What do we have now that the NBA Lockout seems to have no end in sight?
Predictions and speculation.
With the lockout intact, the Warriors' proactive front office cannot extend their "act-first" wings that we got a glimpse of before David Stern laid down his gavel on the NBA season.
Just when things were getting good, too.
The Warriors added Mark Jackson as head coach, a slew of qualified assistant coaches and legend Jerry West as a team advisor.
With those pieces in place, Golden State has hope for a successful future. However, the lockout could severely hinder that from happening this next season.
For now, we can only speculate as to how good this team really is, and what this front office could do once the lockout is lifted.
Here are the projected statistics for the starting five of:
PG - Stephen Curry
SG - Monta Ellis
SF - Dorell Wright
PF - David Lee
C - Andris Biedrins
PG - Stephen Curry
It seems more and more like the Warriors are leaning towards the direction of giving Curry the reigns to the team one day.
An offseason marked by Monta Ellis trade rumors has made that relatively clear. However, since no trades can be made for quite some time because of the lockout, it would seem that Ellis could be in a Warriors' uniform again next season.
That does not mean Curry cannot improve his stats while being the secondary player on the floor.
Curry will be coming into his own next season as a third-year player. I expect him to shoulder the load that Ellis has carried the past years, which will increase his stats next season.
20 ppg
4 rpg
7 apg
SG - Monta Ellis
Trade rumors have to affect a player in some way, right?
I would expect so, but it has been well-documented how much the Warriors have tried to find a suitor that can give the Warriors much in return.
It has not seemed to bother Ellis, though, who put up 24 points and 5 assists per game last season, and seemed to be the Warriors' only weapon towards the end of the year.
However, we can assume that Curry will be playing a much bigger role this next season, and he could possibly shoulder the load for Ellis.
25 ppg
3 rpg
6 apg
SF - Dorell Wright
What a great surprise Dorell Wright was last season. Picked up by the Warriors off the free agent market with little hype, Wright soared to 16 points and 5 rebounds per game last season. He gave Golden State a third weapon shooting from the field, as well.
As young as he is and talented as he could potentially be, it is hard to believe that Wright could stay at the same talent-level next season. However, it is hard to see Wright producing any larger than he did in 2010-11 with the amount of players that need the ball in their hands on this team.
Wright comes fourth in line on who will get the ball when it comes down the court, which is why we should see Wright's numbers stay the same, if not decrease, next season.
15 ppg
6 rpg
3 apg
PF - David Lee
For as much as the Warriors paid the dominant power forward, they seemed to get a lot less in return last offseason.
After Golden State signed the big man to a six-year, $80 million contract, he proceeded to tally 16 points and 9.6 rebounds per game. It was a far cry from the 20 and 10 power forward the Warriors hoped to acquire.
What we learned from Lee's play last season was that Golden State did not get a physical power forward, like they needed and dreamed he would be, but a mid-range shooting, moderate defender that could do nothing to further the Warriors in the Western Conference standings.
Heading into next season, it will be Ellis' and Curry's team yet again, and there may be no room for big production from a free-wheeling forward.
18 ppg
10 rpg
4 apg
C - Andris Biedrins
Taking a glimpse at the Warriors' starting five, it can potentially be good, except for one clear dominating weakness: the center position.
It is a known fact that Golden State can be a real contender in the Western Conference if they had a viable center, but for now they are stuck with the iffy Andris Biedrins.
Do the Warriors plan on going into the season with Biedrins at center?
As long as owner Joe Lacob is running things, I do not see it happening.
However, that is all the Warriors have for now, which is why we can pencil him in at the center position.
It is tough to read Biedrins.
Can he get back to his days of averaging 10 points and 10 rebounds per game? Or will he forever be the player we witnessed the past two seasons, going 5 ppg and 7 rpg?
The chances of him being a bust for another season is too great, which is why Lacob may have something up his sleeve when the lockout is lifted.
7 ppg
8 rpg
1 apg
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