We're Mocking You: NBA Mock Drafts 2007- 1st Edition

by Atma Brother ONE on May 24, 2007 12:23 AM PDT in NBA Draft Comment 39 comments

"We're Mocking You"? Our lame attempt at clowning the already clownable tank-job Danny Ainge and his 22 and under Boston Celtics?

[via Ballhype]

Check out:

Nope, even better. It's our new segment at GSoM that gives you an insane amount of gossipy NBA Mock Drafts all in one easy to swallow pill.

As a Warriors' blog with over 2 years in the bag, it's no surprise that the NBA Draft is one of GSoM's specialties. Heck, the Warriors OWN the draft. Well, not in the sense that they draft well (that's FAR from the truth), but in the sense that the NBA Draft Lottery and the NBA Draft are usually the equivalent of the playoffs for the Warriors and at GSoM we know playoffs (both types).

Even though the Warriors are coming off their first non-lottery finish in over a decade, there's no question that June 28th is still going to be a big day for the Warriors and the GSoM community. Will Nellie work some lottery magic a la Latrell Sprewell at #24 in 1992 and Josh Howard #29 in 2003? Will the Warriors make a blockbuster draft day deal?

For the GSoMers who haven't been part of the community since last June two things to keep your eyes open for:

The 3rd annual GSoM live blogging of the NBA Draft: If you've never participated in this fun summer day at GSoM, they you've never really experienced an NBA Draft. If you've been a part of the festivities in the past here at GSoM, it's going to be even bigger and badder this year.
The 3rd annual GSoM "Who do you want the Warriors to draft?" poll: Be on the lookout for our community poll where you can decide who the Warriors take with their 1st round selection. I'm not even kidding. For the past two NBA drafts whoever the GSoM community has chosen in this poll, the Warriors have ended up taking. Coincidence? Hmmmm...

For the record, neither of the winners of the GSoM poll have been the players I personally wanted the Warriors to select. In the 2005 NBA Draft I wanted the Warriors to select Hakim Warrick and in 2006 I was all about Rodney Carney. Instead, the Warriors and GSoM community members opted for Ike Diogu and Patrick O'Bryant respectively

Unless the Warriors move up to ignite The Movement (more on that soon) or trade away their pick in a blockbuster deal, it looks like they'll will be picking at the18th spot in the 1st round and #36 overall in the 2nd round.

Let's get this fresh new "We're Mocking You" segment kicked off with a survey of some of the full 2007 NBA Mock Drafts out there right now and who they have the Warriors selecting.

ESPN (Chad Ford): #18 Jason Smith
Smith is the perfect type of player for Nellie. He is tall and athletic, gets up and down the floor and can score from just about anywhere on the floor. He also plays with great energy. Smith could be a real sleeper in the draft.
SI.com (Chris Ekstrand): #18 Rodney Stuckey
One of the better-kept secrets in college basketball the last two years, the explosive Stuckey can play both guard spots and has an NBA-ready body. He averaged better than 24 points per game both seasons and he has the reputation of being able to finish plays at the rim. It's difficult to imagine the Warriors drafting anyone without superb athletic ability.
NBADraft.net: #18 Rudy Fernández, #36 Bobby Brown (by the way, anyone know what his prerogative is?)
HoopsHype (powered by DraftExpress): #18 Josh McRoberts (um, I don't think so)
Smart and versatile power forward could have been drafted very high two years ago already. Fairly athletic. Runs the floor well, finishes strong and shows nice potential offensively both facing and with his back to the basket. Possesses soft touch, a good frame and sure hands. Fully ambidextrous and shows it off with his excellent ballhandling and passing skills. Not quite as ambitious offensively as you might hope. His production has been fairly disappointing at times. Doesn't really want to be a go-to guy at the NCAA level and projects as more of a complementary guy as a pro. Many question his heart and mental toughness.
Aw yes another "smart and versatile" Duke player going to the Warriors. Hopefully the Warriors learned their lesson.
DraftExpress: #18 Rudy Fernández
CollegeHoops.net: #18 Thaddeus Young
HoopsAddict: #18 Josh McRoberts (um, I really don't think so)
For all of the Warrior’s second season success the team was exposed as undersized on the block. Nellie and Warrior big shot Chris Mullin go with size with McRoberts who is climbing the Draft board for being versatile enough to offensively step outside and run in transition while earning seasoned impetus via the ACC to deal successfully with in the paint beat downs.
Winning the Turnover Battle: #18 Thaddeus Young
Golden State Warriors
Team Needs: Small Forward
Possibilities: Thaddeus Young, Arron Afflalo, Rudy Fernandez, Alando Tucker
Analysis: Matt Barnes is going to leave this summer, and Monta Ellis may not be far behind next offseason. The Warriors, as odd as it may sound, will need to address the need here and get a swingman to step in for Barnes. Thaddeus Young is a huge value at this spot.
The Pick: Thaddeus Young

