Name: How Marquese Chriss’ emergence affects Warriors’ draft decisions
Brand: sfchronicle.com
SKU: sfchronicle-com-133
Availability: OnlineOnly

critic

How Marquese Chriss’ emergence affects Warriors’ draft decisions

preview

This is a carousel. Use Next and Previous buttons to navigateMarquese Chriss has seen mock drafts projecting the Warriors to take former Memphis center James Wiseman with their top-5 pick in June’s NBA draft.Though he doesn’t seek out such speculation, Chriss might click a link if he stumbles upon it on Instagram or Twitter. The arrival of Wiseman likely would hurt Chriss’ chances of building off a . But over the past seven months, as he played on three contracts with the Warriors, Chriss came to realize that his new team is more invested in him than his previous three.Golden State views Chriss as a potential franchise building block, whose knack for rim-running, passing and interior defense makes him an ideal fit in its system. The front office is so optimistic about his future, according to multiple sources, that it would be comfortable entering next season with him as the starting center.This makes the Warriors less apt to use an early pick on Wiseman — or any other big man, for that matter — than some pundits might assume. When Golden State won three NBA titles in four years, it relied on a center rotation light on scoring. In their motion offense, the Warriors want someone who can post up on the right block, draw defenses toward him and kick out to open shooters.Though Wiseman is a capable passer, he doesn’t possess the court vision or timing of Chriss. In 20.3 minutes per game this season, Chriss, 22, averaged a career-high 1.9 assists. Signed during training camp largely for his mastery of dribble handoffs, he wasn’t able to showcase that skill as Stephen Curry missed more than four months with a broken left hand.“I’m just thankful to have an organization that believes in me,” Chriss said. “At the end of the day, if they do draft (Wiseman), I know they’re making the best decision that they can for this team and that they feel will be beneficial for us to win a championship.“As a team player, I want to win and I want to be a part of the team. Whatever role I have to have to make that happen, I’ll take on.”If this is the offseason, it would be Chriss’ first with his team’s full support since Sacramento picked him eighth overall out of Washington in the 2016 NBA draft (and then traded him to Phoenix). After Chriss showed flashes of his potential as a rookie with the Suns, he , twice being traded (to Houston, then Cleveland) before he turned down multiple two-way-contract offers last fall for a training-camp invite with the Warriors.In Golden State, he found a stable environment with coaches intent on maximizing his strengths. This was a far cry from his first three NBA seasons when, thanks to a smooth form and 6-foot-9, 240-pound frame, Chriss had been asked to be a “stretch” power forward who spotted up for multiple 3-pointers per game.It didn’t take Warriors head coach Steve Kerr long to realize that Chriss was best suited to be more of a traditional center. No longer perched beyond the arc, he was finally free to run the floor and throw down alley-oop dunks.Over his final 15 games, Chriss averaged 13.7 points (on 59% shooting), 8.7 rebounds, 2.5 assists and 1.6 blocks in 26.7 minutes. The Warriors’ decision-makers believe that was no aberration. There is a reason why, at just 18 years old, Chriss was a top-10 pick.Now, after nearly having his career derailed by dysfunctional franchises, he has a chance to become a rotational staple for a contender. Six weeks shy of his 23rd birthday, Chriss is the same age as reigning National College Player of the Year and projected lottery pick Obi Toppin of Dayton.Stephen Curry has not only led a Warriors resurgence since entering the league, he has changed the game with his long-distance shooting.Though the Warriors are than Wiseman, a league source told The Chronicle that they are unlikely to use a top-5 pick on Okongwu — especially when they’re not sure he’d be ahead of Chriss on the depth chart. Odds are that, if Golden State traded down into the mid- to late-lottery, Okongwu wouldn’t be available.More Warriors CoverageThis all raises an intriguing question: Why do mock drafts continue to link Wiseman to the Warriors? The likely answer is that, with a two-time MVP at point guard (Curry), one of the league’s best two-way players at shooting guard (Klay Thompson), the 2014-15 Rookie of the Year at small forward (Andrew Wiggins) and the 2016-17 Defensive Player of the Year at power forward (Draymond Green), Golden State’s most glaring need would seem to be center.But that’s not necessarily the case, which is a testament to the trust the Warriors have in someone who was nearly out of the NBA a year ago. With the season suspended indefinitely because of the coronavirus pandemic, Chriss has tried to stay in game shape at his San Francisco apartment, riding a stationary bike and completing team-assigned workouts.Every couple of days, he drives to his hometown of Sacramento to shuttle through drills at a gym with his personal trainer. This routine has helped Chriss tune out chatter about the looming draft — not that he’s fretting.“I think everybody sees the draft stuff, but I don’t think I really think about it,” Chriss said. “I really don’t have an input on it. It’s not something I really research or anything like that.”Connor Letourneau covers the Warriors for The San Francisco Chronicle. Email: Twitter:Stephen Curry has not only led a Warriors resurgence since entering the league, he has changed the game with his long-distance shooting.

This is a carousel. Use Next and Previous buttons to navigateMarquese Chriss has seen mock drafts projecting the Warriors to take former Memphis center James Wiseman with their top-5 pick in June’s NBA draft.Though he doesn’t seek out such speculation, Chriss might click a link if he stumbles upon it on Instagram or Twitter. The arrival of Wiseman likely would hurt Chriss’ chances of building off a . But over the past seven months, as he played on three contracts with the Warriors, Chriss came to realize that his new team is more invested in him than his previous three.Golden State views...

public

Senior NBA and sports enterprise writer for the San Francisco Chronicle. Portland, Ore., native. @thedbk alum. cletourneau@sfchronicle.com

Connor Letourneau

Delivering the Bay Area’s best journalism every day. Subscribe and support the newsroom: http://SFChronicle.com/subscribe

How Marquese Chriss’ emergence affects Warriors’ draft decisions

No article scores yet.

CRITIC REVIEWS

PUBLIC REVIEWS