Warriors #6 Draft Pick -- Short Breakdown with Videos -- Who do You Take?

Absolutely I'd take Cousins at 6. He would be BPA by a long shot there despite possible mental issues. Dude measured out to be huge. Its a no brainer at 6.

I'm with you guys on avoiding Aldrich. Wasn't completely opposed to him before the measurements but he only measured 6'9 barefoot. Somehow he got up to 6'11.25 but realistically he won't be playing with heels on. Only came in at 237 lbs as well. If he were skilled or athletic enough to play the 4 it could work but hes just too small for the 5. Basically a less athletic Biedrins.

For reference Udoh measured out at 6'8.75 barefoot, 6'9.75 in shoes. Had a wingspan of 7'4.5- a quarter inch less than Aldrich- and 237 lbs. He, however, helped himself a lot because hes a natural 4 with athleticism and skills to play the position. Considering that there is only a quarter inch separating the two I would say Udoh has to be more ideal assuming hes a significantly better athlete.

Also of note; Monroe measured out to be very large. 6'9.75 barefoot puts him at a very legit 6'11 in shoes and 247 lbs. Keep in mind this guy is only 19 (going to be 20 in June) despite having just finished his sophomore year. 6'11 250 lbs is big enough to play C where he could match up a lot better athletically and have a major skill advantage. I like both Monroe and Udoh but I would probably prefer Monroe for the following reasons a) Udoh is 23, Monroe is going on 20. b) Monroe is big enough to play PF and C. Udoh isn't a twig like Wright/Randolph but 237 lbs is small to play C. I like Monroe's bulk and he can be paired alongside Randolph/Wright for the future. Can you imagine Monroe passing from the high post to Curry/Monta/Randolph?

Aminu and Wes Johnson also measured out well. I'm not averse to drafting Aminu at this point. Dude is a GREAT athlete. Very smoothe, very explosive. Could be a monster on the break. At this point seems like a Gerald Wallace type of player but hes young and his handle and jumpshot can/should improve a lot. I maintain that if it came down to him vs. Wes Johnson I would take Johnson despite him being 3 years older. They're both 3's. Both very good athletes. Both are stat stuffers. Johnson has a killer jumper that Aminu would be hard pressed to develop by the time he's Johnson's age and Wes just has that killer scoring ability. Dude is an explosive scorer. FWIW Aminu appears to have a nice post game but at 6'8 215 hes a pure 3 in my view and I'd rather have Wes (whom I have and will continue to compare to Danny Granger!).

Really wish I could see their 40 times and all the other athletic testing results...

 

Randolph up to 235 lbs according to his agent. I'll believe it when I see it as it seems like we always hear these stories in the offseason about this or that player growing/gaining strength. I am more inclined to believe it with AR though because he actually did look taller when they said he got taller and looked stronger when he said he added weight. 235 lbs is a believable number too, especially since hes been injured since January. Steinmentz says its mostly upper body strength. Didn't know where else to post this lol. I guess it relates somewhat if we're still of the belief that hes our PF of the future. Between him and Wright (whom Nellie says would have been starting over Randolph) we've still got two good PF prospects. I've lost hope in Wright though because there has been so little progress in him adding weight and it makes him so injury prone. Can't see him doing well as a 200 lb. PF.

Adam has a decent blog on what to do with our pick. He sums it up right at the end " When you have the fourth worst record in the NBA, your need is basketball talent — not a specific position or style of player. Assuming Cousins and Johnson are off the board, I’d take Greg Monroe." This sounds pretty damn good to me. Cousins and Johnson would be head and shoulders above anyone else at 6 as far as star potential goes. After that I would take Monroe right now over Udoh, Aminu, Aldrich, etc. because hes got the size to play PF or C, hes very young, and very skilled. Best all around player when factoring in skills, size, and potential.

Good call on Xavier Henry CohanHater. I get the feeling that teams are catching on with Henry though. I think reports are that he interviewed very well at the combine and hes moving up draft boards. Given the dearth of big men from the 5th pick to about the 12th pick it seems like hes the defacto top wing player after Turner and could go somewhere in that range asusming some of these teams need a SG a lot more than a big.

 

Ford's Mock Draft 3.0

He has the Warriors landing Cousins again.


Analysis: I think the Warriors will do backflips if Cousins slips this far.



He actually had a pretty good week in Chicago. A number of NBA GMs told me that based on Cousins' body of work, interviews and his measurements, they believe Cousins has as much talent as anyone in the draft, including John Wall.



Cousins has been compared to everyone from Shaq to Zach Randolph, but here's an interesting historical comparison to ponder -- could he be the next Moses Malone?



