Warriors Grab Klay Thompson With Pick 11

At first, I cringed at the pick, but the more I've looked at it up and down, the more I'm starting to see some logic in the selection of Thompson. I would have liked more of a power guard like Burks or a power big-man like one of the Morris', but Thompson should provide a key component for the Warriors; a sharp-shooter who can put up 20 ppg with ease.

As for the draft as a whole, I thought it started out great for the Warriors chances with all the European guard/forward hybrids going so highly, while players like Brandon Knight (the guy I really wanted to see the W's move for) and Kemba Walker waited and waited to hear their names called. In fact Walker didn't go until one pick ahead of Golden State at #1, and I can only imagine the dilemma that Larry Riley and Mark Jackson wound have faced had Walker fallen to them at 11? I think it would have been a draft Walker/trade Ellis scenario if that were the case, but it wasn't. Instead, the Warriors went with Thomoson, the Jr. out of Washington State which, again, kind of left me a little curious at the moment. Immediately after Thompson went, the guys I was hoping for, SG Alec Burks or one of the Morris brothers, Marcus or Markieff, were taken off the board in succession, so that had me thinking again; did the W's make the right move, or is Jerry West stuck in the 70's. Burks is more of that in your face, take it to the rim, true 2 guard who really reminds me a little bit of JRich and Stephen Jackson. As much as I like watching Ellis and Curry play together, I think this team needs a big 2 guard, one who can defend the likes of Kobe Bryant and Kevin Durrant and one who can get to the line 10 times per night. But one thing neither will likely do as well as Thompson, especially in their rookie year, is score the basketball!

Now, they had their chance to do that with Burks, or even re-make their front line with a Morris, but hopefully by passing on them, Larry Riley has something up his sleeve, cause the team is a little deep with guards now who will want minutes. You can't forget about 2nd round pick Charles Jenkins, who many projected as a 1st rounder. Riley, West and Jackson have to figure out the guard situation where Thompson, Wright, Curry, Ellis etc... will all be in the mix, or he's gotta deal Ellis. In reality, they could use a 3-man rotation at the guard spot with Thompson learning behind Monta, then if Thompson asserts himself, Monta could become a big trade chip come February, but then you run the risk of damaging chemistry. Unless they have a plan to keep everyone happy and playing, it may have been wiser for Golden State to have taken that big man who could play 25-30 minutes per night right off the bat and allow their guard situation to gel as is, if that's what they want. Now Thompson makes you wonder a bit. The Warriors didn't need another scorer, certainly not a perimeter scorer. Now if they can deal one of these guards for a true big man, say an Al Jefferson from Utah, then I'd absolutely have an improved view on this pick. As of now though, I can't give them anything higher than a C+/B- for adding a guy who'd be lucky to be another Dorrell Wright-type.

The Dubs did get a big man though, sneaking in a late first rounder in a deal with Charlotte, but Jeremy Tyler is hardly the guy Warrior fans had in mind coming into this draft as the post factor they needed.

WRD Grade for Warriors Draft: C+

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