Steinmetz: Warriors' backcourt in need of a major overhaul

SAN FRANCISCO — A few days ago after a Warriors practice, coach Don Nelson was talking to a couple of reporters as he looked out onto the court and watched his squad taking part in some informal shooting.

“We’re not that far away from being a pretty good team,” Nelson said. “With the right move or two, we could be all right.”

A reporter retorted: “Well, I’m not sure that can happen unless you get a point guard in here.”

Responded Nelson, with a smile: “How do you know that’s not one of the moves I’m talking about?”

It was only a month or so ago when Nelson was asked if the Warriors needed a true point guard even though the roster was guard-heavy. His answer: “We’ve got plenty of ones and twos.”

Apparently, not the right one.

As the season wears on, it’s becoming more obvious that if the Warriors are to make any meaningful strides before next season, they will likely have to change their backcourt dynamic.

Thing is, though, if Monta Ellis is part of the future, then the point guard we’re talking about has to have certain qualities: size enough to defend opposing shooting guards and skill enough to run the offense.

Oh, and one more thing ... the player has to have experience because it’s unrealistic to think a young point guard can come in here right away and make it work.

That narrows the field. Still, here are three options:

Andre Miller, Philadelphia Sixers. Miller, who is a free agent at the end of the season, is 33 and a tad past his prime.

But his numbers are more than respectable (16.7 ppg, 6.4 apg, 4.5 rpg, 48.7 percent from the field), and he would be a perfect bridge until the Warriors find their young point of the future.

Miller isn’t necessarily considered an “up-tempo guard,” but take a closer look. He’s very willing and very effective at kicking the ball ahead, and he also makes consistently sound decisions in transitions.

No, he doesn’t go end-to-end, but he finds the right guy on the break, and he would dramatically raise the basketball IQ of the Warriors.

Miller also is the perfect kind of perimeter defender for Nelson, the type of guard who can switch on lots of pick-and-roll situations.
Who knows whether Miller would be interested in the midlevel exception or even if the Warriors will end up using theirs. But a sign-and-trade would be one way to try to get him.

Jason Kidd, Dallas Mavericks. Kidd is also a free agent at the end of the season and is even older than Miller. And the talk in Dallas has Kidd returning. No doubt, Kidd is winding down his career.

But he’s still got a couple (few?) years left, and there is little doubt that he would really help the Warriors’ young players mature and develop.

Kirk Hinrich, Chicago Bulls. Hinrich is another big guard who would fit the bill, however he’s got three years remaining on his deal at pretty significant money: $26.5 million.

That contract does go down, however: $9.5 million in 2009-10, and then to $9 million and $8 million.

With Derrick Rose the point guard of the future in Chicago, it remains to be seen what kind of role — if any — Hinrich will have with the Bulls.
  
Matt Steinmetz is the NBA insider for Warriors telecasts on Comcast SportsNet Bay Area. E-mail him at msteinmetz@sfexaminer.com.