Saturday Slam: Stephen Curry has solidified himself as the greatest Warrior

 

                                             (Kyle Terada-USA TODAY Sports) 

Not that there was much doubt about who the greatest player in Golden State Warriors history was before this week, Stephen Curry passed Wilt Chamberlain on Monday night to become the all-time leading scorer in franchise history with 53 points in a 116-107 victory over the Denver Nuggets. Becoming the all-time leading scorer in franchise history is fitting for Curry as he has led the organization to three NBA championships and been the backbone of the organization for over a decade. The only thing that stood in his way in terms of solidifying himself as the greatest Warrior of all-time was the scoring record and now he has it. 

What makes Curry so amazing is his consistency and his ability to bring it night in, night out. He's not only the greatest player in Warriors history, he's arguably the greatest shooter in NBA history period. The only other players in NBA history who I think give him any sort of run are Reggie Miller and Ray Allen and I'd still pick Curry over both of those guys for best shooter ever. 

The reason why is Curry is such a lethal shooter off the dribble. Both Miller and Allen were at their best in catch and shoot scenarios, whereas Curry is lethal both in catch and shoot and off the dribble situations. If anything, he's even more dangerous off the dribble, which just makes his shooting all the more impressive. 

As one who likes to see basketball played at its highest level, it's truly a gift to have Stephen Curry still out there doing his thing, torching opponents from deep. He literally is the human flame thrower. Some of those shots he throws up are from another planet it seems. Hopefully he'll continue to dazzle us for a very long time. 

Touching quickly on where things sit for the Warriors, they are 28-28 at the moment and rookie big man James Wiseman is done for the year due to surgery on his knee. They are 9th in the Western Conference standings which means they are right in that sweep spot to make the play in tournament for the playoffs (top six teams in each conference make the playoffs, seeds 7-10 go to a play in tournament). So, they still have a shot to make the playoffs, but the odds of them doing any damage are low. Especially with Wiseman now out as well as Klay Thompson still sidelined. 

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Mock Draft Monday: James Wiseman was the right pick for the Golden State Warriors

 

                                             (Credit: Santiago Mejia-SF Chronicle) 

Like every NBA draft, there is debate about whether or not the right players went to the right teams and vice versa. There is even more scrutiny about the guys who go towards the top of the draft and this year's draft is no exception. Last week, the Golden State Warriors selected former Memphis Tigers big man James Wiseman #2 overall with LaMelo Ball still on the board. Given the season-ending Achilles injury to Klay Thompson, many wondered whether or not the Warriors should take Ball instead since he's a guard who can shoot the ball and create plays for others. I.e. Perhaps Ball could be an insurance policy for Thompson. 

While this line of thinking isn't all bad, the Warriors were still smart to take Wiseman. He's a versatile, 7'1", 247 pound big man who can run the floor, block shots, score around the rim, rebound, and maybe even score from the midrange. There's a ton to like about him and given his unique package, the Warriors would have been foolish to pass on him. I understand that a guard may be a more pressing need, but the Warriors need to think big picture here, which is why Wiseman was the right pick. 

The one thing the Warriors have lacked over the past few seasons is an impact big man that can do it all on both ends of the floor. Assuming Thompson is able to make a full recovery as expected, the Warriors will have an added dimension that they haven't had before. In addition to their perimeter shooting, stellar guard play, and killer small ball lineups, they'll have a big man who can give them another look that they haven't had before. Some could argue it's a look they don't need, but still, having a big man who can do the things Wiseman does should be welcomed on this team. Plus, their other draft pick is a pretty talented guard in Nico Mannion, who I followed closely during his high school and college career. So, it's not like they didn't address their guard needs at all in this draft. 

In addition to being a good fit for this current Warriors team, Wiseman also has the potential to be a player who they can build their franchise around in the future. Impactful big men like Wiseman don't grow on trees and if you can scoop one up in the draft, you really have no reason to not do so. Hell, one could argue the Timberwolves weren't smart to pass on him even with the presence of Karl-Anthony Towns. 

The bottom line is when you look at what this Warriors team needs right now and what they need for the future, James Wiseman was clearly the right guy for them to pick. He gives them a post presence they've been lacking and a potential superstar to build around. Warriors fans should be very excited about how their team did in this draft. 

