Garuba seems like a baby Draymond in some ways. I really think the Warriors could shape him into a badass. His passing ability and ferocious D would enable small ball lineups that could help cover up his garbage shot (which could improve in years - he’s still a child).
Johnson is interesting too and reminds me of Kyle Anderson, and I really want wings for the team… but I’m kind of feeling Garuba a bit too much. I vote Garuba
Johnson at 7 & Garuba at 14? Johnson sounds like a poor man’s LaMelo. They actually seem like they might make a good 4/5 combo. I’ll take Johnson with this pick I suppose if we have to choose.
"It was clear last season that the player-development staff, nearly all under age 35, encountered a few bumps. Though all were considered capable, there were, according to sources, a few spasms of immaturity."
"It was enough that Kerr decided to make experience a premium."
==============
Determined to get back to the playoffs, the Warriors opened the wallet and spent big on assistant coaches (via @MontePooleNBCS)
I get it that we’re supposed to be picking at 7, but hard to imagine picking either of these guys there. If forced I would take Garuba. I don’t like the off court questions about Johnson- quitting on teams is not good. At 7 for real Bouknight is really growing on me…
I'm voting Garuba. Johnson has some tantalizing skills, but it sounds like they add up to something like Scottie Barnes Lite, with character concerns. If I'm drafting someone without demonstrated consistent shooting ability, I'd like the other talents to be NBA-level without any qualifications (he's a great passer BUT commits a ton of turnovers, he can score BUT he can't shoot, etc.). If I'm drafting a great passer and Barnes is gone, give me Giddey or even Cooper at 14 (another trade-down guy I like).
Between the two, of course I'd rather take Garuba at 14, but even at 7 I'll bank on the guy who has demonstrated elite defense at age 18 against professionals, and also shown some passing ability and high BBIQ.
Maybe? Worth noting, tho: going by their college numbers, Johnson was the vastly better rebounder (11.4 to 6.5 per 40), shotblocker (2.3 to 0.7), and scorer (21.0 pts on .575 ts to 16.7 pts on .548 ts).
Johnson’s also a couple inches taller and 4 months younger.
The preference for Barnes seems more about his fantastic attitude and energy than anything else. Which matters a lot, of course. But I do find JJ’s measurables very intriguing.
The real Scottie Barnes would be a very nice get at #7. If we're falling all the way down to Scottie Barnes light at #7, screw it, trade the pick. That's not even worth drafting.
I think Kelly Oubre is a combo-forward that the Warriors tried very hard to make fit in as the starting 2.
So yeah, if we're also assuming the Warriors are using Oubre the same way they did before, then Oubre playing like Wiggins would've been huge.
That said, even regular Oubre, especially his rebounding, I think would have been really nice at the end of the season with the Warriors going full smallball.
In the shortened "playoff" rotations, could've gone with a starting lineup of Curry-Bazemore-Wiggins-Oubre-Green with Poole, JTA, and Looney off the bench. I think that's a decent 8 man rotation. I dunno if Curry and Green would physically hold out on that shortened, smallball rotation, to get to the Finals tho...
I’m saying “true”. Given how that short roster played down the stretch, even real Oubre would have given us 8 men. Another Wiggins all season long would have been really great, especially knowing now about all the injuries to other teams.
Yup, just think about those few games where we lost by a couple of buckets and Oubre was deep in his slump. We could have pretty easily escaped up to the 6th seed.
For me though, the more I watch of this post season, the happier I am that Curry, Green, and the rest are sitting safely at home.
Steph had that break mid season and the Warriors were ready to roll. Series adjustments were a strength of the coaching staff. The Warriors had as good a shot as anyone to win it this year, until they didn’t get in.
But another Wiggins would haven taken more of the offensive load off Curry AND provided better spacing more than Oubre while being available all season.
Said another way, a Wiggins clone would’ve been a better Klay-replacement than what we got from Oubre.
