FanPost

Warriors Depthchart of Future including Draft, FAs, and Trades

With the draft coming up, I think it would be important to look at who the Warriors have on their team for next year and the future. Since the team is being sold, I think it is safe to say that next year probably will not have any crazy moves made before it. Once again, we as Warriors fans are put in a similar position: stocked with young talent and asked to wait for them to mature into the "team of the future". Let's check out what these players are to try to pinpoint what draft, free agent, and trade moves will be made...

Starting PG: Stephen Curry

This is the position with the least questions. Steph played himself into a second place finish for ROY and a case could be made for him to have won it (ultimately it doesn't matter). He's the player I think most Warriors fans regard as the best player out of the draft last year and the only untouchable piece of the Warriors roster. The biggest question with Curry is who to place in the shooting guard position next to him. With most star guards, you tend to see the guard opposite them being more of a role player (look at Chris Paul, Deron Williams, and Steve Nash, who are all next to a shooter or defender; same for Kobe and Wade). Guards with high usage tend to be flanked by another guard who doesn't need the ball in his hand. The biggest question for Curry's future is who that will be.

Starting SG: Monta Ellis (or trade?)

With the team being sold and Monta locked into three or four years at $11MM per, it doesn't look like he is going anywhere immediately. The only way he moves out of this spot is if he is traded for another starting SG (like OJ Mayo), especially with the Warriors getting the #6 pick instead of the #2 and Evan Turner. The major question for Monta beyond this year is whether he can coexist with Curry, and whether he can guard bigger SG's EVERY night. As far as coexisting goes, he seems to have backed off on his comments from earlier this year about not being able to play with Steph, but his body language still seems to be put off by the emergence of another young star. Monta needs to return to being an efficient player with the ball in his hand less and focus on defense with the saved energy this provides. It's safe to assume that he will get plenty of time to try to mesh with Curry, and the only way someone takes his spot is if he gets traded; he will not lose his starting spot with his high salary.

Starting SF: Corey Maggette

Maggette has gotten a bad rap because he was signed to a knee jerk contract and tends to be a bit of a black hole, but Corey has been incredibly efficient (#24 for the season on Hollinger's PER, disagreeable as the statistic may be). He still has three years left, which means 2 years until he becomes an expiring contract, and at the age of 30 already, it is doubtful he will be with the Warriors after this, as Maggette has proved he will head to where the money is. This seems like the most likely position for the Warriors to draft a player, like Al-Farouq Aminu, to take over in a year or two.

Starting PF: Anthony Randolph

This could easily be Brandan Wright if he ever gets healthy as well. Will either of these two players ever meet their supposed "potential"? Both are young, and both used up a significant asset to attain (Wright costing the team Jason Richardson and Randolph costing a lottery pick). I don't see the Warriors drafting ANOTHER power forward project, especially with Derrick Favors surely being off the board already. One more year of promise at the PF needs to be converted into a player making the jump into a starting role; time is running out here. It's hard to envision Ed Davis getting picked, as he seems to be a Wright clone even down to the college.

Starting C: Andris Biedrins

After being locked up to what seemed like a fair deal at the same time as Monta Ellis, Andris Biedrins had a down year last year, being injured most of the year. This is probably the second most likely position to get a look for the first draft pick, but I'm not sure anything available is a necessary upgrade. Cole Aldrich is a 12/10 guy, and almost a Biedrins clone. Greg Monroe has questions about athletic ability. Cousins and Favors will surely be gone. Anyone else (Udoh, Whiteside, Orton) would be a serious stretch. Once again, the Warriors have managed to receive the sixth pick in a five player draft.

Reserves: Anthony Morrow, Kelenna Azubuike, Reggie Williams, Brandan Wright, Ronny Turiaf, Vladimir Radmanovic('s expiring contract)

Most notably missing is CJ Watson, who turned down a three-year contract last year to take a qualifying offer and make unrestricted free agency this year. With no back-up point guard, the Warriors should make a run at him, but I'm not sure he wants to play for the Warriors anymore. While he is a great spark plug, this might be a good spot to pick up a veteran free agent to back up Curry. Anthony Morrow, Kelenna Azubuike, and Reggie Williams will battle for back-up minutes at the SG and SF. I think Morrow and Azubuike are close to having maxed out on their talent, Morrow being a very good shooter off the bench, and Azubuike is an efficient scorer and effort guy who like Morrow just doesn't get enough boards or assists to every be more than a seventh man or so. It will be interesting to see how Reggie Williams plays in a full season on a real roster and what he does with that opportunity. I think there are a few different players in the late lottery who could have more upside than all three of these guys at the small forward position, though (Aminu, George, Babbitt, Hayward). Brandan Wright was discussed earlier, and will again fight with Randolph to be the "power forward of the future". Ronny Turiaf is a great backup center and energy guy, who still doesn't rebound at a high enough rate; hopefully he is healthy enough to give his 15-18 minutes per game. I can't see Radmanovic giving help beyond when there is foul trouble, but you never know with Nellie. His contract will expire this year and I doubt he comes back, even if he isn't traded at the deadline.

This leaves the Warriors with 11 players signed to contracts. I see CJ Watson leaving the dysfunctional organization, so this is the most likely free agent pick-up (or two), along with two new rookies being drafted. (Since writing this, I have noted in other places that Watson is a restricted free agent, can anyone confirm or deny? Also, do the Warriors still have a second round draft pick?) Almost all of the cap money is tied up, and it's unlikely that a mid-level exception will be used to go over the salary cap, so there won't be many additions to the team for more than minimum money. Hence, meet your 2010/11 Warriors! The natural draft pick here seems to be Aminu; if not, look for the Warriors to either trade or reach wildly. Please feel free to debate and let me know what you think, and correct me if I'm wrong anywhere.

This FanPost is a submission from a member of the mighty Golden State of Mind community. While we're all here to throw up that W, these words do not necessarily reflect the views of the GSoM Crew. Still, chances are the preceding post is Unstoppable Baby!