"He's huge, he scores around the basket, he's a terrific rebounder and he plays with a chip on his shoulder," one GM said. "How many 20-10 centers come along? Not very many. As far as a talent goes, he could be incredible in the NBA. The league has gotten smaller and quicker. Cousins would kill most of the big guys in our league today."



Cousins also fared well in the measurement category, comparing favorably in size to NBA centers. He measured a legit 6-foot-11 with a tremendous 7-foot-6 wingspan and 9-foot-5 standing reach. Those numbers put him on par with the likes of Dwight Howard, Greg Oden and Brook Lopez. His interviews weren't nearly as bad as everyone made them out to be, either.



While the Warriors have Andris Biedrins in the middle, he's nothing like Cousins, who can come in and be a big-time scorer right away. Teaming Cousins with with Stephen Curry and Anthony Randolph would give the Warriors a great foundation.

 

here you go philsmith75

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How would DeMarcus Cousins fit with the Warriors ...


With the NBA draft about a month away (June 24), my goal is to lean on fellow Examiners to provide scouting reports for some of the players the Warriors may be considering taking with the sixth overall pick, with a special slant toward how these players would fit in with Golden State.

The first of the occasional scouting reports is on DeMarcus Cousins of Kentucky. In a poll here, 54 percent of voters said they want the Warriors to get the 6-11 freshman (the second choice, at 32 percent, was to trade the pick). That may be wishful thinking, however, as Cousins is likely a top five pick (some experts have him going to the Kings with the pick just before the Warriors').

Here's what Kentucky Wildcats Examiner Andrew Hardison had to say about Cousins.

Q: Can you give Warriors fans a brief description of his game?

A: Cousins was one of the most dominate players in all of college basketball last season simply because he is a monster in the low-post area and possesses an advanced skill set around the basket. No one could compare to Cousins’ physical demeanor during the 2009-2010 season, not even guys like Cole Aldrich of Kansas, Hassan Whiteside of Marshall, or Solomon Alabi of Florida State. Cousins was simply too much for opponents to handle down low and Kentucky benefited greatly from his presence.

The former big man from Kentucky has great hands, feet, and instincts as a center. He’s a better passer than most would give him credit for despite averaging only 1.0 assist a game. If he controls his weight and hits the gym, there is no telling how much of a force he could be for a team like the Golden State Warriors.

Q: How do you think he would fit in with the Warriors' up-tempo style?

A: With guys like Monta Ellis, Stephen Curry and Anthony Morrow in the back court, Cousins has a chance to benefit from a style of play that is similar to what Kentucky used last year. What is intriguing is the amount of three-pointers Golden State attempts in a game. Cousins could once again benefit from this with his ability to pass out of the post, setting up teammates for easy, open looks. If that’s the case, Cousins could very well lead the league in assists for a player at his position.

The flip side is that Cousins would also benefit from having so many talented guards running the court. Warriors combo guard Stephen Curry could very well play the role of John Wall if Cousins were to end up with Golden State; Cousins benefiting from a selfless, heady point guard. That means a lot of open and easy shots for Cousins.


With the NBA draft about a month away (June 24), my goal is to lean on fellow Examiners to provide scouting reports for some of the players the Warriors may be considering taking with the sixth overall pick, with a special slant toward how these players would fit in with Golden State.

The first of the occasional scouting reports is on DeMarcus Cousins of Kentucky. In a poll here, 54 percent of voters said they want the Warriors to get the 6-11 freshman (the second choice, at 32 percent, was to trade the pick). That may be wishful thinking, however, as Cousins is likely a top five pick (some experts have him going to the Kings with the pick just before the Warriors').

Here's what Kentucky Wildcats Examiner Andrew Hardison had to say about Cousins.

Q: Can you give Warriors fans a brief description of his game?

A: Cousins was one of the most dominate players in all of college basketball last season simply because he is a monster in the low-post area and possesses an advanced skill set around the basket. No one could compare to Cousins’ physical demeanor during the 2009-2010 season, not even guys like Cole Aldrich of Kansas, Hassan Whiteside of Marshall, or Solomon Alabi of Florida State. Cousins was simply too much for opponents to handle down low and Kentucky benefited greatly from his presence.

The former big man from Kentucky has great hands, feet, and instincts as a center. He’s a better passer than most would give him credit for despite averaging only 1.0 assist a game. If he controls his weight and hits the gym, there is no telling how much of a force he could be for a team like the Golden State Warriors.

Q: How do you think he would fit in with the Warriors' up-tempo style?

A: With guys like Monta Ellis, Stephen Curry and Anthony Morrow in the back court, Cousins has a chance to benefit from a style of play that is similar to what Kentucky used last year. What is intriguing is the amount of three-pointers Golden State attempts in a game. Cousins could once again benefit from this with his ability to pass out of the post, setting up teammates for easy, open looks. If that’s the case, Cousins could very well lead the league in assists for a player at his position.