Agree. Another Wiggins-level shot creator would have done wonders for the squad. Remember that Wiggins was one of our most (maybe THE most?) potent iso player. For a team that was constantly wishing for another point-of-attack player, just having Oubre's shot go in as often as Wiggs would have been a major tactical improvement
Honestly, they need someone better than Wiggins. Oubre is not that player. Where would they have found that player? Even another Wiggins would not guarantee a deep playoff run plus, where is the replacement for KD? KD was single handedly responsible for two of the three Finals wins. It has been 7 years since the Splash Bros + Dray won the Finals.
Gotta go with Johnson here. Hope he can get his offensive game to grow, and his low FT% is of concern. I've always been amazed that many players, from high school to college to the pros, can't shoot a higher percentage from the line. It's the same shot, every time, and really important to potential game outcomes. I remember George Johnson on the old Warriors working with Rick Barry and shooting his FTs underhand - he went from the low 60's to a couple of years of >80% at the line. Are there any talented FT coaches out there? Seems to be big need in the hoops world.
This is clearly Jalen Johnson for me. On defense, he already displays an incredibly instinct when it comes to blocks/steals with his size/quickness giving him excellent versatility. On offense, his dribbling/fantastic passing/finishing will be more effective in NBA spacing.
I think Johnson already has a pretty high floor by virtue of his current skillset, but his upside is fantastic. His biggest negative is his shooting, but he was actually relatively effective in catch/shoot though his FT% was pretty low. If he can just improve that, we quite literally could have a 6'9 forward who can dribble like a guard, is an excellent passer, can guard all 5 positions, and can hit shots . . . thats. star
Imagine needing a final stop in a game and being able put out a defensive lineup of of GP2, JTA, Wiggins, Draymond and Garuda….hoo boy!
I’m not crazy about either at #7and don’t think either will advance far in our little tourney, but being a self-professed “character/intangibles/BBIQ guy”, I’d take him at 14. His powerful defense could pair nicely with the offensive finesse of Wiseman and/or Wagner.
Hey Apricot, any chance you can include where the guys show up on sites’ boards, maybe starting with the 2nd round?
Meant to add that I’m really high on JTA’s defense, team and on ball. He combines tenacious effort and technique. Now that he’s starting to establish a defensive reputation, I think/hope he’ll be able to be more aggressive without drawing whistles.
I keep hearing people act as if the 2 injuries are worse than the one. I'm not sure if I see it that way. Both are getting a chance to heal, and they are essentially independent of each other. To me, the only compounding factor is time and therefore "rust."
I'm just looking at the 2+ years of not just lack of full-speed NBA basketball, but just any sort of competitive basketball in general... getting back to 100% bball rhythm is going to be tough. Fingers crossed for Klay...
Meant to add, it’s pretty rare to see a guy with huge thighs like Garuda move so well. That quickness along with such a sold base and pitbull effort might be worth taking at 14 unless a Kispert/Wagner-type is still there.
Garuba for me. The way he sticks onto guards and wings at his size is ridiculous, he has high BBIQ on both sides of the court, and I really like his energy. He's also banging bodies with grown men in the Euroleague (and legit 7'-7'4" guys) as a teenager.
Johnson's handles gives him a higher ceiling as he could potentially be a creator. He's 4 months older than Garuba but Garuba seems miles ahead in terms of physicality and athleticism.
Johnson, only for greater offensive upside and versatility. I like Garuba a lot though. He’s going to be fun to watch in the league.
Garuba seems like a baby Draymond in some ways. I really think the Warriors could shape him into a badass. His passing ability and ferocious D would enable small ball lineups that could help cover up his garbage shot (which could improve in years - he’s still a child).
Johnson is interesting too and reminds me of Kyle Anderson, and I really want wings for the team… but I’m kind of feeling Garuba a bit too much. I vote Garuba
Johnson, then trade him.
I'll take Johnson by a hair for the star upside. Would be less close if it weren't for the character questions.
Johnson at 7 & Garuba at 14? Johnson sounds like a poor man’s LaMelo. They actually seem like they might make a good 4/5 combo. I’ll take Johnson with this pick I suppose if we have to choose.
r/ Warriors@ GSWReddit :
"It was clear last season that the player-development staff, nearly all under age 35, encountered a few bumps. Though all were considered capable, there were, according to sources, a few spasms of immaturity."
