled players are coveted in the NBA because the players are so good that they can still beat great defense, and that's why they get taken in the lottery. You'll be able to find players that can play defense anywhere.

[TB]

Mylie did u read Singletons quotes about "marking down all the teams that passed on him" ?

My overall opinion on Klay is this: similar to Udoh in the sense that I love what he will bring. Different from Udoh in the sense that this year someone went after that I had ranked higher.

Udoh was my BPA last year.
Klay was after Singleton this year.

Also, situation is wayyyyyy underlooked when discussing non all-star level guys. These lotto guys going to crap teams is alot different than a guy like Leonard who gets to go play a clear cut role next to guys that know what they r doing.

[cellomac1212]

These lotto guys going to crap teams is alot different than a guy like Leonard who gets to go play a clear cut role next to guys that know what they r doing.

+1. Leonard has a far better chance being successful on the Spurs then he would have here. I think he would not of played much here. We probably would have brought him in for key defensive possessions only. People don't understand until we can establish a defensive mindset as a team, individual defenders will not succeed here. It is yet to be seen if Mark Jackson could break the Nellie curse. At this point Klay gives us a better chance to win. Klay fits into what this team is not what it wants to be and I don't think our ownership is willing to rebuild. On the bright side, we got our third (and fourth) large guard.

[Onus]

I wanted Singleton as well as he would help in a need area, perimeter defense. But they should be able to find a defender else where. Now if they don't even add a defender type to training camp ... that's a different situation.

What's our roster look like

Curry/Jenkins/Lin/Bell
Monta/Klay
DWright/RW
Lee/Lou
Udoh/Biedrins/Tyler

That's 13 ... a FA perimeter defender, 14, and hopefully a FA Center, 15

[Mylie10]

I wanted Singleton as well as he would help in a need area, perimeter defense. But they should be able to find a defender else where. Now if they don't even add a defender type to training camp ... that's a different situation.

What's our roster look like

Curry/Jenkins/Lin/Bell
Monta/Klay
DWright/RW
Lee/Lou
Udoh/Biedrins/Tyler

That's 13 ... a FA perimeter defender, 14, and hopefully a FA Center, 15

Reggie Williams at SF....Yuk!

Hopefully Bell will be dealt for a pick in next years draft, or in a sign and trade for a good big man or SF.

[Onus]

These lotto guys going to crap teams is alot different than a guy like Leonard who gets to go play a clear cut role next to guys that know what they r doing.

+1. Leonard has a far better chance being successful on the Spurs then he would have here. I think he would not of played much here. We probably would have brought him in for key defensive possessions only. People don't understand until we can establish a defensive mindset as a team, individual defenders will not succeed here. It is yet to be seen if Mark Jackson could break the Nellie curse. At this point Klay gives us a better chance to win. Klay fits into what this team is not what it wants to be and I don't think our ownership is willing to rebuild. On the bright side, we got our third (and fourth) large guard.

+1 if we get a defensive big that rebounds, it would alleviate a lot of our problems defensively more so than any 1 individual perimeter defender.

[EvanZ]

People don't understand until we can establish a defensive mindset as a team, individual defenders will not succeed here.

Nonsense. Udoh was by far the best defender on the floor at all times, and actually made us a lot better when he was in there. And it was just him. You get better defensively by getting better defenders.