Golden State Warriors: Projected 2014 Starting Lineup

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The Golden State Warriors were a solid team last season. They made the playoffs and took the L.A. Clippers to seven games while their starting center was injured. They missed out on Kevin Love but still have hopes of improving even more. They arguably have the best starting backcourt in the NBA alongside a solid front line. Barring any unlikely injuries and/or trades, the starting lineup for the Warriors should look like this:

Point Guard – Stephen Curry:

The best three-point shooter in the NBA, Curry is the only player that is going to be starting for the Warriors at the point guard spot. He has great handles and is a creative passer, opening up many opportunities for his teammates.

He has had injury troubles in the past – due to bad ankle injuries – but he had a couple of really nice bounce back seasons, proving that Golden State made the right decision when they chose him instead of Monta Ellis. Over the past two seasons, no one in the NBA has made more three-pointers than Stephen Curry. He has really impressed, starting in the All-Star game last season.

Shooting Guard – Klay Thompson:

The only thing that seemed to hold back the Warriors when attempting to trade for Kevin Love was their unwillingness to give up Klay Thompson. The young shooting guard is a definite starter on pretty much every team in the NBA, developing into one of the premier three-point shooters (alongside Curry) and a premier two guard.

Second to only his teammate in total three-pointers made last season, Thompson is a terrific shooter. He also brings great defense. He was given the task of guarding Chris Paul in the playoffs, holding his own while still producing on the offensive end.

The Warriors surely won’t regret keeping Thompson.

Small Forward – Andre Iguodala:

A defensive beast and a clutch shooter, Andre Iguodala is a very important player to Golden State. He can shoot the three and although he isn’t the most reliable shooter, a team should have the full confidence to give him the ball with the clock winding down.

He took the starting spot from Harrison Barnes when he signed with the Warriors, but he is definitely a better player. He deserves to start. With Barnes breathing down his neck as he should be, Iguodala will have to play like he always has to hold down the starting spot.

Power Forward – David Lee:

In the NBA, there are many great power forwards. But, David Lee gets put in the category below that, he’s considered ‘good’. Not known for his defense – and he shouldn’t be – Lee is a solid player on the offensive end. He also has a decent post game and he can pass the ball.

Lee will definitely start; he is the best power forward in the Warriors organization. Unless Golden State pulls an incredible trade to upgrade at the four position, Lee is the only option aside from Marreese Speights.

Center – Andrew Bogut:

With a history of injuries, the Warriors will be lucky if he can stay healthy for the entire regular season, especially in the playoffs. Last season, the Warriors probably could have upset the Clippers in the first round, getting to seven games without him.

He is a great passer, especially as a center. He has a solid post game along with enough athleticism to catch alley-oop passes off the pick and roll. He is the Warriors best front line player and is their only real solid center. He is a great player when healthy, and hopefully he can stay healthy for a whole season.