New Warriors of Southern California

This just has to be stated: The Golden State Warriors are going to deeply miss Baron Davis. There's no way around it. Davis, or "Boom Dizzle"/"B. Diddy," was the reason that the Warriors made a resurgence in the NBA in the past two years. Led and corralled by head coach Don Nelson, Davis was the straw that stirred the Warriors' whole drink situation, and it's not so much that he's gone that makes it hurt so bad, because he was gone a lot just being injured in his first few years in the Golden State--it's worse because he doesn't have a successor that looks to be anywhere near as effective as he was.

In Davis' absence, as he has moved on with his hometown Los Angeles Clippers, Golden State will look to four legitimate candidates to occupy the starting point guard position in Monta Ellis, Dan Dickau, C.J. Watson and Marcus Williams. With Ellis, he would be the obvious man to play the spot, save for his moped injury that will likely keep him out for half of the regular season; he also lacks the mentality of a true distributor and is really a combo guard that leans more toward the off-guard position. Dickau has shown flashes of genuine brilliance when given the chance, especially when he was a New Orleans Hornet, briefly before the Chris Paul era began in 2005, and he can shoot well and run an offense. Watson has the ability to really play, but he is untested and may not have the experience necessary to run a Don Nelson offense to the coach's specifications. The infamous Marcus Williams has a reputation of potential mixed with laziness that has colored his two years in the league thus far, having backed up Jason Kidd in both seasons and showing signs of trifling with his minutes with ineffectiveness, but Williams is the most gifted candidate in the glut.

The good thing about the Warriors is that they are rich in swingmen, but someone will have to pay the cost in the minutes game. Between the 2, 3 and 4 positions, Stephen Jackson, Corey Maggette and Al Harrington all look to be the main men as starters, but that is a very arbitrary observation giving the quirkiness of Nelson's lineups. Italian import Marco Belinelli will get a good look to back up at shooting guard, as will the versatile, multi-talented Kelenna Azibuike (who could see actual minutes as a starter at either guard or small forward). Anthony Morrow and DeMarcus Nelson, both rookies from the Atlantic Coast Conference, will duel it out as well, as either player can play both guard positions (though both are natural shooting guards).

The post positions, power forward and center, look somewhat suspect even with new acquisitions. It is a given truth that Andris Biedrins will be the Warriors' starting center, but everything else concerning the backups' minutes is totally up in the air. One reason for this lack of clarity is because of the body types of the "big" men themselves. Both former lottery picks Brandan Wright and Anthony Randolph are wafer-thin, even though both are considered "power forwards" (and Randolph even less so, considering that he weighs 200 lbs. in a 6'10" frame). Ronny Turiaf of Laker fame is 6'10" and a tough, talented post presence, but isn't a center and is in competition with the aforementioned Wright and Randolph; ditto for rookie forward Richard Hendrix...but on a Don Nelson team, throw out the traditional matchups and you'll have forwards playing guard, guard playing power forward and small-ish forward playing center, so Golden State is theoretically well-stocked.

Don't expect the playoffs without B. Diddy, but don't count the Warriors out of the playoff hunt.