From: terry@leland.Stanford.EDU (Terry Wong)
Subject: Re: Warriors big men
Organization: DSG, Stanford University, CA 94305, USA
Date: Thu, 7 Jan 93 02:36:19 GMT

In article <C0G7r4.GnJ@unix.amherst.edu>, hrfortso@unix.amherst.edu (HARDY RYAN FORTSON) writes:
|> This is more or less in response to the rumor of trading Hill and Owens for
|> Schrempf and Smits.  I do not think that it would be a good trade for the
|> Warriors to make.  Schrempf is a great player, but he may not remain that
|> way for more than a couple of years.  He is a good shooter (and the Warriors
|> already have plenty of those) and a good rebounder (although last I checked,
|> the Warriors on average outrebound their opponents), but (call me optimistic)
|> Owens will be better in both of these areas in a couple of years (at least, he
|> will have the skills to be so even if Nelson doesn't let him utilize these 
|> skills).  Owens is a better all-around player than Kenny Anderson, Mutombo,
|> and even Richmond.  I do not think that the Warriors should mortgage their
|> future for a player that probably isn't the missing link. 

Don Nelson loves Schrempf and I agree with him -- he is one of the ten
best all-around players in the game today, and should be at that level
for at least a few more years.  Schrempf is an excellent scorer, both
inside and outside, and a better rebounder than Owens.

This trade hinges on how good you believe
Owens can be.  The Warriors are not all that sure on that point.  They
were disappointed that Owens came into camp weighing 240 pounds this year
and before his knee injury, disappointed in his play.  While his outside
shooting has improved, he is still a lousy free throw shooter, and
has shown an inability to guard bigger men.  Owens has the tag of having
great potential -- the Warriors are not sure that this potential will ever
pan out, and perhaps Owen's trade value will never be higher.

|> Smits is a
|> fairly good shot blocker and an OK offensive player, but he can't rebound
|> (which is why Schrempf gets so many rebound opportunities).  His biggest
|> asset is size.  However, size alone will not answer the Warriors problems.
|> Phoenix is not any bigger than the Warriors (and probably smaller) and look
|> at how well they are doing.  

Good point and one that I have been considering making for some time.
The Warriors lack of a "Big Man" is overblown -- nobody accuses Phoenix,
which is even a smaller team, of mismanagement because they have not
gotten bigger players.

|> The reason is Barkley the Enforcer.  The Warriors
|> do not need size so much as they need an intimidating defensive player.  If
|> one of the Warriors "big men" (Alexander, Hill, Gatling) could learn to play
|> with a little more power, the Warriors would be that much closer to a
|> championship.  (I know it probably won't happen this year, but be patient.)

Byron Houston is the best bet on the Warriors at becoming an enforcer.
He is already the team's best low-post defensive player and has guarded
big guys like Hakeem Olajuwon and Shaquille O'Neal well.  It would be nice
for Alexander to play more aggressively.  Of the 3 guys you mentioned,
only Alexander has the physical attributes to become more of an intimidator.

|> Assuming that Owens (a decent defensive player himself) comes back in a couple
|> of weeks, the Warriors will have to adjust their starting line-up.  The 
|> forwards will be Owens and Mullin and the guards Hardaway and Sprewell.

This is one of the reasons that the Owens rumor has been circulating.
Owens has already shown that he is often physically overmatched at the
power forward spot, and Tyrone Hill has been playing terrifically at power
forward.  Owens' best spot is small forward, but Chris Mullin already
occupies that spot, and is quite possibly the best small forward in the
NBA today.  

|> Of the three "big men" (all of which are around 6-10), I think that Hill
|> has the potential to develop into a decent defensive center who can also
|> rebound and play offense.  It would help if he could add a little bit more
|> mass to his frame.  But not as much as Alexander, who is a bit too slow for
|> what the Warriors need.  Gatling is better at offense than defense and should
|> be Owens' backup.  Heck, Houston did a good job guarding Hakeem in the two
|> recent Warriors games.  Just don't have him in for the tip-off.

The Warriors tried Hill at center with Owens at power forward at the
beginning of this year, and failed miserably.  Since Hill has moved over
to power forward, his play has improved dramatically.  Hill is too short
and too thin to be an NBA center.  His assets are his quickness and
running ability.  Those assets would be diminished if he bulked up.
Hill is definitely not the answer at center.

				terry@garfield.Stanford.EDU
Newsgroups: rec.sport.basketball.pro