Warriors Get Their Man: Klay Thompson
By Marcus Thompson
Thursday, June 23rd, 2011 at 6:23 pm in Uncategorized.
The Warriors had their pick of several players who were expected to go higher. San Diego State small forward Kawhi Leonard, Kansas combo forward Marcus Morris, and Florida State small forward Chris Singleton.
But the Warriors chose the guy they had on their eye all along: Klay Thompson.
RILEY: “We’ve said before that we like him as a shooter, as an athlete, as a basketball player. He has the NBA skill and he will develop further skills … He has a good pedigree. Comes from a basketball family. This guy will have a good amount of success in the NBA. He has a very good upside. Should be able to play as a rookie and make a contribution to this basketball team.”
Certainly, Thompson figures to bring something to the table. He will immediately help the Warriors on offense because he can shoot. If nothing else, they can put him in the corner and spread the floor for the starting guards, Monta Ellis and Stephen Curry.
They clearly were not deterred by Thompson’s expected defensive struggles, though they’ve been preaching adding defense and physicality all offseason. Leonard, Morris and Singleton all are expected to be better defenders than Thompson. But the others had knocks the Warriors felt were greater.
Morris — who I think was doomed by his tweener status, weak workouts — is pretty good at a few things but not really good at anything in particular. Though I liked him, he admittedly would have been tough to blend in. No definite place to put him.
Singleton is perhaps the defensive stopper they need. But though he is reputed for a nice set shot, they did not like his offense. He is behind on that end of the floor. And, you know, the Warriors already have guys who can’t score well. They don’t think they need any more. I think what really hurt Singleton: Warriors like small forwards who are play makers. He is not.
The guy who, in some ways, fell to them, Leonard had the athleticism and size to play some defense. He also is pretty good in the open court and slashing. But, apparently, they weren’t enamored with him anyway. And he didn’t allow them to become enamored with them by declining to workout with the Warriors.
RILEY: “He was not an option. He was never an option on my list. It’s just probably a difference of opinion with some other people. I felt we needed a guy with an NBA skill.”
[You can leave a response, or trackback from your own site.]
June 23rd, 2011 at 7:20 pm
The W’s probably got the right guy for them considering that their wasn’t a legit center or big that was going to make that big of a difference anyway. The W’s will eventually have to retool their roster via aging free agents like the Mav’s, but as you can see veteran leadership can sometimes be a good thing if its the right fit. I wouldn’t be shipping monte just to be exchanging pieces. Besides their moving in the right direction just by starting from the top from the executive personnel moves made recently.
June 23rd, 2011 at 8:35 pm
With Ellis, Curry, Williams, Law and two draft picks that gives us 6 guards. You have to believe there is a trade in the future with either Ellis or Curry. This sucks!
June 23rd, 2011 at 9:36 pm
great 2 more guards. W’s can already score that is not the problem.
The problem is they keep making the same mistakes
June 23rd, 2011 at 9:49 pm
Curry and Thompson would be a very slow unathletic backcourt with no quickness or defense.
Why did they pass on Leonard or Kenneth farrid who fit the teams biggest need a big nasty who rebounds and plays defense.
Thompson is Reggie Williams. Could have kept Morrow. The team simply goes in circles, why is Larry Riley still employed, the guy’s a MoRon.
June 23rd, 2011 at 10:06 pm
With them selecting Thompson and Jenkins, it is NOT inconceiveable to see the Warriors trade BOTH Curry and Ellis to get that impact big man. ie, Dwight Howard.
June 23rd, 2011 at 10:17 pm
Klay Thompson feels like a bigger Steph Curry. He’s got the same feel for the game and fluidity not to mention shooting accuracy. Definitely a lot of fire power in the lineup but lack that bruising big man.
They still need to deal with Goose possibly package him with Reggie to get a Dalembert type player. Not much of a deal but saves on cap space and get some needed size.
