PROJECTED FINANCIALS GOING INTO FREE AGENCY

Here is the latest estimated salary cap situation for the Warriors. Included are the three rookies with max rookie scale deals and Brandon Rush's Qualifying Offer. Please correct me if I'm wrong on any of these figures.

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The Warriors are dangerously close to the Luxury Tax if it remains at $70.3M. If Rush is signed for the Qualifying Offer, then they will only have $4.9M to spend before hitting the threshold. A backup PG is one of the top priorities and so is bringing back the versatile, defensive specialist, Dominic McGuire.

I have a feeling Lacob will not limit his team to the $4.9M allowance and will do what it takes to bring in the right talent. If Rush returns, which is almost a given, there are only 2 roster spots left. McGuire will probably be one of them and the last roster spot could belong to the backup PG or a veteran big man. However, if the Warriors could swing a trade sending out Wright and getting back future picks, that would steer them clear of the luxury tax and allow them more flexibility to shape the roster.

2012 MOCK DRAFT 3.1

1. Hornets - Anthony Davis
2. Bobcats  -  Thomas Robinson
3. Wizards  -  Bradley Beal
4. Cavaliers  -  Michael Kidd-Gilchrist
5. Kings  - Andre Drummond
6. Trail Blazers  - Damian Lillard
7. Warriors -  Dion Waiters
8. Raptors -  Harrison Barnes
9. Pistons - John Henson
10. Hornets - Austin Rivers
11. Trail Blazers - Meyers Leonard
12. Rockets - Tyler Zeller
13. Suns - Jeremy Lamb
14. Bucks - Terrence Jones
15. 76ers - Arnett Moultrie
16. Rockets - Terrence Ross
17. Mavericks - Kendall Marshall
18. Rockets - Royce White
19. Magic - Perry Jones
20. Nuggets - Andrew Nicholson
21. Celtics - Moe Harkless
22. Celtics - Jared Sullinger
23. Hawks - Fab Melo
24. Cavaliers - Draymond Green
25. Grizzlies - Evan Fournier
26. Pacers - Marquis Teague
27. Heat - Jeff Taylor
28. Thunder - Will Barton
29. Bulls - Tony Wroten Jr.
30. Warriors - Quincy Miller
31. Bobcats - Doron Lamb
32. Wizards - Festus Ezeli
33. Cavaliers - Kostas Papanikolaou
34. Cavaliers - John Jenkins
35. Warriors - Kyle O'Quinn

This is the general order I think the players will be drafted, but I expect a good amount of movement. Hopefully, MKG will end up in a Warriors uniform when it's all said and done.

2012 MOCK DRAFT 2.0

1. Hornets - Anthony Davis
2. Bobcats  -  Thomas Robinson
3. Wizards  -  Bradley Beal
4. Cavaliers  -  Harrison Barnes
5. Kings  -  Michael Kidd-Gilchrist
6. Trail Blazers  - Andre Drummond
7. Warriors - Terrence Jones 
8. Raptors - Dion Waiters
9. Pistons - John Henson
10. Hornets - Austin Rivers
11. Trail Blazers - Damian Lillard
12. Bucks - Meyers Leonard
13. Suns - Jeremy Lamb
14. Rockets - Tyler Zeller
15. 76ers - Jared Sullinger
16. Rockets - Perry Jones
17. Mavericks - Kendall Marshall
18. Timberwolves - Terrence Ross
19. Magic - Arnett Moultrie
20. Nuggets - Andrew Nicholson
21. Celtics - Moe Harkless
22. Celtics - Royce White
23. Hawks - Fab Melo
24. Cavaliers - Quincy Miller
25. Grizzlies - Evan Fournier
26. Pacers - Marquis Teague
27. Heat - Draymond Green
28. Thunder - Jeff Taylor
29. Bulls - Will Barton
30. Warriors - Tony Wroten Jr.
31. Bobcats - Doron Lamb
32. Wizards - Festus Ezeli
33. Cavaliers - John Jenkins
34. Cavaliers - Kyle O'Quinn
35. Warriors - Kostas Papanikolaou

WARRIORS WORKS BIG BOARD 1.0

This list ranks draft prospects based on order of value to the Warriors in terms of immediate need and projected value within 3 or more years. When healthy, the Warriors aren't too far away from having a roster that could go deep into the playoffs. They have four staring positions set: Curry at PG, Thompson at SG, Lee at PF, and Bogut at C. There are a number of capable SF starters like Rush, McGuire, Jefferson, and Wright. As a rule of thumb, draft Best Available Player (projected 3 years out) and worry about rotations later. The important thing is to draft the best asset and not draft for need.

Once you get past Davis, there's a fantastic group of 3 players in MKG, Robinson, and Beal. After that, all hell breaks loose.