"It was enough that Kerr decided to make experience a premium."
==============
Determined to get back to the playoffs, the Warriors opened the wallet and spent big on assistant coaches (via @MontePooleNBCS)
I get it that we’re supposed to be picking at 7, but hard to imagine picking either of these guys there. If forced I would take Garuba. I don’t like the off court questions about Johnson- quitting on teams is not good. At 7 for real Bouknight is really growing on me…
Garuba
Garuba
I'm voting Garuba. Johnson has some tantalizing skills, but it sounds like they add up to something like Scottie Barnes Lite, with character concerns. If I'm drafting someone without demonstrated consistent shooting ability, I'd like the other talents to be NBA-level without any qualifications (he's a great passer BUT commits a ton of turnovers, he can score BUT he can't shoot, etc.). If I'm drafting a great passer and Barnes is gone, give me Giddey or even Cooper at 14 (another trade-down guy I like).
Between the two, of course I'd rather take Garuba at 14, but even at 7 I'll bank on the guy who has demonstrated elite defense at age 18 against professionals, and also shown some passing ability and high BBIQ.
“Scottie Barnes light”
Maybe? Worth noting, tho: going by their college numbers, Johnson was the vastly better rebounder (11.4 to 6.5 per 40), shotblocker (2.3 to 0.7), and scorer (21.0 pts on .575 ts to 16.7 pts on .548 ts).
Johnson’s also a couple inches taller and 4 months younger.
The preference for Barnes seems more about his fantastic attitude and energy than anything else. Which matters a lot, of course. But I do find JJ’s measurables very intriguing.
The real Scottie Barnes would be a very nice get at #7. If we're falling all the way down to Scottie Barnes light at #7, screw it, trade the pick. That's not even worth drafting.
Cast your vote in this thought experiment: (More likely) True or False?
“If Kelly Oubre had simply duplicated Andrew Wiggins this season (games/minutes, stats and style), the Warriors would be in the finals right now.”
Of course that assumes Oubre doesn't get hurt toward the end. Even so, I think we'd fall short of the Finals. But we'd have made a nice run at it.
I think Kelly Oubre is a combo-forward that the Warriors tried very hard to make fit in as the starting 2.
So yeah, if we're also assuming the Warriors are using Oubre the same way they did before, then Oubre playing like Wiggins would've been huge.
That said, even regular Oubre, especially his rebounding, I think would have been really nice at the end of the season with the Warriors going full smallball.
In the shortened "playoff" rotations, could've gone with a starting lineup of Curry-Bazemore-Wiggins-Oubre-Green with Poole, JTA, and Looney off the bench. I think that's a decent 8 man rotation. I dunno if Curry and Green would physically hold out on that shortened, smallball rotation, to get to the Finals tho...
Definitely
Can I get a Wiggs with Oub's rebounding?
Nope
I think true.
I’m saying “true”. Given how that short roster played down the stretch, even real Oubre would have given us 8 men. Another Wiggins all season long would have been really great, especially knowing now about all the injuries to other teams.
Yup, just think about those few games where we lost by a couple of buckets and Oubre was deep in his slump. We could have pretty easily escaped up to the 6th seed.
For me though, the more I watch of this post season, the happier I am that Curry, Green, and the rest are sitting safely at home.
Steph had that break mid season and the Warriors were ready to roll. Series adjustments were a strength of the coaching staff. The Warriors had as good a shot as anyone to win it this year, until they didn’t get in.
The suns would be forced to iso against looney all game while trying to guard curry with Dayton on the floor, that's easy money
But another Wiggins would haven taken more of the offensive load off Curry AND provided better spacing more than Oubre while being available all season.
Said another way, a Wiggins clone would’ve been a better Klay-replacement than what we got from Oubre.