The mock draft links in this feature are going to grow exponentially as we approach the June 28th date. Stay tuned for a whole lot more mock drafts that probably won't come true! (But honestly, how can you not love these silly mock drafts especially now that the NBA season is over?)

Assuming the Warriors keep their picks, who should they select at the #18 and #36 spots?

Help make this We're Mocking You: NBA Mock Drafts 2007 edition even stronger by posting links to excellent mock drafts around the web in the comments.

0 recs | Comment 39 comments

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i believe....

Yi!

by djchuckdeez on May 24, 2007 2:00 AM PDT reply actions 0 recs

YI!

but in reality
#18- Tiago Splitter
#36- Reyshawn Terry

by llamalimbo1 on May 24, 2007 2:26 AM PDT reply actions 0 recs

A nerdy point about lottery night

In that clip you show, there is actually no drama at picks #5 or #4. Both Heinsohn (Boston) and West (Memphis) knew they had been totally screwed the moment the Bucks logo showed up #6. The only way Milwaukee could be #6 is if Boston were #5 and Memphis #4.

And, OK, while I'm in here ... I know the schadenfreude is fun and all, but can you back off the Boston hate just a bit? I grew up a Celtics fan and have friends who are Celtics fans; and I assure you their suffering is pretty deep right now. The Celtics have never done anything in their history to harm Golden State (well, unless you count the Joe Barry Carroll for McHale and Parish deal, but most of you guys weren't even alive for that). If anything the Warriors are kind of like Celtics West, with old Celtic Nellie at the helm (who I remember rooting for as a player when I was really little kid) and our open, freewheeling style of play.

Also, Boston/Cambridge have always been like a Sister Cities to SF/Oakland/Berkeley, with their generally smart, sophisticated populations and their common resentment of their bigger, richer, more obnoxious coastal neighbors (NY and LA, respectively). For what it's worth, all the Celtics fans I know were rooting incredibly hard for the Warriors in this year's playoffs.

Yeah, I understand the resentment over the East Coast bias in the National media. It's annoying, but easily explained:

ESPN is based on the East Coast (Bristol, CT).
Most West Coast games happen while people on the East Coast are sleeping.
On the whole, East Coast sports fans tend to be more passionate. This is not a compliment. It may be partly because their teams have been around longer, but I think it's mostly because people on the West Coast tend to have a more balanced, easy-going approach to life. While people on the East coast spend their cold winters inside poring over basketball boxscores and obsessively watching games, we Bay Areans are generally out hiking, sailing, eating out, playing frisbee, etc.

I imagine most of us on this board are exceptions to #3, but I'm speaking generally. Anyway, give Boston a break. It's not nice to kick someone when they're down, unless they're a proven SOB who truly deserves it, like George Bush or Isiah Thomas.

by Sleepy Freud on May 24, 2007 2:36 AM PDT reply actions 0 recs

easily explained, but not excusable

I grew up in Oakland, went to college in Portland and lived for ten years in New York city. A huge chunk of my friends in NYC were from Boston. The Boston fans are definitely passionate about their teams. The New York fans are only passionate when their teams are winning and then in a sort of righteous, this-is-the-way it should be way. There is no way they are as passionate about their teams not as knowledgeable about sports as the fans in Portland and the Bay Area. I was in Portland when Clyde was there and the fans were insanely into it. You would be in a traffic jam and just stick your head out the window and yell "Go Blazers" and cars would start honking up and down the highway in a massive cacophony. And these people weren't just bandwagon fans. They could talk history, they could talk pac-10. They know their sports. Obviously, we've seen the same in Oakland this year.

That east coast sports bias is exactly what it is, willful ignorance based on arrogance. It's the same thinking that will have New Yorkers argue that they have the best donuts and hamburgers (they have no clue; they actually think Dunkin Donuts are good) and coffee. Their coffee sucked even when they finally got starbucks. The New York Times doesn't even bother to print the west coast scores even though it is now possible with today's technology.

