The Golden State Warriors need someone to step up at center in 2011-12. 25-year old Andris Biedrins needs to get back to being the tough guy under the basket that he used to be a few years ago. Biedrins played in 59 games (55 starts) for the Warriors last year and he averaged 23.7 minutes, 5.0 points, 7.2 rebounds and 1.0 assist per game. He wasn’t very aggressive last year near the basket as he only connected on 10 of 31 (32.3%) free throws. Biedrins has now played in 410 games (267 starts) in his NBA career and he is averaging 24.1 minutes, 7.7 points, 8.0 rebounds, 1.1 assists and 1.2 blocked shots per game. 24-year old Ekpe Udoh will backup Biedrins at center in 2011-12. He played in 58 games (18 starts) as a rookie last year for the Warriors and he averaged 17.8 minutes, 4.1 points, 3.1 rebounds, 0.7 assists and 1.5 blocked shots per game. The Warriors expect more out of Udoh in 2011-12. 20-year old rookie Jeremy Tyler was taken in the second round of the NBA Draft last June. He has played professionally in Isreal & Japan the last two years, so he might be more polished than most players his age.

The Warriors expect more production out of power forward David Lee in his second year with the Warriors. He played in 73 games (all starts) for the Warriors last year and he averaged 36.1 minutes, 16.5 points, 9.8 rebounds, 3.2 assists and 1.0 steal per game. Lee has now played in 441 games (283 starts) in his first six years in the NBA and he is averaging 31.0 minutes, 13.6 points, 9.6 rebounds and 2.1 assists per game. 28-year old Louis Amundson will backup Lee in 2011-12. He played in 46 games (7 starts) for the Warriors last year and he averaged 15.0 minutes, 4.3 points, 4.0 rebounds and 0.4 assists per game. Amundson has now played in 228 games (7 starts) so far in his NBA career and he is averaging 13.4 minutes, 4.1 points, 3.7 rebounds and 0.3 assists per game.

Dwyane Wade kept saying that Dorell Wright was the best athlete on the Heat, but he never really got a chance to play there. That all changed last year when Dorell Wright finally got a chance to show what he can do with the Warriors. Wright played in 82 games (all starts) for the Warriors last year and he averaged 38.4 minutes, 16.4 points, 5.3 rebounds, 3.0 assists and 1.5 steals per game. He has now played in 292 games (138 starts) in his NBA career and he is averaging 24.9 minutes, 9.1 points, 4.1 rebounds and 1.7 assists per game. Wright is going to have another really solid season for the Warriors in 2011-12, as he is a player on the rise.

26-year old shooting guard Monta Ellis was an offensive force last year. He played in 80 games (all starts) for the Warriors last year and he averaged 40.3 minutes, 24.1 points, 3.5 rebounds, 5.6 assists and 2.1 steals per game. Ellis has now played in 376 games (297 starts) in his first six years in the NBA and he is averaging 35.5 minutes, 19.4 points, 3.7 rebounds, 4.2 assists and 1.7 steals per game. The Warriors will cut down Ellis’ minutes just a little bit to keep him fresh and healthy all year long. 21-year old Klay Thompson was taken in the 1st round of the NBA Draft last June. He will be the Warriors’ #3 guard behind Ellis and Stephon Curry. Thompson is a good offense player and he will have to make his magic work in only about 20 minutes per night. 22-year old rookie Charles Jenkins was the Warriors’ 2nd round pick last June. I don’t see him playing much in 2011-12 for the Warriors.

23-year old Stephen Curry will be in charge for the Warriors offensively in 2011-12. Curry played in 74 games (all starts) for the Warriors last year and he averaged 33.6 minutes, 18.6 points, 3.9 rebounds, 5.8 assists and 1.5 steals per game. He has now played in 154 games (151 starts) in his first two years with the Warriors and he has averaged 35.0 minutes, 18.0 points, 4.2 rebounds, 5.9 assists and 1.7 steals per game. He shoots well from everywhere on the court as he has made 47% of his shots from the floor, 43.9% from three point range and 91.1% from the free throw line so far in his NBA career. Curry is a shoot first point guard and with the way he puts the ball in the basket, that’s a good thing. 23-year old Jeremy Lin played in 29 games (0 starts) as a rookie for the Warriors last year and he averaged 9.8 minutes, 2.6 points, 1.2 rebounds, 1.4 assists and 1.1 steals per game.