June 24th, 2011 at 7:41 am
Ricky, nobody gives up anything for Goose unless he miraculously gets his head together. Reggie is an end of the bench player – to get anyone to take Goose you have to give up something attractive. He’s an albatross.
June 24th, 2011 at 7:49 am
@Kurt – Law and Williams are not under contract (we’ve extedned a qualiying offer to Reggie, making him a restricted FA), so we don’t have six guards.
@Wander7 – Orlando isn’t giving Howard up for two little guards. There’d have to be a big guy involved from our side, but we don’t have one and didn’t draft one.
With the Thompson pick (which I like) and the Sixers getting Vucevic (big man), I see the Monta/Igoudala trade happening. If we can finalize that trade, we can focus our energies on getting a big man through free agency, whether that’s Dalembert, Nene (unlikely) or Chandler (highly unlikely). With the potential new amnesty clause, we could buy-out Biedrins or keep him around as a very expensive back-up. Ideally, like Ricky B said, we can ship him off to Sacto in a sign and trade for Dalembert.
Needs:
1) Get a center – Dalembert
2) Sign a veteran PG – hello Earl Watson
3) Re-sign Reggie Williams
Starting five:
PG – Steph Curry
SG – Dorell Wright
SF – Andre Iguodala
PF – David Lee
C – Sam Dalembert
Bench:
PG – Earl Watson/Jeremy Lin
SG – Klay Thompson/Charlie Bell
SF – Reggie Williams
PF – Udoh/Amundson
C – Biedrins/Tyler
That is a play-off team, folks!
June 24th, 2011 at 8:25 am
Riley needs to be fired for his performance yesterday. He clearly isn’t great at evaluating talent, making deals, or taking risks. Two guards, when the team clearly needs an athletic big man? If the Warriors were looking for the best available player at #11, then why pick Thompson? In addition to Singleton, Morris, and Leonard, Alec Burks was also available.
Here’s what’s most disappointing. I believe that Thompson would have been available later than the 11th spot. If we had a visionary GM, he/she would have traded back, pick up extra picks and still get his guy. This scenario was very likely given the fact that many high value players had dropped to the Warriors lap at #11.
Oh well, leave it to the Warriors to screw up a draft.
June 24th, 2011 at 8:31 am
Riley played it safe and went with Jerry West’s recommendation. If Thompson turns into a bust, then Riley has covered his a$$ and will say that was West’s guy. What a joke of a GM.
Here’s a prediction folks and I’ll put money on it. In the upcoming trade – which is inevitable – we get the short end of the stick.
June 24th, 2011 at 8:31 am
Might the Lakers be interested in Monta, Udoh and Tyler for Bynum???
June 24th, 2011 at 9:03 am
Does this mean we’re not going to get Seth Curry?
June 24th, 2011 at 9:21 am
NickRow, lame response.
June 24th, 2011 at 9:35 am
Yea, West will most likely trade Monta to the Lakers. Just like he did with Gasol. West’s heart is with the Lakers …
June 24th, 2011 at 10:22 am
I like the pick. He already has a good offensive game, good shooter, can dribble penetrate well for a 6’7 guy. He needs to get stronger though in the legs and upper body and work hard on defense, but I’m sure he will since Jackson and Malone will coach it up!
Warriors need to try their hardest to trade Ellis for Josh Smith now!
June 24th, 2011 at 10:32 am
@ Harp’s Dubs
Sorry, but I don’t see a playoff team there. That frontline is atrocious. The only one capable of hitting a non-dunk is D Lee. Had they gone Markieff the front line would be much more capable of stacking up against the competition… but they didn’t. They’re still bad defensively on the perimeter if Iggy or Wright get into foul trouble. And the only player capable of creating his own shot is Curry.
Don’t mean to be Debbie Downer, but I just don’t see it.
June 24th, 2011 at 10:36 am
i see monta and stef starting together, and thompson getting major minutres off the bench. the team sounds intent on making the playoffs this year, it would be hard to do that this year if we traded our best player. plus the fans love monta, despite his limitations. with a healthy roster and a better coach we probably make the playoffs last year. jackson has said that there are more moves coming. i suspect a sign and trade with a team destined to lose one of their free agents.
