5 Must-See National TV Warriors Games This Season

The NBA released the 2014-15 season schedule on Wednesday and the Golden State Warriors, rewarded with another strong year will have a total of 19 National TV appearances (not including NBA TV). This upcoming season is a major test for the Warriors who seek to move into the upper echelon of the Western Conference. With that being said, let's take a quick look at the five National TV Golden State games you cannot miss.

Golden State vs Oklahoma City | December 18th, 2014 | TNT
Russell Westbrook and Stephen Curry, two of the most elite point guards in the NBA will face off for the second time in the 2014-15 season but this will be the first meeting at the Oracle Arena. With widely distinct skillsets, look for Westbrook to attack aggressively off the dribble while Steph finds his range from downtown. Of course, we cannot forget the reigning MVP Kevin Durant. Last season, two of the three Warriors vs Thunder games came down to only one possession. This year may be no different.

Golden State @ LA Clippers | December 25th, 2014 | TNT
The two California teams who faced each other in last season's first round playoff matchup will once again take the big stage on Christmas Day. This game promises alley-oops, dunks and threes and course, it will be a physical one. Marresse Speights, Draymond Green and Andrew Bogut will do all they can to give Blake Griffin and DeAndre Jordan an earful. History says it may be possible that we see a lot of technicals and flagrants. While everyone is certain to tune in to LeBron's Miami return on this special occasion, the Dubs/Clips matchup is one that cannot be slept on.

Golden State vs Cleveland | January 9th, 2015 | ESPN
LeBron and the Cavaliers will make their only visit to Golden State on this date. Our eyes will all be on The King but let us not forget that Kevin Love will be in a Cavs jersey. Golden State reportedly was unwilling to part with Klay Thompson in a Love trade this offseason. Thus, this matchup could become an evaluation of whether the Warriors front office made the right decision for the team.

Golden State vs San Antonio | February 20th, 2015 | ESPN
Prior to the extended All-Star break, the Dubs will get another chance to face the defending NBA Champions on their home floor. The Warriors lost all four games against the Spurs last season and must solve the balanced San Antonio attack. This matchup will be an interesting one as it the possibility of Gregg Popovich resting Tim Duncan, Tony Parker and/or Manu Ginobili is intriguing.

Golden State vs Denver | April 15th, 2015 | ESPN
In the 2013 NBA Playoffs, the Golden State Warriors surprised and overwhelmed the Denver Nuggets without David Lee. Denver, an underrated team with depth at multiple positions will look to regroup with healthy bodies and make a playoff push this upcoming season. Just a year removed from their 57-win season, the Nuggets uptempo style alone will certainly make this matchup a must-watch. This game is the last game of the regular season for the Warriors and it could have playoff significance for seeding.

Which Warriors games are you looking forward to? Let me know in the comments section below.

Making a case for trading Harrison Barnes

The Golden State Warriors drafted Harrison Barnes with the 7th pick in the 2012 NBA Draft hoping he could become one of the top two-way forwards in the league. Although Barnes had a mediocre showing during the regular season in his rookie year, he filled in remarkably well for the injured David Lee in the playoffs. As a result, the expectations for his sophomore season rose and many believed Barnes was primed for a breakout season. Unfortunately, Barnes' production has stayed relatively stagnant ever since while his efficiency has decreased. According to Basketball Reference, Harrison Barnes had a 9.8 PER last season which was well below the league average (15.0 PER). The addition of Andre Iguodala last summer which saw Barnes move into a 6th man role may have stunted the sophomore's development. However, while Barnes received a slight uptick in minutes, he experienced a fallback from a statistical standpoint. The small forward posted lower shooting percentages in multiple categories (.399 FG%, .347 3P%, .419 2P% and .718 FT% compared to .439 FG%, .359 3P%, .464 2P% and .758 FT%).