1. Anthony Davis: no brainer franchise guy
2. Michael Kidd-Gilchrist: perfect fit for the current roster; shut down defender with a passion to win, an incredible work ethic, leadership skills, and the physical tools to succeed
3. Thomas Robinson: proto PF who will rebound and defend; nice motor; rapid improvement 
4. Bradley Beal: much hyped coming out of high school; came on strong towards the end of season
5. Terrence Jones: big and physical enough to play PF; skilled enough to play some SF
6. Dion Waiters: powerful combo guard with game similar to D. Wade; very good defensive potential
7. Harrison Barnes: good scoring SF with face-up defense; athletic but doesn't seem to translate
8. Myers Leonard: 7'-1" athletic big with a lot of upside; raw on offense but excellent finisher; has mid-range game
9. Andre Drummond: major upside; project 2-3 years away; could contribute on defense right away; horrible free throw shooter
10. Perry Jones: top-3 talent with motor issues and the tweener label; shies away from contact
11. Jeremy Lamb: offensive-mind guard with excellent size
12. Moe Harkless: young, SF with great size and upside; must improve shooting to become complete
13. Royce White: top-10 talent with anxiety issues; does everything well except shoot and get on planes; point forward ideal role
14. Damian Lillard: top PG in the draft; questions vs. better competition; light's out shooter
15. Tyler Zeller: NBA ready big man with limited upside; underrated shooter; great character guy
16. John Henson: one of top defenders in draft; rail thin; can he stay healthy vs. NBA bigs?
17. Quincy Miller: prep superstar trying to return from devastating ACL injury; great at #30
18. Jared Sullinger: one of NCAA's best bigs, but medical red-flag a stock killer

WARRIORS SUMMER-LEAGUE SCHEDULE

Once again,  NBA Summer League will be held in Las Vegas with a record 24 teams competing in 60 games from July 13-22 at the Thomas & Mac Center and COX Pavilion on the campus of UNLV.

July 13 — vs. Los Angeles Lakers

July 14 — vs. Denver Nuggets

July 16 — (scrimmage) vs. Phoenix Suns

July 18 — vs. Miami Heat

July 20 — vs. Chicago Bulls

July 21 — vs. New Orleans Hornets

Warriors expect to have Charles Jenkins and Jeremy Tyler participating. Klay Thompson will be training against Team USA, so his participation isn't mandatory. Considering his heavy usage down the stretch, it's probably best to have him bypass summer-league play.

With four picks in hand (7, 30, 35, and 52) the Warriors expect to bring in at least a couple of Rookies. I hope to see Chris Wright as well. He played with a high motor and added excitement to the team. If he can improve his shooting, he might have a shot at a roster spot in 2012-13.

As of now, the roster of players under contract looks like this:

PG: Curry / Jenkins

SG: Thompson

SF: Wright / Jefferson

PF: Lee / Tyler

C: Bogut / Biedrins

Brandon Rush is a Restricted Free Agent and is expected to be re-signed. Dominic McGuire is coveted for his defense and versatility, so expect the Warriors to make room for him as well.

PRIVATE WORKOUT LIST

Jun 17

Damian Lillard - PG, 6-3, 189, 07/18/90, Weber State

Tomas Satoransky - PG/SG, 6-7, 201, 10/30/91, International

Olek Czyz - -SF/PF, 6-8, 237, 03/03/90, Nevada

Dominique Ferguson - PF, 6-8, 209, Florida International

Kyle Fogg - SG, 6-3, 183, 01/27/90, Arizona

Keith Wright - PF, 6-8, 240, 07/22/89, Harvard

Wendell McKines - SF, 6-6, 240, 08/18/88, New Mexico State

Jun 14

Jared Sullinger - PF, 6-9, 268, 03/04/92, Ohio State

John Henson - PF, 6-10.5, 216, 12/28/90, North Carolina

Marquis Teague - PG, 6-2, 180, 02/28/93, Kentucky

Michael Eric - F/C, 6-11, 240, Temple

Bernard James - C, 6-10, 230, 02/07/85, Florida State

Andre Young - PG, 5-9, 170, 03/16/90, Clemson

Jun 11

Terrence Jones - PF/SF, 6-9, 252, 01/09/92, Kentucky

Perry Jones III - SF/PF, 6-11, 234, 09/24/91, Baylor

Tyler Zeller - C, 7-0.5, 247, 01/17/90, North Carolina

Festes Ezeli - C, 6-11.5, 264, 10/21/89, Vanderbilt

Patrick Richard - SG, 6-4, 208, 01/25/90, McNeese State

Jet Chang - SG, 6-4, 195, BYU Hawaii

Jun 2
Will Barton - SG/SF, 6-6, 175, 01/06/91, Memphis
Kent Bazemore - SF, 6-5, 195, 07/01/89, Old Dominion
Bradford Burgess - SG/SF, 6-6, 225, 04/29/90, Virginia Commonwealth
Tony Mitchell - SF, 6-6, 185, 08/07/89, Alabama
Rakim Sanders - SF/PF, 6-5, 225, 07/08/89, Fairfield
Hollis Thompson - SF, 6-8, 205, 04/03/91, Georgetown