June 24th, 2011 at 11:15 am
Jordan Leff NBA Insider stated that there have been talks with the Kings about a Monta for Cousins swap…good move?
June 24th, 2011 at 11:32 am
I dont think this necessarily means the end of Monta. Probably means the ends of Reggie Williams.
Thompson is going to need a few years to develop and there will be plenty of mins behind DWright and Monta. If anything we will no longer need to play Monta 48 mins a game.
June 24th, 2011 at 2:47 pm
15.TheLastWarrior Says:
June 24th, 2011 at 11:15 am
Jordan Leff NBA Insider stated that there have been talks with the Kings about a Monta for Cousins swap…good move?
^^^^^^^
Heck no! The W’s don’t need a young head case like Cousins. Ellis for Josh Smith would be a fair deal for both the Hawks and Warriors.
June 24th, 2011 at 2:50 pm
Hey Look it again!!
I cannot imagine trading Monta. Who the heck will pick up the scoring? Klay, if all works out and he turns out to be the “savior” will take a few years to prime.
I’ve said it before, unless you are getting Dwight Howard, a Pau Gasol, or Lamarcus, then why bother pulling the trigger on Monta. Otherwise, you are swapping pieces just for the sake of doing so – why bother?
I would trade Reggie and Biedrins for let say a Nene or a Dalembert. That would add positive value.
June 24th, 2011 at 3:35 pm
Reggie and Biedrins for Nene would be good.
June 24th, 2011 at 4:02 pm
As much as i would love d howard, a trade for him is not going to happen from the warriors. I dont get why people actually think this could or would happen, and if it did how it would be good for us? Even if we could some how get howard, that would mean trading everything with any value from the Warriors to get him. And then why would he sign with us? are we going to give up our team for a one year lease? Howard going to a team in a destination he does not want, with a non playoff team, thats bad enough. But all of that plus no more players worth anything?
As Warriors fans we put a lot of value in Ellis, and he’s a great player i admit, but he is not going to get a trade for an elite big. We over-value him in this area.
Ricky B, we have plenty of players who score. Warriors were one of the highest scoring teams, as always, and Ellis did not score all of the average 103 ppg.
June 24th, 2011 at 4:03 pm
Overall, good draft. There is no trade out there that makes the W’s a title contender now, but a back court rotation of Ellis, Curry and Thompson could win with the right bigs and coaching in the future. The quickest way to contention is to build around your good pieces, not swap them out.
Also, Ricky & DKnight, what yo be smoking? At best, all Reggie and Biedrins will get you is Kwame Brown. From the Nuggets’ perspective, Nene for Monte … maybe.
June 24th, 2011 at 4:55 pm
I hate to say it but Monta is definitely going to get traded guys. Hopefully its not for Lual Deng or even Iguadala. The smart thing to do would be to give up Ellis and Biedrins for Bynum. Jerry West can work his magic.
June 24th, 2011 at 10:02 pm
Several folks have mentioned Josh Smith … well, we could have had a player like that – his name is Chris Singleton.
June 25th, 2011 at 5:23 pm
[...] Morris who went to Houston at No. 14. Who do they pick ? Klay Thompson. Some say it went according to script. But that’s like picking for the year 1989. Its so Run TMC like and Don Nelson is in [...]
June 25th, 2011 at 10:53 pm
If Wright and Ellis put up fewer shots and play better defense, Warriors will be in the play offs and scaring people.
June 26th, 2011 at 8:38 am
why is reggie williams still even on the team? i hope after drafting two guards that he is gone…
June 27th, 2011 at 10:02 pm
didnt keith smart say he will emphasize on defense? now i hear an echo from mark jackson SAYING something about emphasizing on defense. lol ! KLAY NEEDS 2 HIT WEIGHT ROOM! my prediction. we get d. jordan and shane battier this summer, just watch.