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Mock Draft Monday: Georgia freshman Anthony Edwards looks like the real deal

                                          (Credit: Joshua L. Jones, AP)

If you haven't heard about Georgia freshman guard Anthony Edwards, it's probably time that you did. Edwards is projected to be the #1 pick in the 2020 NBA Draft on NBADraft.net, averaging 18.7 points, 4.8 rebounds, 3.1 assists, and 1.4 steals per game on 41.3% shooting from the field, 31.1% shooting from 3-point range, and 69.2% shooting from the foul line. Listed at 6'5", 225 pounds, Edwards has ideal size for an NBA guard, possessing tremendous athleticism to go along with it.

At the moment, the Bulldogs are 10-5 overall and 0-2 in the SEC, looking to get back to the NCAA Tournament for the first time since 2015. Given how talented Edwards is, I don't see why not. When you have a guy as gifted as him on your team, you have a chance to beat anyone at the college level.

Touching more on why he's so good, Edwards is a great two way player due to his size and athleticism. He can score, rebound, and defend. Offensively, he looks pretty polished, possessing a good stroke on his jump shot. While some guys may take a little bit of time to adjust to the NBA, Edwards looks like a guy who will make an immediate impact.

While there's a lot he's good at, there are some areas Edwards needs to improve in. For starters, his rebounding numbers could be a little higher. Given his physical tools, he should be grabbing around 6.0 rebounds per game. 4.8 rebounds per game isn't bad, but he could be doing more in that department.

Also, his free throw and 3-point percentages need to improve. His percentages aren't bad for a freshman and I'm confident he'll get better, but still, he'll have to put that work in. LeBron James for example shot 75.4% from the foul line his rookie year and is shooting below 70% from the line for the second consecutive season. It's not like more years in the NBA means you'll shoot better.

As for whether or not he's worthy of the top pick, a lot of that will come down to what team has the pick and what their needs are. A team needing a point guard may choose LaMelo Ball while a team looking for a big man may opt to select James Wiseman. Regardless, Edwards is positioning himself to get drafted in the top three and quite honestly, he'll probably go number one.

What will be interesting to see is how far Edwards takes Georgia and if they are able to do some damage in March. Before Tom Crean took the head coaching job, the Georgia men's basketball program had been wandering aimlessly in the woods for quite some time. If he is able to get the Bulldogs to their first NCAA tournament win since 1996 (2002 win was vacated), that could cement his status as the top pick in the draft.

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Mock Draft Monday: Is it risky for James Wiseman to pull out of school?

                                          (Credit: AP Photo/Karen Pulfer Focht) 

Rather than accepting his suspension and returning to the Memphis Tigers in mid-January, James Wiseman has made the decision to withdraw from school and formally declare for the 2020 NBA draft. In my previous post on Wiseman (which you can read here), I wrote that Wiseman's NBA draft stock shouldn't be affected by his suspension. However, I was still assuming that he would return to school and give NBA scouts a chance to see what he can do.

By withdrawing from school, Wiseman is banking on his physical profile and overall potential doing the work for him to get picked in the top two of the 2020 NBA draft. The thought process is that playing in college only bears the risk of injury and that there's no upside in staying. Is that really true?

The answer is complicated. If you are certain to go #1 or #2 in the upcoming NBA draft, it's hard to argue against pulling out of school, training on your own, and avoiding the risk of injury. However, the key lies in being certain that you'll go #1 or #2. If your draft stock is more fluid, then it becomes trickier.

In the case of Wiseman, he appears to be right on the border. NBADraft.net has him projected to go #2 at the moment, but he could slide down to #3 behind LaMelo Ball or even out of the top five if a couple guys in college (e.g. Dayton's Obi Toppin) really ball out. By sitting out this season, Wiseman is denying himself a chance to showcase himself against those guys and that could come back to haunt him on draft day.

The other issue of course is what teams will think of him for pulling out. Does it show a lack of competitive fire? Are they certain he'll play hard for them if he gets bruised up a bit in his rookie year? Will he instead want to sit out and avoid ruining his chance at a more lucrative contract down the road? Some teams may think that, which once again could hurt him.

To quickly sum this all up, is it risky for James Wiseman to pull out of school? The answer is yes, but if he feels confident enough in his skill set to get picked #1 or #2 in the 2020 NBA draft, it's worth it. Why risk getting injured and seeing your draft stock fall from #2 to #10? Worst case, Wiseman falls to #5 or #6, but that's like a doomsday scenario. In all likelihood, he's going at least #4. On top of that, he was already facing a suspension and would only be able to play for like 6 weeks. Wiseman is making the right move. I just hope he's making it while also calculating the risks that come with it.