These are the same people who don't consider Too Short a "real rapper". I say we just cut the east coast out of the playoffs altogether for a couple years until they get their sh** together. They need to learn humility to become hungry again.

by walkerp on May 24, 2007 5:01 AM PDT up reply actions 0 recs

In other words

You're from Oakland, I'm from Boston. I think that pretty much sums up our two posts ;-)

Agreed about cutting the East Coast out of the playoffs, though. If this were British Premier league, Boston, NY, and Philly would all be "relegated" to the NBADL. I love that system.

by Sleepy Freud on May 24, 2007 6:18 AM PDT up reply actions 0 recs

Good arguments from both coasts, but

Conventional Wisdom holds that sports fans are more hardcore in the East. I argue that is not the case, but the local team is much more part of daily life there than here. But, let's face it. Watching a Packers game in January is more of a commitment than showing up at a Raiders game. However, fans here need to be more obvious to create a hostile environment. So, we have a vocal few that supports the East Coast bias the media perpetuates. More desirable demographics out East for your average fan means more media attention. I've gotten used to our "moneyball" small market predicament.

by eshock on May 24, 2007 8:44 AM PDT up reply actions 0 recs

dunkin' donuts

is really pretty good!

by dj fuzzylogic on May 24, 2007 7:34 AM PDT up reply actions 0 recs

yea but

in n out is way better

by llamalimbo1 on May 24, 2007 9:13 AM PDT up reply actions 0 recs

obviously !

by dj fuzzylogic on May 24, 2007 9:45 AM PDT up reply actions 0 recs

Neither hold a candle

to Dream Fluff. Or that place on Durant, across the street from Top Dog. They make some donuts in the East Bay. Man, I could go for a glazed old-fashioned right about now.

by walkerp on May 24, 2007 12:30 PM PDT up reply actions 0 recs

Boston Bias

When the Celts were kicking everyone's but in the 50's, 60's, and 80's they didn't feel sorry for the teams they were beating. When the Warriors sucked big time the past 20 years, no one felt bad for them or gave them as much attention as the Celtics get (and Celtics' fans have nothing on Warriors' fans). It's sports, it's win or go home. There's no reason to feel sorry for them.

No one jumps to the defense of the Hawks or Blazers when people say they're terrible- why do people care so much about the Celts? It's the nasty East Coast bias that's deeply ingrained in people's minds (not just sports).

The Celts made the playoffs FOUR TIMES (including a Conference Finals trip) this decade! Why do they have this silly "woe is me" attitude? Their sense of entitlement is pretty ridiculous.

A few thoughts:

The Bay Area and LA are larger markets than Boston. They should get more attention.
Who cares if most West Coast games happen when East Coast people are sleeping? We're at work or school when their games start. They can stay up or catch the highlights the next day.
I want to point out that a famous East Coast sports fan Bill Simmons was in awe of Warrior fans this entire playoff run.

by Atma Brother ONE on May 24, 2007 8:14 AM PDT up reply actions 0 recs

Agreed about the "woe is me" thing

It was especially annoying in the case of Red Sox fans (of which I'm one), who got it in their their heads that their suffering was so much more exquisite than that of the Giants, Cubs, White Sox, etc. Thank God '04 put an end to that nonsense and installed us in our rightful place as the Yankees' obnoxious younger brother, whining about our payroll disadvantage while throwing $51M posting fees at the latest shiny Japanese toy.

That said, I'm not asking you to feel extra-specially bad for Celtic fans, just to accept that they suffer like any others, and not to rub it in their faces with such glee. As long as we're talking about "Boston Bias," it should be mentioned that their current "curse" began when their prize 1986 #1 draft pick, who balled like a 6'9" version of Michael Jordan, dropped dead the night he was drafted. That's a pretty bitter pill to swallow for a fan, and worthy of a little sympathy, 16 championships notwithstanding.

