Making the case for Curry with the No. 7 pick

Stephen Curry

Golden State coach Don Nelson is an unconventional basketball thinker. He'd rather play small than big to combat a bruising opponent. And he's fond of allowing ball-handling forwards to run his offensive sets. All of this is why Davidson's Stephen Curry makes sense for the Warriors.

Curry isn't a point or a shooting guard, but simply a guard. To match him with Monta Ellis, another guard without a label, to form an outside-the-box backcourt is too tempting a prospect for Nelson to let pass with the No. 7 pick.

With a duo of Curry and Ellis, the Warriors would offer two guards with opposite skill-sets and each capable of making up for the weaknesses of the other. Curry is a long-range specialist. As a junior, he moved into a point guard and playmaking role. But, his strength is moving without the ball, and creating that extra inch of space for his jump shot.

Ellis is an athlete. He's at his best when he's out on the wing during a fast break or driving to the bucket. Curry's outside shooting would make-up for Ellis' inconsistent shot, while Ellis would provide the combo with its speed and athleticism.

Put the two together and they create a defensive nightmare. If Curry has the ball, Ellis is free to roam and cut to the basket for one of his signature twisting lay-ups. But, if Ellis is in possession of the ball, Curry can drift out the perimeter and set-up for a three-point shot. When Ellis drives, he'll have the luxury of either taking it all the way or, if the defense collapses, tossing a pass out to an open Curry.

A selection of Curry might also ease the mind of Ellis, who has voiced his disproval at the idea of another point guard. Ellis desires to be the team's main playmaker, but the addition of Curry might go over better than one of the drafts pure point guards. Not that the Warriors should go out of their way to appease Ellis, but they did just pay him a boatload of money.

Curry isn't without his questions marks. At 6' 3'' and 180 lbs., he's slightly built, which isn't a perfect body type for the pounding of an NBA season. Though his outside shooting is outstanding, does he have enough quickness to slip past a defender who looks to crowd him? If you watched Curry eliminate a handful of the top college teams in the country during the NCAA Tournament a year ago, then there shouldn't be any doubt that he can succeed against top competition.

Curry plays smooth, seemingly always in control and though not the fastest player on the court, his release is quick and he's able to get to the basket. And during his one year of running the point, he showed the ability to handle the ball and pass. Curry is not just a good shooter, but a great one and those don't surface too often.

Though Curry doesn't solve Golden State's power forward problem, he does tighten up the team's backcourt and would be the perfect running mate for Ellis.