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Mock Draft Monday: Going to the Golden State Warriors offers the best of both worlds

If you head over to NBADraft.net, a site that I contribute to during the months leading up to the NBA draft, you'll notice that the Golden State Warriors are currently projected to get the top pick in 2020. Of course, one cannot predict the lottery and how that will shake out, but regardless, at the rate they're going, the 5-23 Warriors are going to end up with a really nice draft pick.

Typically, most teams picking in the top five of the NBA draft are rebuilding and a few years away at least from being serious contenders. The Warriors are an exception as they were in the NBA finals last season. They are only in tank mode due to Klay Thompson and Stephen Curry both getting injured. Come the 2020-21 season, both guys should be back to full strength and ready to gun for another championship alongside the help of a top rookie.

If you are one who is gifted enough to see themselves at the top of these mock draft boards, you have to be praying to go to the Warriors. You'll get paid top rookie money and not have to be a part of a long rebuilding process. Instead, you'll instantly get to be a part of a team that is eager to get back to the NBA finals.

As for what kind of rookie the Warriors should be targeting, they could use more help in the front court, making Memphis big man James Wiseman and Duke big man Vernon Carey logical targets. Given the presence of Thompson and Curry, it wouldn't make sense for the Warriors to go with a point guard or a wing unless they really fall in love with one. Georgia shooting guard Anthony Edwards might turn out to be such a wing.

As we head into 2020, it will be interesting to see how the Warriors do and if they fully embrace tanking. I wrote a blog post earlier about how they should do that and given where they are in the standings right now, it looks like they're taking my advice to heart. It kind of sucks for Warriors fans to watch their team struggle to this degree, but with Thompson and Curry set to return next year alongside a lottery pick, the future remains bright.

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Mock Draft Monday: James Wiseman's NBA draft stock shouldn't be hurt by suspension

                                         (Credit: AP Photo/Karen Pulfer Focht) 


Due to receiving funds from Memphis head coach Penny Hardaway to help him move to Memphis, the nation's top player James Wiseman has been suspended 12 games and fined $11,500 by the NCAA. He has to give the money to a charity of his choice. It should also be noted that Hardaway gave Wiseman the money when he was a booster and not a head coach, so that makes things not quite as shady.

What I'm sure some people are wondering is whether or not this suspension will hurt Wiseman's draft stock. While I can't predict the future and confirm what will be the end outcome of all this, I personally don't see this having any effect on his draft stock. For the simple reason that (A) this issue has nothing to do with his on-court performance and (B) this kind of stuff (players receiving benefits) happens all the freaking time in college basketball.

If you thought college hoops was this clean sport where everyone plays fair and only a handful of guys get benefits, you live in a fantasy land. That's not to say there aren't clean programs out there. There are. But, what is an unfortunate fact is there are a lot of programs that are not clean and even more that toe the line.

What Wiseman and Memphis are really being penalized for is getting caught and also being high profile. If Wiseman was the 13th scholarship player on Memphis and not the top player in the country, nobody would have given a crap about him receiving funds from Hardaway. On the flip side, you could also argue if he was the 13th scholarship player on Memphis, Hardaway wouldn't have bothered to give him the funds in the first place. But that circular argument or whatever you want to call it misses the point.

The point is this happens all the time and the NCAA just randomly lays down rulings without any rhyme or reason. I mean, the fact that Sean Miller is still coaching at Arizona in and of itself is pretty mind boggling. If he's allowed to continue to coach after all that he's been accused of doing, it's pretty absurd that Wiseman is not allowed to play. Especially since he will be able to play come January. I'm ok with the fine and him having to give the money back. That's cool. But for crying out loud, let him play!

Going back to the title of this post, this suspension should have no impact on Wiseman's draft stock. If anything it could help it. That's 12 less games when he could get hurt! Plus, NBA teams draft largely on potential and what you could be in five years. They're not overly worried about what you look like at the moment. Especially if you are a freshman.

The bottom line is regardless of the NCAA's ruling, Wiseman will in all likelihood be the top pick in the 2020 NBA Draft. Athletic 7-footers like him don't grow on trees. Him taking money from Hardaway or anyone else doesn't change that fact.

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