GOLDEN STATE WARRIORS


Warriors: Score or Perish

Mailo had a fun draft, clearly taking in a strategic approach to take offensively talented players who are ideally young players. The team’s first few picks were DeAndre Ayton, Jamal Murray, TJ Warren, Malik Beasley, Isaiah Thomas, Jabari Parker etc. Effective drafting, as the team was able to get youth and talent and guys on contracts that allowed the team to have control over their futures for the foreseeable future. 

Ayton is the cornerstone; a young, athletic big who has great two-way potential and is already one of the best offensive centres in the game and he is barely able to have a beer legally. As a rookie, he put up stellar scoring numbers on great efficiency and was proven to be a great rebounder, passer and very durable. Lots of boxes being ticked for a guy you build around. He has shown glimpses of being a great defender and shot blocker, but we will get to more of that later. 

Murray, also known as The Blue Arrow, is one of the most electric if inconsistent scorers in the league. When he is on, he looks like he could score 50 on 60% shooting but when he is off, he doesn’t look to be aggressive and can become a passive participant out there on the floor. Fantastic athleticism, can score across the different areas of the floor and just has an X-factor about him which allows him to take over games and drag his team across the line. Great size, and young, he just needs to become a complete player.

Warren, Beasley, Thomas are all great offensive players with respective limitations, whether it be defense, size or versatility. However, all three can get hot and light up other teams, confirming my original depiction of this team; that they will blow some teams off the floor with their scoring, and with their total lack of defensive prowess, they will have to. If their shot isn’t falling on any given night, they are at danger of being embarrassed. It is hard to deny that their team has some nice, realistic upside and Mailo will be hoping that the squad reaches it and then some.



What Warriors Fans Want to Happen

Warriors fans are loud, passionate and loyal. They have been through some good times and bad times but these NSL Warriors fans just want to see their team do well. Really, really well. Mailo had what I consider a successful draft, loading up on young, offensively-talented young guys who can turn a game on their own when it’s all going well. But the Warriors fans want sustained success; winning weeks, months and seasons. What is better than winning a title (besides free agency, trading, drafts etc.)? I mean, it’s still pretty good…

For that to happen though, the ultimate success, a few occurrences need to eventuate and go their way and for them all to bloom in a timely manner together and see them surge towards championship glory.

DeAndre Ayton: Two-way, star centre

This is quite realistic, as Ayton has a fantastic awareness of the game and seems like a guy who wants to be great. He isn’t extremely tall or long for a C but he is very reactive and deliberate with his body and uses great positioning to not only score but to box out for rebounds. In College he was able to be a dominant defensive, blocking force in the paint and I think that he will be able to replicate some of that success in the NSL. It will take time, but he is still so young and already has a great body and strength for professional basketball and he just needs to keep getting reps up and the game will hopefully start to slow down for him on the defensive end and he will be able to make more of a positive different for the Warriors. A young, two-way stud big man is what franchises dream of! 

I think it’s likely that he becomes a good defender


Jamal Murray: More than just a scorer

Size, speed and verticality, Murray has the physical tools to be a good/great defender. Is it an effort thing? An experience thing? Or is his basketball intelligence not wired to pursue and read passing lanes, play intense defense and help his teammates out with weak-side rotations?

Murray is one of the smoothest scorers in the league despite his youth and inexperience. In his prime, he will likely score in the mid 20s with great efficiency and versatility but what will allow him to make the leap to true stardom is his ability to impact a game when he has the ball, and when he doesn’t. His work ethic, the crazy stories about the training his father made him do growing up, is well-known and celebrated. Surely it isn’t a work ethic issue. Maybe it’s just time. Or maybe he just isn’t that kind of player. 

What do you think, Warriors fans?