Wednesday, June 24, 2009

IS CURRY THE ONE?


There has been a lot of chatter in the press about Stephen Curry (and Jordan Hill) being the Warriors target at #7 tomorrow. How can we be so sure that Curry is not another J.J. Redick struggling to be relevant in the NBA?

Some say he's a PG, but I'm not so sure that's the case. He just recently made the transition from SG to PG last year and only did a fair job in a weak conference (1.5 A/T, 3.7 TO). He may continue to improve, but after watching the Patty Mills vs. Stephen Curry match-up, I still see a lot of question marks that give me pause when drafting. He wasn't automatic, could not lead his team to victory against a lower ranked opponent, and was the 2nd best player on the court that night. I suspect that there will be more nights where he 'struggles' than not in the NBA.

Curry is an incredible shooter, but he's not particularly adept at doing anything else. I see him having the same problems at getting his shot contested as Redick and I have my doubts about whether he can fill the role of PG for this team. He's not particularly quick or explosive, has average handles for a 1, not a creative finisher at the rim, and is only 6'-3" with a slight frame. Why not target a true PG and let Morrow and Belinelli be our designated 3 point assassins. It would make for a more balanced roster in a roster already loaded with tweeners and offensive punch.

For Curry to be worth the trouble, he'd have to continue to develop as a PG, prove that he can play vs. the best athletes in the world, maintain the supreme confidence in his jumpshot (something Redick and many other highly touted shooters from the college ranks have failed to do), and hope that his intangibles and basketball IQ allow him to become more than just a fringe starter inthe NBA. With all that said, if he falls to 7 and Nelson believes he's worth the gamble, then I'll give it a chance.

ESPN Game Log

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