Draft analyst Evan Zamir on Warriors' #7…

Decisions, decisions.

• tempprofile (7 ♡):

  Awful lot of "woe is us" in that video about a team that finished as the 8th seed (in a normal year) and came within 2 games of making the playoffs anyway without their 2nd best player. I agree that the Warriors should go after the highest ceiling players available with t the 7th and 14th pick, it's not clear to me players like Wagner and Kispert, if they are indeed available at 14, won't also have the highest ceiling of the players left to pick. And even if they aren't ready for the playoffs as rookies, those guys, as well as a guy like Moody at 7, can have value soaking up minutes in non-competitive games so the stars can get some rest. Finally, any discussion about trading the picks for a player that really does move the needle needs to take into account the Warriors cap situation especially since whoever they get has to add value above and beyond what they got from Wiggins.

• paulteen (6 ♡):

  I don’t have polite words to describe how emphatically I oppose anything that involves trading klay, not only on a sentimental level but on a pragmatic. He is a transcendent talent and is a (not the, but a) driving force behind multiple championships. No, no, no. We keep klay.

• crusty quips (4 ♡):

  1. Klay's ACL injury was on the other leg than his Achilles so it's not like he had the same leg injured twice. That matters.

  2. Durant may be a better player than Klay but my point still remains; everyone who played with him, played against him, or coached him, was in agreement that he had not lost a step since before his injury. You can assume that Klay's recovery will go worse than KD's or that he won't recover to his pre-injury condition but that's just an assumption and one to which there are numerous counterexamples.

  3. KD missed time in 2021 due to issues with his left hamstring, not his right leg which suffered the Achilles injury. He also had a left thigh contusion. From all available reports, his recovered right leg was healthy all season.

  4. Klay's offensive game is not predicated on athleticism. While he may lose a step in his defensive capabilities (still a question mark if this is true or not), his leg injuries should not have a large effect on his shooting prowess.

  I think the KD comparison is more apt than you give it credit for. I understand your desire to remain pessimistic but let's not act like there are no genuine reasons to expect Klay to play at a high level again. Especially if you are a Warriors fan and has watched him play his entire career and know his level of commitment and work ethic, two factors always cited as crucially important to recovery by those who have some experience with these kinds of injuries. If we are betting on results for the upcoming season, I'll take the over on Klay.

GSW Free Agent Targets 2: Wings

A series by Perks from @GSWReddit

• vignette17 (11 ♡):

  Man, my top 3 targets (Porter, McBuckets, Green) are all listed as priced out. Have you considered being less realistic to make me feel a bit better? It would be greatly appreciated.

• Arash (8 ♡):

  I'm also impressed with Perks. While I've also loved Mills/Porter (particularly Mills, who would be a fantastic fit), I've also been pounding the table for Sterling Brown.

  To put it simply, he's an absolutely fantastic multi positional defender (led the league in defensive rating) who shot over 40% from three last year.

GSW Free Agent Targets 1: Ballhandlers

A series by Perks from @GSWReddit

• John Butler (8 ♡): 

  My own take is this. There are a half dozen lottery level draft picks who are ball handlers this year and a slew (I did not do a headcount) of ball handling point guards who are free agents in the back up category. I think that most of them want the mid level and many will end up settling for the vet minimum. None want to be the last man standing, waiting for a mid season injury to a starting to find themselves a back up job. The warriors are a contender, and backing up Curry for 18 min. per game is not a bad gig. I think some solid vet will blink and sign for minimum with Warriors rather than risk being the odd man out in the ball handling pool of talent or be forced to sign for the minimum on a crappy tanking team or the 3rd man on the depth chart behind a rookie draft pick.

  I do think ball handling PG is an important need for Warriors this next season. They need to be able to rest Curry and Green now and then and to minimize their min. in the 4th quarter when we are ahead without a massive drop off in the standings.

• Perks (GSWReddit) (8 ♡): 

  Personally, I'm of the opinion that the Warriors should try to use the MLE on a more pressing position like a wing or a dynamic, floor-spacing 4/5. While they do need some more playmaking and shot creation I think it will be hard to address those needs in free agency given their financial limitations. And while Poole stylistically is more of a combo-guard, I think his court vision and playmaking make him more than adequate to play as the primary ballhandler in the second unit and they can try to supplement him with some shotmakers and secondary ballhandlers. 

  Burks I think is very firmly out of their price range (he outplayed his $6M this year). Sato could be a little more attainable and would fit well with his SDot-type size. Temple I actually originally had in Tier 2 given his age, but the discourse I've seen around the Bulls and his intent to return (after making $4.8M last season) makes me think he'll be more expensive than anticipated. 

• belilaugh (5 ♡): 

  I just don't understand how many Warriors fans I see wanting to use the MLE on Mills? It seems like a huge waste of a very important resource imo, he's too small to play with Curry or Poole (let alone both at the same time). He would not be spot starting when Klay is out, which is probably a requirement for any guard/wing they'd sign with the TPMLE. He would not be in the closing lineup. Don't get me wrong, for a minimum I'd be down. But Mills wouldn't.

  Alec Burks for the TPMLE would be ideal, but probably too expensive. I doubt Satoransky hits the free agency market but he'd also be ideal. Both of those guys have size that allows positional versatility and can handle the ball in the bench unit. More realistically, Garrett Temple on a minimum would be perfect, and use the TPMLE on a wing or big (ideally a playmaking wing).

  Although damn, you think Temple is getting MLE money? I hadn't considered that lol, don't think I'd want the Warriors to give out

Dub Nation HQ Draft Tourney Rd 2: Davion and Sengun

Undersized defending dynamo vs undersized center post move wizard

(Draft comments will appear in the next round.)

• The Sword Of The Morning (6 ♡):

  That was the best block I've ever seen. My God Giannis.

• Sleepy Freud

  You mean, better than LeBron cherrypicking a soft floater off a broken Iguodala who couldn't jump?

• fzwinter (5 ♡):

  CP3 aside, I thought I'd enjoy watching the Suns play. CP3 has certainly left his mark on these guys after one year. Between the endless complaining, CP3 shenanigans, and Crowder acting jobs, I find the Suns easy to root against. Booker is a stud, but has also bought into the constant whining. You can say he's a star now, since mugging a guy at the hoop with five fouls forces the refs to swallow their whistles.

  I loved the CP3 meltdown tonite - I want Bucks in 6 and any talk about CP3 as FMVP to dissipate. I think he definitely brought his stock down quite a bit tonight: -10, poor shooting, and horrible turnovers. If somehow the Suns were able to pull out the series, I'd imagine it'll be Booker getting the FMVP and not CP3.

  How nice would it be for Cam Johnson to wear a Dubs' jersey? Dude's a baller.

• sabrinasez (4 ♡):

  Q: Who's the better shooter - Steph or Klay ?

  Andre: It really depends on how bored Klay is and whether he wants to go play with his dog.

  😅😅😅

• Goofus (3 ♡):

  The league office might’ve been a tad premature engraving Chris Paul’s name on the FMVP before the series started.