David Lee speaks
Media Day will be first time since the playoff loss to the Clippers that we’ll hear from Lee. Did the trade rumors irk Lee? What about his future in Golden State? Will Lee touch on the rumors of Mark Jackson squashing the “#FullSquad” movement last season when he refused to allow the team to wear the shirts (which Lee had printed) in the locker-room?
Copyright 2014 NBAE (Photo by Ned Dishman/NBAE via Getty Images)
Lee has quietly spent the summer redefining his body and jump shot which completely betrayed him last season. Lee has been in the gym his personal trainer Drew Hanlen re-configuring his shooting motion and working to expand his shooting range. Hanlen spoke to us about his work with Lee and how they’re making Lee a better player, you can read the interview here.
Ghost of Mark Jackson
The Warriors endured heavy criticism following their decision to rid Mark Jackson of his head coaching duties this off-season. Jackson was coming off back-to-back 50+ win seasons at the time of the firing and the decision had staunch supporters of Jackson in the media and the fanbase questioning the Warriors letting go of a coach who had helped turn the franchise around.
The Warriors-Jackson divorce became messy as accusations and rumors ran wild immediately after the firing. Jackson detractors pointed towards his lack-luster offensive strategy, relaxed work schedule and inability to get along with his staff as reasons for his firing. Our very own, Jesse Taylor wrote about the Jackson saga earlier this summer, you can read the article, here.
Will any Warriors player voice their displeasure of the Jackson firing during Media Day? Over/Under on questions about Mark Jackson on Media Day is set at 15.
Draymond Green: Stretch-4
Is Draymond Green ready for a more prominent role? Can he produce consistently on the offensive end of the court? Can Green get his 3-point shooting percentage in the 40 percentile? The Warriors are hoping the answer to all these questions will be a resounding “Yes”. Green was the best Warriors big-man in the postseason as he held his own vs Blake Griffin and sparked the Warriors in the series vs the Clippers. Green’s ability to defend has never been questioned, if he can get his offensive output near or to the level of his defense- look out. Green will be eligible to become a restricted free-agent next season and he’ll be looking to cash-out. With an emphasis on ball-movement and having a stretch-4 on the court, Green is in prime position to have a breakout year and take his game to the next level.
Harrison Barnes: Boom or Bust?
We’ve heard all summer about how hard Barnes has worked on becoming a better player. We heard the same things last summer and it led to Barnes having a forgetful second season. Barnes will be looking to recapture the form he had in the 2012-2013 playoffs where he played the best basketball of his professional career. Barnes strggled mightly last season as he dealt with nagging injuries, the arrival of Andre Iguodala and a coach who routinely didn’t put Barnes in the best possible position to succeed. Barnes never found his groove last season coming off the bench as he shared playing time with a mediocre at best bench crew who lacked the ability to pass the ball and settled for iso, after iso, after iso, all season long.
Getting more out of Barnes is going to be vital for the Warriors moving forward. Barnes has to provide the team with a legit scoring threat off the bench and the ability to rebound when playing minutes at the 4 spot. It’s year 3 for Barnes and we should find out if he was a boom pick or a bust. Barnes didn’t speak much to the media last season so it’ll be interesting to hear what he has to say on Media Day about his sophomore season troubles, Mark Jackson and how he’ll look to turn it around under Steve Kerr.
Brandon Rush’s Return
Brandon Rush returns to the Warriors after a season to forget in Utah. The Warriors swingman is close to 18 months removed from ACL surgery and will look to revive his career in Golden State. Rush tore his ACL at Oracle in early November 2012 and is just now getting his leg back to 100%. The status of Rush’s knee and his confidence in his knee will both be questions he’ll be looking to answer on Media Day. When healthy, Rush gives the Warriors another 3-and-D guy who can guard multiple positions and stretch the floor. His ability to run the floor and finish in transition will also be an added benefit coming off the bench. Will the Warriors ease Rush into things or will he have a full-slate of activities from the start of camp? That’s something to keep an eye on.
Mo Speights: Can he find the J?
If someone told you Mo Speights was one of the best jump-shooting bigs in the NBA, what would you say? If you based it on last season, you’d probably laugh. Speights is coming off a horrendous offensive season in which he never was able to consistently his jumpshot and wasn’t in the best shape physically all season. Speights’ career averages show us he’s a damn good mid-range shooter and his ability to knock that shot down will give him significant playing time backing up Andrew Bogut. Speights is the de-facto back-up Center at the moment as no one really knows when Festus Ezeli will return or how he’ll look after missing the entire 2013-14 season following knee surgery. Speights has spoke about re-dedicating himself phsyically to get in great shape for camp and working hard to find his shooting stroke. Media Day will also be the first time he’ll have an oppurtunity to discuss his DUI this summer.