Shaun Livingston, Brandon Rush, Steve Kerr and an entirely new coaching staff were the main acquisitions for a team hoping to take the next step after a 51-win season and an early playoff exit.
There were discussions about acquiring a certain stretch-4 All-Star that would’ve completely changed the outlook of this team. After talks lasted nearly the entire summer, the Warriors opted to keep their own guy and continue splashing.
-== Speights Has Earned His Playing Time ==-
The new coaching regime preached increased ball movement, awareness and a system loosely based on the San Antonio Spurs. Taking over a playoff team, Steve Kerr took over a team with great expectations and hopes for immediate improvement.
There were new players, schemes and another sleeved jersey heading into this new season. The microscope was on the stars, understandably, but as everyone was focused on the cornerstones, it was the other guys that took it to heart.
Marreese Speights struggled in his first season with the Warriors. It wasn’t for lack of effort, he just didn’t seem like a
good fit with the team. He had a 32-point effort against his former team, the Philadelphia 76ers, but was otherwise an afterthought.
Speights was rarely seen as dependable, and with Festus Ezeli sidelined the need for a consistent big off the bench was necessary. Coming into this season, many thought the Warriors would sign an additional body in the frontcourt.
The Warriors went without signing anyone in the frontcourt, keeping Mo Speights as the primary backup depending on matchups and rotations. A worrisome proposition in the off-season, Speights has begun to prove his doubters wrong with strong play in the last slew of games.
It’s not that Mo’s simply making more shots – he made plenty last season – it’s being in the correct spots, grabbing rebounds, hustle plays and the consistent effort that has contributed to the resurgence of a once downtrodden player.
As we saw last season, no one is harder on the man than the man himself. “I’m hard on myself because I don’t like when people score on me or I miss easy shots,” Speights said in the locker room after the team’s 112-87 win over the Charlotte Hornets.
“I just think about it for a couple minutes and I’ll be back right,” he continued. That’s the beauty of a Mo Speights. For much of last season, this attitude was frowned upon. The act of dismissal doesn’t work when mistakes are being made. It’s unnatural and seen as a lack of care.
If Speights can give the Dubs consistent play while on the floor, he could be a huge plus that nobody was expecting. I am still concerned about what happens if Bogut and Ezeli get hurt again and miss time, since O’Neal is gone, and Kuzmic is not ready for prime time. Speights is hardly a permanent answer at the 5 hole.