Agree. Another Wiggins-level shot creator would have done wonders for the squad. Remember that Wiggins was one of our most (maybe THE most?) potent iso player. For a team that was constantly wishing for another point-of-attack player, just having Oubre's shot go in as often as Wiggs would have been a major tactical improvement
Honestly, they need someone better than Wiggins. Oubre is not that player. Where would they have found that player? Even another Wiggins would not guarantee a deep playoff run plus, where is the replacement for KD? KD was single handedly responsible for two of the three Finals wins. It has been 7 years since the Splash Bros + Dray won the Finals.
Lol. KD was absolutely NOT "single handedly responsible" for anything. Without Steph, those teams don't even get to the finals.
My point was without KD added to the lineup, it was a different team. Just like the subtraction of Klay is a big factor.
See, my problem is I think this is true too. I am no good at this stuff.
garuba by a narrow margin....love his on ball D. JJ has good D instincts and handle, but doesn't seem as NBA ready at #7
Gotta go with Johnson here. Hope he can get his offensive game to grow, and his low FT% is of concern. I've always been amazed that many players, from high school to college to the pros, can't shoot a higher percentage from the line. It's the same shot, every time, and really important to potential game outcomes. I remember George Johnson on the old Warriors working with Rick Barry and shooting his FTs underhand - he went from the low 60's to a couple of years of >80% at the line. Are there any talented FT coaches out there? Seems to be big need in the hoops world.
This is clearly Jalen Johnson for me. On defense, he already displays an incredibly instinct when it comes to blocks/steals with his size/quickness giving him excellent versatility. On offense, his dribbling/fantastic passing/finishing will be more effective in NBA spacing.
I think Johnson already has a pretty high floor by virtue of his current skillset, but his upside is fantastic. His biggest negative is his shooting, but he was actually relatively effective in catch/shoot though his FT% was pretty low. If he can just improve that, we quite literally could have a 6'9 forward who can dribble like a guard, is an excellent passer, can guard all 5 positions, and can hit shots . . . thats. star
Give me Zaire over johnson but johnson in this case
Poor 3pt shooting, poor FT shooting and “character” issues are too many red flags, especially at 7.
Imagine needing a final stop in a game and being able put out a defensive lineup of of GP2, JTA, Wiggins, Draymond and Garuda….hoo boy!
I’m not crazy about either at #7and don’t think either will advance far in our little tourney, but being a self-professed “character/intangibles/BBIQ guy”, I’d take him at 14. His powerful defense could pair nicely with the offensive finesse of Wiseman and/or Wagner.
Hey Apricot, any chance you can include where the guys show up on sites’ boards, maybe starting with the 2nd round?
I don't FULLY trust JTA defensively yet, give me Klay in that lineup!
Meant to add that I’m really high on JTA’s defense, team and on ball. He combines tenacious effort and technique. Now that he’s starting to establish a defensive reputation, I think/hope he’ll be able to be more aggressive without drawing whistles.
I’m preparing myself for Klay losing a step this season (think prime Kyle Korver) and back to normal the following season.
Klay got too much willpower to not come back as a strong defender
It’s not about willpower, it’s about consecutive career-threatening leg injuries.
I keep hearing people act as if the 2 injuries are worse than the one. I'm not sure if I see it that way. Both are getting a chance to heal, and they are essentially independent of each other. To me, the only compounding factor is time and therefore "rust."
I'm just looking at the 2+ years of not just lack of full-speed NBA basketball, but just any sort of competitive basketball in general... getting back to 100% bball rhythm is going to be tough. Fingers crossed for Klay...
Meant to add, it’s pretty rare to see a guy with huge thighs like Garuda move so well. That quickness along with such a sold base and pitbull effort might be worth taking at 14 unless a Kispert/Wagner-type is still there.
Garuba for me. The way he sticks onto guards and wings at his size is ridiculous, he has high BBIQ on both sides of the court, and I really like his energy. He's also banging bodies with grown men in the Euroleague (and legit 7'-7'4" guys) as a teenager.
Johnson's handles gives him a higher ceiling as he could potentially be a creator. He's 4 months older than Garuba but Garuba seems miles ahead in terms of physicality and athleticism.