Saltzman Says...Warriors can learn from playoffs

Here's hoping every Warrior player and front office member is watching every second of the Memphis Grizzlies and Oklahoma City Thunder's series in round two of the Western Conference semi-finals.  The Western Conference has always been loaded with talented players and teams, specifically big men, and this series shows how close and yet how far the Warriors really are.

As important as it is to have a Kevin Durant and Russell Westbrook or a Zach Randolph and Marc Gasol to run your team through, it is as critical to have a Kendrick Perkins, Nick Collison or Thabo Sefolosha, as well as a Tony Allen, Shane Battier and Darrell Arthur.  Those six role players have been monumental defensively.  They have helped their teams not only to get to the second round, but also in scaring the Los Angeles Lakers and Dallas Mavericks who are battling for the right to play them.  Also not to be forgotten are roles of players like Eric Maynor and Greivis Vasquez who have been outstanding running the point for the 2nd unit.  Perkins, Collison, Sefolosha and Maynor have helped the Thunder become one of the best all-around teams in basketball.  Allen, Battier, Arthur and Vazquez have done the same for the Grizzlies.

The 2011-12 Warriors will only be as good as the team they build.  Hopefully with Bob Myers hired as the assistant GM to Larry Riley, the Warriors will be more active in bringing in the right pieces to be a playoff basketball team every year.

Will the hiring of Bob Myers be the change that leads to smarter personnel decisions?