The Warriors: Does Anybody Feel A Draft?
It's less than two weeks until the NBA draft, and the Warriors' game plan remains, uh what's the word we're looking for, undetermined? undeveloped? or just undisclosed? Quick to point out what others are thinking, the Warriors are mum about their own plans. Rest assured though, they are "currently prepping by holding individual workouts and scouring over scouting reports." Phew, and we thought they were just watching ESPN and getting ready for the party.
As the Warrior faithful wait with desperate anticipation for a draft day that finally turns the tide for this woebegotten franchise, Chris Mullin and his hoops junta might consider the following.
Have a plan. That's a plan, not a strategy. A strategy is something general and nonspecific like "pick the best player available," which is what the Warriors have been doing for about the last 12 years -- how's that been working out? During those 12 years, the team has had a top-ten pick six times and drafted some excellent players, but has never assembled a team (you know, the thing that is greater than the sum of its parts). A plan identifies two or three specific players that offer specific qualities or assets the team needs to improve. A big man. A pure shooter. A defensive stopper. None of the players the Warriors have drafted in recent memory (with the exception of Jason Richardson) have yet benefited the Warriors long term -- though many have gone on to participate in the playoffs for other teams. That's what happens when you don't have a plan.
Warriors Draft Party graphic can be seen in its full glory on the official Warriors website.
Think big. Don't acquire anybody shorter than 6'10". The team is fully loaded with impact guards and swingmen. Get a big man! Yes, the team needs a defensive stopper and a pure shooter, but it needs a frontcourt presence most of all.
Be creative. It's a weak draft this year, so Mullin and Company should calculate the chances of getting their top two or three players (see Have a plan) and if it looks like they won't be able to get any of those players, package the pick in a trade deal. There's no rule that says you have to use your number-one pick. Work with another team in shambles -- Minnesota -- who might be interested in acquiring another high first round pick to help them completely rebuild, in exchange for a proven veteran -- KG.
Don't waste the pick, again! One way or another, the Warriors need an impact player from this draft, not another long-term project who won't get any PT until the season is already lost. Biedrins, Pietrus, and Diogu can all play, we think, but they just haven't quite gotten sufficient court time to reveal their true potential, one way or another. On the other hand, it is evident that fellow first rounders Mike Dunleavy, Troy Murphy, and Adonal Foyle aren't the answers, yet they continue to rack up the minutes in order to justify the folly of their high-pick selections (and their ridiculous salaries). Get a guy who can make an immediate impact or trade the pick for a veteran who fills a specific need, but get it right. That's where having a plan can come in handy. That way you know what you're actually trying to build and don't end up wasting draft choices on theoretical potential.
The Warriors are close to putting a playoff team on the court. They've got a base of talent, but it's time to stop throwing in random ingredients and time to start getting scientific. Though the draft pool is weak, this could actually end up being the most important Warriors draft of the last 10 years, if they make the right decision. Or, it could be hello Cliff Rozier, Jeff Foster, and Todd Fuller all over again.