Anthony Morrow, the league's most accurate three-point shooter last year, was concentrating on a series of agility drills with strength and conditioning coach John Murray on Thursday. The Warriors' wing, though, had to wonder what was happening on the other court at the team's Oakland facility.
Two days after Louisville wing Terrence Williams said the Warriors are interested in selecting him in the June 25 draft, they worked out another wing, USC freshman DeMar DeRozan on Thursday. The Warriors will also evaluate Louisville wing Earl Clark and Wake Forest's James Johnson as part of a six-player workout Saturday. Arizona power forward Jordan Hill will work out individually next Friday.
It all makes for an interesting start to the workout portion of the pre-draft evaluations for the Warriors , as they're already loaded at wing. They have Morrow, Kelenna Azubuike, Marco Belinelli, Jamal Crawford, Stephen Jackson and Corey Maggette to play the shooting guard and small forward positions.
The consensus is that the Warriors need either a point guard to spell Monta Ellis or to allow him to move back to his natural off-guard spot. The company line has been that Ellis can become a true point guard, but that hasn't stopped the rumor mill from churning at a high-speed pace.
The Dallas Morning News suggested that the Warriors might trade Jackson. The Warriors' link to trading for Chris Bosh hasn't slowed, despite Toronto saying its goal is to keep the power forward. And, every couple of weeks, Baron Davis is reportedly offered back to Golden State.
The Warriors haven't confirmed any of the reports, but general manager Larry Riley did have a jocular suggestion for the media to figure out who they're going to draft and what moves may coincide with the pick.
"We'll just let you guys vote," Riley joked.
DeRozan, a 6-foot-5 1/2 19-year-old, didn't seem at all intimidated by the chance of entering a positional logjam in Golden State. The athletic wing, who dunked for the first time in the sixth grade and showed off a 38 1/2-inch vertical leap at the combine, said he is ready to compete.
"Just because they have a lot of players at my position, it doesn't mean anything," DeRozan said. "A lot of players come in and takes people's spots."
DeRozan has already worked out for Toronto, which has the No. 9 pick, and has scheduled workouts with Oklahoma City No. 3, Sacramento No. 4 and Minnesota No. 6.
He left Oakland thinking it was a real possibility that he could return.
"I get a feeling that coach Don Nelson is really interested," DeRozan said. "He talked to me, told me I did well and said he'll see me soon."
DeMar DeRozan file 6-feet-5 1/2, 211 pounds Guard/forward USC freshman, 2008-09, 33.4 minutes, 13.9 points, 5.7 rebounds, 16.7 percent three-point shooting