May 28
Scott Machado - PG, 6-1, 180, 06/08/90, Iona
Draymond Green - PF/SF, 6-7, 230, 03/04/90, Michigan
Tu Holloway - PG, 6-0, 190, 08/21/89, Xavier
Kevin Jones - PF, 6-8, 260, 08/25/89, West Virginia
Wendell McKines - SF, 6-6, 230, 08/18/88, New Mexico State
Josh Owens - PF, 6-8, 240, Stanford

Anthony Jones - PF, 6-10, 195, 04/03/89, Baylor
Kris Joseph - SF, 6-7, 210, 12/17/88, Syracuse
Khris Middleton - SF, 6-7, 217, 08/12/91, Texas A&M
Jeffrey Taylor - SF, 6-7, 225, 05/23/89, Vanderbilt
Maalik Wayns - PG, 6-2, 200, 05/02/91, Villanova
Tony Wroten - PG/SG, 6-5, 205, 04/14/93, Washington

May 26
Tyshawn Taylor - PG, 6-3, 185, 04/12/90, Kansas
Yancy Gates - PF, 6-9, 260, 10/15/89, Cincinnati
Justin Hamilton - C, 7-0, 260 04/01/90, LSU
Renardo Sidney - PF, 6-10, 280, 12/06/89, Mississippi State
Garrett Sim - PG, 6-2, 185, 07/10/90, Oregon
Greg Somogyi - C, 7-3, 242, 10/1/89, UC Santa Barbara

May 23
Drew Gordon - PF, 6-9, 241, 07/12/90, New Mexico
Jordan Taylor - PG, 6-1, 195, 09/30/89, Wisconsin
Quincy Acy - PF, 6-7, 225, 10/06/90, Baylor
Casper Ware - PG, 5-10, 170, 01/17/90, Long Beach State
Michell Watt - PF, 6-10, 225, 12/14/89, Buffalo
Kyle O'Quinn - PF/C, 6-10, 240, 03/26/90, Norfolk State

May 22
Orlando Johnson - SG, 6-5, 205, 03/11/89, UC Santa Barbara
Micheal Eric - C, 6-11, 240, Temple
Ronnie Moss - PG, 6-2, 195, 09/11/88, Texas Wesleyan
Joe Ragland - PG, 6-0, 185, 11/11/89, Wichita State
Robert Sacre - C, 7-0, 247, 06/06/89, Gonzaga
Alex Young - SF, 6-6, 200, 10/17/89, IUPUI

May 21
Jared Cunningham - SG, 6-4, 194, 05/22/91, Oregon State
Jorge Gutierrez - PG/SG , 6-3, 195, 12/27/88, California
Chris Cooper - PF, 6-9, 230, 01/17/90, Old Dominion
Mindaugas Kupsas - C, 7-0, 250, 04/09/91, Lithuania
Kyle Weems - SF/PF, 6-6, 226, 08/23/89, Missouri State
Olek Czyz - SF/PF, 6-7, 240, 03/03/90, Nevada

2012 MOCK DRAFT 1.0

On the bubble: Will Barton, Quincy Miller, Doron Lamb, Scott Machado, Kyle O'Quinn, Jared Cunningham

#7 Pick: Terrence Jones

With the starting PG, SG, PF, and C positions set, the Warriors need to either upgrade the SF position from Jefferson and Wright, to someone that better compliments the other 4 starters - someone who doesn't need the ball in his hands, is able to defend the perimeter, can rebound, can block shots, and is a capable passer. The Warriors basically need a guy that can do it all, with scoring as a low priority.

With MKG off the board, the likely remaining candidates at SF are Terrence Jones, Perry Jones, Royce White, and Moe Harkless. Is someone from that group 'BAP?' In a deep draft like this with no player free of any flaws or redflags, it's safe to say that BAP is in the eye of the beholder. When it's close, 'need' is the tiebreaker.

Although Terrence Jones is physically more PF than SF, the former PG has some of the skills and abilities to play at SF. He's an underrated passer with good shooting range and ball skills for his size. Jones' versatility will allow him to be a mismatch at both ends of the floor. He'll have to lose weight to gain quickness, but he's shown at Kentucky that he's capable of using his strength and length to change shots in the paint and on the wing. I expect the quicker SFs will be able to drive by, so coaches will have to draw match-ups accordingly, making sure that a rim protector like Bogut is there to clean up.

Terrence Jones adds toughness and helps at two positions. It's likely that Coach Mark Jackson and the competition will inspire him to play at a more consistently higher level than he did in Kentucky. When focused, Jones could be the best player on the floor.

MOE RISING

If Warriors don't think the Joneses can play SF, Moe Harkless could shoot up their draft board in a hurry.


I thought he'd be a great fit for the Warriors because of his prototype size and great production on both ends against good comp. Hadn't seen him play (other than highlights), so couldn't say for sure if he would be a guy worthy at #7. But after seeing him in the combine, hitting shots (his "weakness"), moving well, defending, and being able to compare him to the other small forward prospects...he really stands out.

I wouldn't be surpised if he moves up in all the mocks out there. If the talent is close among those available at #7, why not take the guy that checks all the boxes and still has tremendous upside because he's so young and moldable. I could see him developing into an impact starter with a low risk factor.


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