For the second consecutive year, the Golden State Warriors have no picks heading into the draft. Welcome to the Bay Area, Steve Kerr.
Certainly a trade is possible, as reports indicate the Warriors are in the mix for Kevin Love should the Minnesota Timberwolves look to trade him. Anything is possible.
But the Warriors mortgaged the future to excel in the present. Problem is, excelling has been either a first, or second-round exit. That wasn't what management looked for in trading their first-rounder this year, the 23rd pick, in a 2013 summer blockbuster.
That's getting carried away a bit, using the word blockbuster. The Warriors shed a lot of underused salary to the Utah Jazz in order to free up cash for Andre Iguodala. The price was two first-round picks.
Iguodala had a good year and is certainly part of the future, but this past season didn't go as planned. The Warriors lost in seven games in the first round to the Los Angeles Clippers, then popular head coach Mark Jackson was fired due to personality clashes with ownership.
Kerr of TNT Sports was brought in as head coach and given a five-year contract. He inherited a quality roster that is not terribly old.
If this team tried to improve via the draft, or, free agency for that matter, big men are in need. Andrew Bogut missed the postseason with fractured ribs and there's no great replacement, other than moving David Lee out of position. Jermaine O'Neal could be brought back, or he might retire.
Players under contract: G Steph Curry; C Andrew Bogut; F David Lee; F Andre Iguodala; F Marreese Speights; F Harrison Barnes; G Klay Thompson; C Festus Ezeli; F Draymond Green; G Nemanja Nedovic
Free agents: G Steve Blake; G Jordan Crawford; C Jermaine O'Neal
Recent Draft History 2013: No picks
2012: Harrison Barnes (7), Festus Ezeli (30), Draymond Green (35), Ognjen Kuzmic (52)
2011: Klay Thompson (11), Jeremy Tyler (39), Charles Jenkins (44)
2010: Ekpe Udoh (6)
2009: Stephen Curry (7)
[SportsNetwork.com]