Yeah, the media definitely needs to get over their East Coast bias, but you're not obligated to make up for it by filling your site with anti-East Coast bias. Two wrongs don't make a right, right? ;-)

On Simmons: whatever you might say about his annoying Boston fanboyness, and his lame attempts at humor, you gotta admit he's probably the most consistently knowledgeable and unbiased mainstream NBA analyst out there, His constant props to the Dubs and their fans (i.e. us) were just one of many examples of this.

by Sleepy Freud on May 24, 2007 9:32 AM PDT up reply actions 0 recs

long live anti-east coas bias!

jk...

but seriously, just because Boston (the second worst team in the NBA, it seems like the media "forgets" that Memphis was the "real" loser actually) missed out on its opportunity means the NBA needs to reconsider its lottery system? The funny thing is that "east coast bias" uses the argument of "parity" to make a case for the unfair lottery system, when teams like Milwuakee and Memphis both dropped and equally lost their chance at potential greatness. I would care so much if the bias didn't use the veil of "fairness" when in all actuality, they really not about fairness in their deliberate exclusion of the other teams that missed out to favor or advantage others (in this case Boston). Instead, teams like NY and Boston are given breaks for their recent horrible management decisions. Its as if people forgot that the reason they're in this position now is because of the problems that Thomas AND Ainge helped create AND sustain for the last half decade! Why all of a sudden do we need to resuscitate these teams that aren't just 'damned' to begin with, but 'damned' because of their mchale lik management (nobody can be THAT bad, but they're close...)? If the dominant ideology of the NBA is to "pull yourselves up by the bootstraps" (i.e. with good management,coaching helping Toronto or Utah or heck even the Warriors), why do these crappy teams who have damned themselves deserve any privileges? the east coast bias is no big deal to me and if they just admitted it that'd be fine, but its lame to use the excuse that this is for "fairness" when the WORST team in NBA is completely removed from the discussion of being jacked.

by dj fuzzylogic on May 24, 2007 9:58 AM PDT up reply actions 0 recs

Two 2nd Round Picks

Don't we also have New Jersey's 46th overall pick? I remember something about that Cliff Robinson trade a couple of years back.

by Phil T28 on May 24, 2007 7:48 AM PDT reply actions 0 recs

i think we do....

http://www.draftexpress.com/mymock.php?page=official&year=2007

gdubb

by gogomaplata on May 24, 2007 5:11 PM PDT up reply actions 0 recs

I thought so too

NBADraft.net didn't have the Warriors picking #46 in addition to the other two picks. Hopefully, it'll be clear soon.

by Atma Brother ONE on May 24, 2007 5:52 PM PDT up reply actions 0 recs

After reading those draft previews

And watching some Youtube clips, I'm convinced Thaddeus Young is our guy, unless we trade the pick. He's got by far the biggest upside, and he looks like he's already a better rebounder and shotblocker than Al Harrington. I could totally see him as a legit "Nellieball PF" in a couple of years.

If we can't get Garnett...

Trade Harrington for either Artest or Gerald Wallace (sign/trade)
Draft Thad Young

We'd still be small, but we'd be significantly tougher defensively and on the boards than last year. Factor in the evolution of AB and Monta and we're in pretty good shape.

by Sleepy Freud on May 24, 2007 8:05 AM PDT reply actions 0 recs

Rudy Fernandez

looks like a steal at 18. We need as many shooters as possible (esp. at the charity stripe). young has the upside, but has quite a bit of flaws and inconsistency. we have enough projects. i'd like a guy at 18 who can step up off the bench and drain 'em especially if we lose barnes and pietrus.

by eshock on May 24, 2007 12:52 PM PDT up reply actions 0 recs

I'd definitely

trade Harrington for Gerald Wallace, but he's gonna get his paycheck this summer...

On McRoberts, "He runs the floor well for a 6-11" guy and can finish on the break. He is a great passer for a big man (kickouts) and can even play the point-forward."

Where have we heard that before... sounds a little familiar. I wouldn't care if don't draft another Duke player again. Most of them aren't NBA material anyways, with only a handful of good players(Hill, Brand, Boozer, Deng, and maybe Battier if you want to push it) coming out.

by MVP on May 24, 2007 5:06 PM PDT up reply actions 0 recs

umm, you defeated yourself

only a handful of good players(Hill, Brand, Boozer, Deng, and maybe Battier if you want to push it) coming out

what college wouldn't love to say that four or five all-star alumni currently populate the NBA? and three of those guys (Brand, Boozer & Deng) are dominant...

by OaktownWarrior on May 24, 2007 7:28 PM PDT up reply actions 0 recs

ah mike d, don't be so hard on him!

he did say "handful" - only 5 guys we'd love to have!!!!

by hardcore on May 24, 2007 9:26 PM PDT up reply actions 0 recs

Draft Day for GSoM

Has the GSoM community members ever tried to get together at a sports bar for the June draft? I think that would be fun. McCovey's in Walnut Creek is nice but I'm sure there are many other places.