The flip side is that Cousins would also benefit from having so many talented guards running the court. Warriors combo guard Stephen Curry could very well play the role of John Wall if Cousins were to end up with Golden State; Cousins benefiting from a selfless, heady point guard. That means a lot of open and easy shots for Cousins.

(Note: According to report in The Chronicle, Cousins had 16.4 percent body fat, the second most among players measured at the draft combine.)

Source: Examiner

 

DeMarcus Cousins is "Benoit Bejamin"



(05-21) 22:11 PDT -- Only one of The Chronicle's top 14 draft prospects participated in the basketball portion of the combine in Chicago on Thursday and Friday, but that didn't get in the way of some intriguing story lines and debates developing from the strength and agility drills and interviews.

Warriors point guard Stephen Curry and Minnesota point guard Jonny Flynn are already jousting for Wesley Johnson. Curry said he thinks the swingman from Syracuse might end up being the best pro from the draft pool, and Flynn called Johnson this week to say he would look good in a Timberwolves uniform.

Minnesota has the No. 4 selection, two spots ahead of the Warriors.

Curry doesn't think general manager Larry Riley will ask for his input on the draft, but the rookie has an answer ready, just in case. "Pick Seth," Curry joked. His brother, Seth, transferred from Liberty to Duke last season and is expected to contribute to the defending national champs this season.

Outside views: Scouts are extremely guarded when voicing opinions about their own teams at this time of year, but they love talking about everybody else. When asked which prospects would best fit the Warriors, the most popular answers were Georgetown power forward Greg Monroe in the first round and Maryland combo guard Greivis Vasquez in the second.

"Just think what (coach Don Nelson) would do with Monroe, a 7-footer who was the best passer in college basketball," one scout said. Monroe, who is 6-11, has shown up for many of his predraft workouts and interviews in a suit, showing he is ready for a job interview.

Differing views: A debate about whether Kentucky power forward/center DeMarcus Cousins will end up being a better value than the consensus top two picks - Kentucky point guard John Wall and Ohio State shooting guard Evan Turner - emerged at the combine.

"You just don't want to be wrong when it comes to a player of that size who could be that good," one NBA decision-maker said of Cousins, who checked in at 6-10 3/4 and 292 pounds. Cousins is the most productive big man in the draft pool, but he has been haunted by damaging rumors about his attitude and had the combine's second-worst percentage of body fat at 16.4.

"He is Benoit Benjamin," said a source in the Warriors' camp. Benjamin struggled with weight issues for nine teams in 15 seasons after being selected with the No. 3 overall pick in 1985.

Briefly: Kentucky's Patrick Patterson was the lone probable lottery pick who participated in basketball drills. New Orleans, which holds the No. 11 pick, canceled interviews with players who skipped that portion of the workouts. ... Marshall center Hassan Whiteside's wingspan was measured at a combine-best 7-7. ... Kansas center Cole Aldrich must play in platform sneakers, measuring 2 1/4 inches taller in shoes than in socks (6-9). ... Terrico White, a 6-5, 203-pound guard from Mississippi, was the most chiseled at 3.7 percent body fat. ... English 19-year-old Ryan Richards sent some decision-makers scrambling to find game tape. ... Jordan Crawford had a combine-best 36-inch vertical jump, though many scouts still viewed Stanley Robinson as the best athlete in the camp.



Source: SF Gate

 

The measurements via ESPN:

NBA DRAFT COMBINE MEASUREMENTS
Player

No step vert

Max vert

Bench press (185 lbs)

