Apologies for yet another draft diary, but I'm going to try to come at this from a bit of a different angle.  I want to look at who in the draft is "compatible" with the Warriors.  Before you assume that this is another way of saying drafting for need, its not.  I'm a firm believer in drafting the Best Player Available, but I think with the 14th pick you also have to look at the Best Player Available that works for the W's. 

By compatibility, I mean someone who can work well with the players we currently have and/or are planning to build around, rather than drafting someone who duplicates an existing skillset or player that we already have.  (Obviously, I am not suggesting that we do something stupid like draft Bowie instead of Jordan because we have Drexler, but since we don't have the 1st or 2nd pick, that exception doesn't exist for us -- otherwise, I'd grab Rose in a heartbeat)

The most recent example I can use to illustrate this is the drafting of Brandan Wright.  While I love Wright's play and potential, its been mentioned here and also by Tim Kawakami, is that Wright and Biedrins both play the same role in that system, someone who can clean up on the glass, get garbage baskets, and move without the ball.  Neither player has much of a face-up game or is expected to develop one.  Neither Wright or Biedrins can initiate the offense.  Both are long and skinny guys who will get pushed around in the post by the beefier frontcourt players (Short of injecting HGH, neither player can be expected to bulk up into Charles Barkley over a season). 

In addition to that, Wright is one of the few movable chips we have if we want to trade for someone, move up in the draft, etc.  I'm not saying that Wright is incompatible, but that if we're holding onto Biedrins, then that makes Wright more superfluous. 

So far I've been talking about big men in this post, but if we're talking compatibility, we really should consider both of the consensus core players for the W's for the foreseeable future:  Monte Ellis and Andris Biedrins.  Baron Davis and Stephen Jackson are too old to be considered building blocks, and I'm not including Wright for reasons stated above.  And even though Baron is currently our best player, I think that Mullin and Nelson need to be shrewd and assume that Davis has at best 2 more peak years in him, given his injury history and general aging trends for PGs.  I don't think anyone else currently on the W's constitues a core player.  Some people may want to include Belinelli in that group, but he's got a ways to go to prove himself this season to make it up there, IMO.  His defense is way too shaky and his offense too inconsistent to merit a lot of minutes in any role other than designated 3 point gunner at this point.

If we're looking in the draft for someone to complement Monte Ellis, we need a bigger guard who can play either 1/2, which will allow Ellis to shift around depending on matchups.  This guard will definitely need to be a good defender to make up for Ellis' deficiencies, as well as have some ability to initiate the offense in a halfcourt situation since Ellis can do so, but is much much better at doing so in a uptempo or broken field situation where he can drive and dish.  Also, any guard playing alongside Ellis needs to have good 3 point range -- Ellis may or may not develop this shot, but it will still take some time for it to become reliable for him.

Who in the draft fits this criteria?

First two in my mind are Rose and Mayo, but I'm going to eliminate them as being out of the Warriors potential draft range (unless the W's blow up the team to get either one).  So next on the list (within range of our pick):

- Eric Gordon - He's a lights out bomber who can score from anywhere on the court.  At 6-4, 215, he plays a physical style of defense that can match up to bigger guards.  The one thing on my list that he isn't is a true point, and can't really initate an offense, but with him and Ellis in the backcourt together makes me swoon over the scoring punch.
- Russell Westbrook -- He definitely brings the defense to the table and can more handle taking on the guards that Ellis can't.  He has also shown flashes of good offensive play in his time at UCLA, but with him its more of a crapshoot as to how good he is offensively, His 3 point shot is a bit inconsistent.
- Mario Chalmers - Can shoot the 3, and is a physical defender, but at a listed 6-2, may not be able to D-up the big guards in the league.  He is a decent, not excellent ballhandler, and is not considered a true point guard, but more of a 2 playing 1 due to his height.
- Chris Douglas-Roberts - Oozes with savvy/basketball IQ/whatever the scouts call it, and is a good defender in the Tayshaun Prince mold at a skinny 6-6, 195.  Is probably itching to redeem himself after choking away the NCAA title, and has a funky intermediate game that will appeal to Nelson's quirky side as well as a good 3 point shot.  Shot over 50% for his collegiate career.

My Sleeper - Lester Hudson - Undersized and overaged, yes.  But he reminds me of DaJuan Wagner, in that he's explosive, quick, and a solidly-built offensive guard who can play a little point.  Has a good 3 point shot (was bombs away from downtown, although in an inferior league)

Brandon Rush?  doesn't handle well enough.  Chase Budinger?  not a good enough defender at the 2.

As for compatibilty with Biedrins, I've noted some of the things needed above.  A big guy who can shoot an outside jumper, at least top of the key range. (I keep thinking of one of the Warriors favorite plays - where Biedrins sets a high pick for Baron/SJax then rolls to the basket, would have yet another option to it if the big man in the play can hit that jumper).  A bulkier player to guard/post up against the widebodies.  Biedrins is listed as 245, but doesn't seem to play up to that weight.

Compatible players in the 2008 draft:
Again, eliminating Beasley from the equation, too high for us to jump to.

- Kevin Love -- wasn't sold on him based on watching him in Pac-10 play, as much as some of the fanboys on this blog really pushed for him.  But recent reports of him slimming down, as well as his solid combine showing make me think that he would do better on the Warriors than I originally thought.  He's got a shot out to the college 3 point line at least, and definitely has the bulk.  I thought that he might not have quick enough feet/lateral quickness, but his Lane Agility times at the NBA Combine were at the top for his position/size.  Currently slotted to go above our slot, but Warriors *might* be able to trade up for him.
- Danilo Gallinari -- I'm a little mixed at putting him here because I think he fits the model point forward concept that Nelson loves, but he's pretty light and isn't much of a banger inside.  He definitely can shoot the ball, as well as having excellent passing skills for his size.
- Marreese Speights - much of the positives about him come from DraftExpress' comments here (http://www.draftexpress.com/article/Cross-Country-Workout-Swing-Part-Two,-Abunassar-Impact-Basketball-2885/) but it also reinforces the main negative commonly heard about him:  his motor.  If Nelson in part never played O'Bryant because of his lack of motor, would he do the same with Speights?  Aside from that, he has both the bulk and the shooting touch.  He also played very uptempo in the Florida offense, so there's no question as to whether he can do the same with the W's.
- Javale McGee - doesn't yet have the bulk, but has a good disposition (gets nasty on the low blocks), he also has good perimeter ability.  He hasn't wowed any one with his workouts, which means that teams are putting up smokescreens in hopes of him falling to them or he really actually sucks.

My Sleeper - J.J. Hickson.  Paul Millsap.  That is all.

Anthony Randolph?  Brandon Wright 2.0 DeAndre Jordan?  too slow and motor questions.