Golden State Warriors Mailbag: Bigs, Playoff Prediction, and More!

Dec 14, 2014; New Orleans, LA, USA; Golden State Warriors forward Draymond Green (23) reacts after scoring in overtime of a game against the New Orleans Pelicans at the Smoothie King Center. The Warriors defeated the Pelicans 128-122 in overtime. Mandatory Credit: Derick E. Hingle-USA TODAY Sports

Great question, Nick! As Green and Harrison Barnes approach possible contract extensions, this is obviously a very relevant question but also a very tough question to answer.

Honestly, when I first saw this question, one name immediately jumped out to me, in terms of who I would definitely keep. And that’s Green. He is the Hunter Pence of the Warriors, as pointed out in my comparison of Warriors and Giants players, and when you have a Pence on your roster, you don’t let them go. As Steve Kerr has said, Green is the heartbeat of this Warriors team. He’s the vocal leader, he’s the sparkplug, and he’s the loyal, tough teammate that everyone wants.

In addition, he’s elevated this Warriors team, defensively, to new heights. He also gives the Warriors a unique stretch four, who can shoot the three, defend, rebound, pass, and do just about everything well. He also can guard about three positions, but not one position can properly guard him, given his size, shooting, and rebounding ability.

Green is definitely one I’d keep.

In terms of the second one that I’d keep, that’s where it gets a little tricky. My first instinct is to get rid of Lee, just because he becomes less valuable to this Warriors team with Green’s development and the skills that Marreese Speights provides.

However, I’m a big believer in team chemistry and veteran leadership, and that’s exactly what Lee provides. Some fans might knock Lee’s production, but he’s also somewhat of a fan favorite because he’s been on this Warriors team for a while, he’s seen the good, the bad, and the ugly, and he has a friendly, funny personality.

It’s also hard to get rid of Andre Iguodala, for similar reasons. He’s a veteran with experience, and he adds to the Warriors’ team chemistry. In addition, he has a high basketball IQ, he’s an elite defender, he’s versatile, he’s great in transition, and he’s clutch. He fits into the Warriors’ system beautifully.

Barnes is another tricky case. He’s shown improvement this season in his rebounding, his spatial awareness, his movement around the court, and his confidence. However, is this improvement because he’s playing a better system that suits his style and Kerr has found a way to coach him more effectively than in the past? Or is it that he’s actually improved and will continue to improve vastly throughout the season and the upcoming seasons? That’s hard to tell.

Barnes certainly has potential, and although his game can frustrate me at times, I do love his professionalism, his demeanor, and his humility. He’s the type of player any team would want in their franchise and want representing their franchise on a nightly basis.

The first player I’d let go of is Lee. For Lee, I would mostly want to get rid of his large contract, but I’d also consider that other players on the team fit better into Kerr’s system, such as Speights and Green. Although it’d be tough to let go of his leadership and positive attitude, I think it’d be best for the team, if they could only keep two of those listed players.

That leaves Iguodala and Barnes.

I would have to choose to keep Iguodala. Barnes provides athleticism and youth, but both of those qualities can be replaced by Iguodala or other players on the roster such as Justin Holiday and Thompson. Iguodala is a better defender than Barnes, he has more experience, and his versatility provides more to this Warriors team.

As of now, I love having all four of those players on the team. If I had to pick only two to keep in the future though, I’d pick Green and Igoudala.

Next: How Far Will the Warriors Go?