Originally I was excited about Portland and Seattle getting 1/2 for some reasons I already posted; but now I'm having second thoughts because of the lack of parity between the East and West. The NFL has become so much better because of parity. The East is becoming competively irrelvent. That is not to say the East can't win the NBA championship because getting to and through the Western finals might be just too much for a team to handle and still have anything left for the final playoffs.

Maybe the lottery format has to be changed, just as the playoff order within conferences need to be changed. But that is a differnt topic.

Back to the draft: After the first and second picks, there are no "sure things" so I think we should be looking at trades to get us what we need for next year and beyond. Don't try to trade up.

by commish on May 24, 2007 10:14 AM PDT reply actions 0 recs

Draft day hang out

Has the GSoM community members ever tried to get together at a sports bar for the June draft? I think that would be fun. McCovey's in Walnut Creek is nice but I'm sure there are many other places.

That's not a bad idea at all. We usually just live blog the festivities. 4:30pm is a pretty early start time though.

I gotta say though, the cool thing about GSoM is that the community is filled with people you actually want to meet in person. GSoM Night this past March was amazing. 350 deep!

by Atma Brother ONE on May 24, 2007 3:35 PM PDT up reply actions 0 recs

Wingstop

off AutoMall. yum =D

Roses are red, Utah wears blue. Make me a sammich alba. Go warriors

by WhoreRIORS on May 24, 2007 5:13 PM PDT up reply actions 0 recs

McRoberts

don't discount this guy becuase of Dunleavy. They're different players and people. Would you not want Elton Brand or Shelden Williams because they were forwards from Duke? Of course not. And I'm not saying McRoberts is as talented as those guys, but he's a lot better than Dunleavy.

You have to judge a guy like this on his own merits. He runs the floor well for a 6-11" guy and can finish on the break. He is a great passer for a big man (kickouts) and can even play the point-forward. He's a stud rebounder and he plays tough defense as well. He's a true 4 that the W's desparately need. His low-post offensive game does need more polish, but on the W's he won't be expected to light up the scoreboard every night. He has more offensive game than Biedrins. he's a decent FT shooter and a team player.

I'm not really sure why his stock has dropped from last year (it could do with a deeper draft class, especially of big men), but he was a better player this year than last.

In short, he might be there at 18 and the W's would be lucky to get this guy there.

Left hand, right hand, it doesn't matter. I'm amphibious.

by Kobe on May 24, 2007 11:55 AM PDT reply actions 0 recs

This makes me question his mental toughness

by ThisIZtheSeason on May 24, 2007 3:25 PM PDT up reply actions 0 recs

you ought to be working in

a presidential campaign - that was some serious edit'n! hahaha!

by hardcore on May 24, 2007 9:30 PM PDT up reply actions 0 recs

bill russell is from oakland

no doubt the boston-bay connection is alive and strong. i went to school in the boston area and know how they love their teams. a lot of whiskey was downed in those hours post-draft.

i've got no hate for boston. but karma is a biotch, no?

by OaktownWarrior on May 24, 2007 11:56 AM PDT reply actions 0 recs

For some reason...

I want Nick Young. Dont know mcuh about him but i want him in the draft.

by duggie25 on May 24, 2007 2:12 PM PDT reply actions 0 recs

Bobby Brown fro CSU Fullerton

I'm a first year at UC Irvine so I've watched him light us up before. His three pointer is pure and he's willing to take the big shots. UCI ade a comeback and was up by 4 with about 30 seconds left and he hit three big three points after they fouled us and they beat us. He seems legit from what I've seen from him.

You'll be back.

by WHYarenasWHY on May 24, 2007 2:21 PM PDT reply actions 0 recs

the draft

I bet you havent really seen mcroberts play much this year have you?the problem with him is that he's no different than as a freshman, the same problem Rush is currently suffering from. basically, last year between redick and shelden williams there wasnt much room for the role players, but mcroberts still made some nice plays which got people excited. They expected him to lead Duke this year and step up...

but he didnt. he put up similar numbers to last year and would rather dish put than take a WIDE OPEN bucket. he lacks any kind of a killer instinct, and i actually dont think he could consistently run the break very well. Duke was primarily a defensive, half court oriented team which meant there werent a ton of fast breaks, and i dont the McRoberts has the stamina or speed to run for 48 minutes.