Harrison Barnes is only 22 years old and he definitely still has room to grow. He used mismatches to his advantage well by taking bigs off the dribble and posting up smaller guys in the 2012 NBA Playoffs. Yet, Barnes is not a particularly good shot creator for himself or playmaker for his teammates. He has played the best ball of his young career as a small-ball power forward but with the emergence of Draymond Green, could the Warriors use him as a trade chip to address other team needs? It is clear that Barnes and Green have fairly contrasting skill sets and they can coexist with each other on the floor. Frankly, when you also factor in Klay Thompson's upcoming extension (or new contract depending if he hits restricted free agency), Golden State will have limited financial flexibility even with the rising cap.

The Warriors are in win-now mode but they still have some holes to fill in the roster. Could they flip Barnes for a go-to-scorer off the bench and another asset or future compensation? New head coach Steve Kerr mentioned in his intro press conference that he would like to obtain a stretch four. Would they be able to use Barnes as a centerpiece in a trade for someone like Ryan Anderson or Ersan Ilyasova? Maybe Golden State tries experimenting with starting Harrison Barnes at the 4 and bringing David Lee off the bench in the preseason. Or perhaps the Warriors just ride it out with Barnes as the 6th man and he makes huge strides next season, proving he can lead the bench unit.

What do you think the Warriors should do with Harrison Barnes? Let me know in the comments section below.

Filling out the Warriors roster for training camp

Golden State made its biggest acquisition of the summer by using its full Mid-Level Exception on Shaun Livingston. While this was not a blockbuster move by any means, it does give the team a capable backup point guard behind Stephen Curry which they attempted to address last season in trading for veteran Steve Blake. Now, with 13 players under contract (one non-guaranteed) for next season, the Warriors will look to make minor additions in filling out their training camp roster. Due to their current cap situation (no MLE or BAE remaining), the team is limited to only "minimum guys" and undrafted rookies. Nevertheless, there are definitely serviceable players on the market when placed in the right environment.

Let's take a look at who the Warriors could potentially sign to round out the roster. 

Al Harrington

The Warriors are targeting a stretch four which would improve floor spacing and a reoccurring name this offseason is Kevin Love. Although Golden State would love to add another star in Love to pair with Curry, there are clearly cheaper options available without surrendering assets such as Klay Thompson. Al Harrington, the 16 year vet shot 34% from three-point territory last year with the Wizards and he could be had for minimum salary. In addition to shooting, Harrington would give the Warriors toughness inside as well as a veteran presence.

Byron Mullens

Mullens is another big man who has the ability to step outside and shoot the ball from deep. The former Sixers center shot 37% from downtown last season and had a good stint in Charlotte two years ago. If Mullens can regain his form and play rotational minutes at the four or five, he would be a viable option for Golden State.

Emeka Okafor

The past two years have seen Andrew Bogut and Festus Ezeli go down with injuries. Thus, it would not hurt to add depth and insurance at the center position. Okafor himself dealt with a herniated disc in his neck last year, missing the duration of the season. Looking to rebound off this injury, Emeka Okafor is an excellent get for the Warriors at the vet minimum. With career per game averages of 12.3 points, 9.9 rebounds and 1.7 blocks, Okafor is a physical interior presence who will assist in rim protection.

James Michael-McAdoo
McAdoo did not have a spectacular showing on the Warriors summer league squad but his energy and hustle may earn him a training camp invite. The former Tar Heel still struggles to get his own shot and is not much of an offensive threat. He can certainly improve from an efficiency standpoint (shot 42% from the field). Although McAdoo may lack the necessary tools to be a full-time starter, his physical frame, athleticism and versatility could make him a valuable rotation player. 

Yuki Togashi
The 5'7" Japanese point guard had a solid campaign with the Dallas Mavericks summer league team despite playing minimal minutes. Already a fan favorite, Togashi would instantly be welcomed by the highly populated Asian community in the Bay Area. Togashi displayed a nice tear drop over bigger defenders during the summer league and also scored 10 points in 12 minutes against the Charlotte Hornets. Could "Toga" be the next one to fill the Bazemore role?

Who would you like see the Warriors sign? Let me know in the comments section below.