Now, I know you're thinking I'm crazy. How can the Warriors be competitive in this stacked West? Well...

This year we've dealt with a lot as a franchise. Our "captain" wanting out, leaving the team without a leader. Chemistry questions in the backcourt. Injuries to every single player on our roster. A rookie PG, even though he's playing better than a lot of us expected in this stage in his career. An owner who has no intention of winning games, just making sure he doesn't have to pay people. Next year will be different. Here's why.

The last good year we had was 2007-08. We finished 48-34 and still missed the playoffs. A lot of people still can't believe the Warriors played that well that year. We had just traded away J-Rich for cost reasons, and the fan base was angered. Coming off the first playoff birth in what seemed like forever, the Warriors built off that momentum. We took the loss of our star SG, and with that emerged another young star, Monta Ellis. If we look at that roster from that year, and assume that's what we need to succeed in Nellieball, our roster next year has a good chance. We're missing one part, and we'll get to that later.

07/08 Warriors                                                                                  10/11 Warriors

PG: Davis                                                                                            PG: Curry

SG: Ellis                                                                                              SG: Ellis

SF: Jackson                                                                                       SF: ??

PF: Harrington                                                                                   PF: Randolph

C: Biedrins                                                                                         C: Biedrins

Bench: 'Buike, Watson, Pietrus, Wright, Barnes...                      Bench: Maggette, Williams, Turiaf, 'Buike, Wright, Draft Pick...

If we compare position by position, theres no reason to think that next years team is going to be just as good, if not better than the 07/08 team. Curry is going to be a better PG than Davis was that year. Ellis is better than he was back then as well (Debatable due to efficiency though). Randolph can easily match Harrington's production that year, (13 PPG, 6 RPG?) if not out produce him. Biedrins will return to Biedrins form (nightly 10/10), just wait and see.  The question mark, is the SF position. Jackson, as much as I hate him, was vital to Nellieball. He was almost the perfect point forward. His TOs were high, but he could pass well, shoot well, and was the leader of the team. To find someone to do that is going to be hard. A lot of people want Evan Turner, myself included, to step up and be that man. While I believe he can be that man, its going to be hard as a rookie to adjust to that role quickly. We maybe better off pursuing someone in free agency to do that while he develops. If the ownership changes, maybe we'll see the FO bring in someone relevant. I think it will happen though.

Bringing back We Believe. It never left though, and never will.

LGW.