As for Nick Young, hes a beast, and i think he deserved Pac-10 POY, since i think afflalo is WAY overrated, but young is just another fast gaurd who doesnt really help our team. The same goes for fernandez and law and stuckey.

there are 3 players i would be happy with. 2 of them are no surprise: Tiago Splitter and Thad Young (ive liked him a long time. The other guy is someone noone has mentioned yet: Jarvaris Crittenton. i would be really happy if we drfated him. I know that sounds stupid but there is a rhyme and reason. most of us forget, since baron dominated in the playoffs, that bron is injury prone and monta is eally a 2 gaurd forced to play point beacuse of his size. The reason he is forced to play point is because he cant mcuh up on more sizable 2 gaurds on D. Crittenton though, is 6'5" which means HE could man up on the 2 gaurd and monta can play D on the point, but on offense they switch roles. it would definitely benefit monta to draft crittenton.

by mydedgerbil555 on May 24, 2007 3:36 PM PDT reply actions 0 recs

I Totally agree with you

when I read up on crittenton I was sold given baron's health I think he would be the wise choice,I would hope he was available But I wouldn't mind thaddeus

by realtalk on May 24, 2007 6:49 PM PDT up reply actions 0 recs

Jason Smith

I like Jason Smith from Colorado State. Athletic 7 footer who has refined perimeter game. Imagine pairing up two different 7 footers like Smith and Beans.

Playoffs!!??

by PAWarrior on May 24, 2007 3:54 PM PDT reply actions 0 recs

i think...

afflalo would be a person we should definitely think about.

his defense is WAY underrated, and he will bring a calm sense of leadership to the dubs. He can hit a spot of trey and shoots well from the line as well.

Passionate player, and great leader.

by Blitz6k on May 24, 2007 4:43 PM PDT reply actions 0 recs

Agree

I second this. He can do a good pietrus replacement job. He's also a smarter basketball player and is from compton like Baron Davis.

You'll be back.

by WHYarenasWHY on May 25, 2007 4:46 PM PDT up reply actions 0 recs

thaddeus young

if he's available he is a still at 18... He played in the big man heavy ACC. As a freshman he played well and I think he'd be a great fit into our young core .... AB, Monte and Thaddeus!!! Plus he was highly touted as a HS senior before the placed the Age Limit!!!

gdubb

by gogomaplata on May 24, 2007 5:06 PM PDT reply actions 0 recs

Nick Young

Although I'm a Bruin fan, the Dubs should try their best to get Young. He can bulk up a little, but his length and NBA ready moves compensate for his wiry frame. He's a great athlete who was completely underrated in college. Only problem with picking Young means that Barnes' rebounds will drop off the map and the Warriors will be suspect against a relatively quick team with bigger guys (Suns, Jazz). However, Young will help speed up the tempo and is a dead-eye from anywhere on the court.

Thad Young didn't play too well against UCLA's defense, and I wasn't overly impressed with his game. I think he's not quick enough to play Nellyball.

by Allofmybros on May 24, 2007 6:03 PM PDT reply actions 0 recs

trade

al harrington and our 1st or 2nd round pick to the team who drafted Yi Jianlian. An automatic fan favorite especially in SF!

by ballin on May 24, 2007 8:26 PM PDT reply actions 0 recs

Rudy Fernandez

would definitely be a steal at 18. He is probably the best international out there besides Yi and I would say more ready for the NBA than Yi at this point. At the moment, he is by far the best player in the Spanish ACB league and arguably the best player in Europe today. I wouldn't have said that a couple of years ago when he first came onto the draft horizon, but he has matured a lot and shows a lot more mental and physical toughness now. What's more he is showing now a kind of mental awareness of the game that Monta still lacks, i.e driving to the hoop and drawing contact to get to the line instead of getting his shot swatted away. He's not the fastest player out there but he has a good first step, some crafty moves, can drive equally to the right or the left, and has a shooting range that goes far beyond anyone the Warriors have at the moment. If the Warriors need to trade or let go of one of the following: Monta, Barnes or Pietrus, then Fernandez would be a great replacement. He would fit Nelson's style of play and also has great handles and could be relied upon to relieve Baron in a pinch. I would be so disappointed if the Warriors drafted someone like Splitter ahead of Rudy. Having said all of that, I haven't been able to see any NCAA games in a while so maybe there is someone that would mesh even better. However, I don't think that it is to far-fetched to see the Warriors packaging Monta and Al plus Sarunas and a future first rounder for a big atheltic PF. Throw in Adonal and maybe they could get back KG. Oh well, I suppose one could dream.

by miguelito on May 25, 2007 1:40 AM PDT reply actions 0 recs