Lane agility

3/4 court sprint
reach
Solomon Alabi 22.5 26.0 10 13.2 3.68
Cole Aldrich 23.0 28.0 10 11.48 3.35
Al-Farouq Aminu 27.0 33.5 13 11.29 3.3
James Anderson 30.0 35.5 14 11.86 3.19
Luke Babbitt 29.5 37.5 15 10.98 3.4
Eric Bledsoe -N-a -N-a 9 -N-a -N-a
Trevor Booker 31.0 36.0 22 11.15 3.1
Craig Brackins 26.0 35.0 6 11.65 3.39
Avery Bradley 31.5 37.5 2 11.47 3.14
Derrick Caracter 25.0 30.5 22 12.78 3.61
Sherron Collins 27.5 33.0 -N-a 12.31 3.24
DeMarcus Cousins 23.5 27.5 -N-a 11.4 3.55
Jordan Crawford 31.5 34.5 7 11.03 3.37
Ed Davis 31.0 36.0 -N-a 11.7 3.21
Devin Ebanks 23.5 32.0 6 11.69 3.44
Derrick Favors 31.5 35.5 14 11.74 3.25
Keith Gallon 23.5 28.5 14 13.44 3.7
Charles Garcia 24.5 30.5 2 11.65 3.23
Paul George -N-a -N-a 4 -N-a -N-a
Luke Harangody 24.0 28.5 23 11.83 3.41
Manny Harris -N-a -N-a 11 -N-a -N-a
Lazar Hayward 31.0 36.0 15 10.87 3.31
Gordon Hayward 30.5 34.5 10 11.73 3.22
Xavier Henry 28.5 36.5 8 11.1 3.18
Darington Hobson 29.0 34.0 -N-a 11.68 3.25
Damion James 29.0 33.0 13 10.89 3.2
Armon Johnson 31.5 38.5 18 11.25 3.19
Wesley Johnson 32.0 37.0 16 11.43 3.14
Dominique Jones 26.0 32.5 19 10.88 3.31
Jerome Jordan -N-a -N-a -N-a -N-a -N-a
Sylven Landesberg 28.0 32.0 8 11.59 3.36
Gani Lawal 27.0 31.5 20 11.61 3.24
Greg Monroe 25.0 29.0 15 12.1 3.35
Daniel Orton 24.0 30.5 13 12.32 3.39
Artsiom Parakhouski 25.5 26.5 16 12.07 3.33
Patrick Patterson 28.5 33.5 17 11.14 3.25
Dexter Pittman -N-a -N-a -N-a -N-a -N-a
Andy Rautins 23.5 30.5 8 11.27 3.49
Ryan Richards 25.0 28.5 4 11.33 3.37
Stanley Robinson -N-a 37.5 6 11.65 3.23
Larry Sanders 25.5 28.0 7 12.49 3.27
Jon Scheyer -N-a -N-a -N-a -N-a -N-a
Lance Stephenson 27.0 33.0 10 11.39 3.38
Mikhail Torrance 23.0 32.0 8 11.43 3.17
Evan Turner 27.5 34.5 9 11.06 3.27
Ekpe Udoh 31.0 33.5 10 11.15 3.29
Jarvis Varnado 29.5 32.5 3 11.61 3.37
Greivis Vasquez -N-a -N-a -N-a -N-a -N-a
John Wall 30.0 39.0 -N-a 10.84 3.14
Willie Warren 23.0 31.5 10 11.21 3.5
Terrico White 31.0 40.0 10 11.38 3.15
Hassan Whiteside 27.0 31.5 12 11.83 3.54

And here is a smaller sample of players of possible interest to us:
Derrick Favors 31.5 35.5 14 11.74 3.25
DeMarcus Cousins 23.5 27.5 -N-a 11.4 3.55
Wesley Johnson 32.0 37.0 16 11.43 3.14
Al-Farouq Aminu 27.0 33.5 13 11.29 3.3
Greg Monroe 25.0 29.0 15 12.1 3.35
Cole Aldrich 23.0 28.0 10 11.48 3.35
Ekpe Udoh 31.0 33.5 10 11.15 3.29
Ed Davis 31.0 36.0 -N-a 11.7 3.21
Hassan Whiteside 27.0 31.5 12 11.83 3.54
Solomon Alabi 22.5 26.0 10 13.2 3.68

Favors tested out really well but Ed Davis slightly edged him in most categories. Granted, Davis weighed in at 226 lbs while Favors is 245 lbs. Still should help Davis' stock. Udoh's no step vert was really good but he didn't add much on his max vert. He did really well overall too. Wes Johnson is a FREAK.

The rest of the bigs put up pretty pedestrian numbers. We expected as much from Cousins, Aldrich, Monroe but Whiteside and Aminu's numbers are low. FWIW Alabi was coming off an ankle injury but I think hes been mentioned on here so I put him in there.

These mostly just confirm what we already knew. The most impactful conclusions I can draw from these are a) Udoh tested out pretty well while Monroe and Aldrich did as poorly and maybe even worse than we were expecting and b) Ed Davis tested out really well and could sneak into the discussion where we're picking.

 

Hot rumor ...


The Golden State Warriors have the sixth pick in the NBA draft on June 24 and are thinking of taking young University of Kansas guard Xavier Henry, according to the San Jose Mercury News.

Warriors general manager Larry Riley tells the paper that the team will go with the best player available rather than filling a hole on the team, which means Henry, the 19-year-old shooting-guard, is a possibility for a team that doesn't need a shooting guard.

"They made it clear that they were really interested in me," Henry told the Mercury News. "I think I showed them everything they wanted to see. I think I should at least be in contention for it."