Jared Sullinger
Age: 24
Height: 6-foot-9
Career stats: 24.9 mpg, 11.1 ppg, 7.7 rpg, 1.8 apg, 0.7 spg, 0.6 bpg; 43.9/27.6/72.7 shooting splits
2015-16 stats: 81 games, 23.6 mpg, 10.3 ppg, 8.3 rpg, 2.3 apg, 0.9 spg, 0.6 bpg; 43.5/28.2/64.0 shooting splits
Strengths:
- Great rebounder for his size, particularly on the offensive end
- Strong post and mid-range scorer
- High motor and high energy
Weaknesses:
- Slow, poor defender in the paint
- Weight and athleticism problems
Why he makes sense for the Warriors:
Sullinger could be a solid replacement for Mo Speights at the right price. He is an undersized power forward who excels on the offensive end, but needs some help to cover for him down low on defense. Sullinger is a hard worker and has overcome a lot to become a productive NBA player, something that fellow undersized big man Draymond Green can relate too. By no means would Sullinger be signed as a starter, but he could offer great rebounding help as the first big man off the bench.
Why he doesn’t make sense for the Warriors:
Due to the fact that, like Speights, Sullinger is an undeniable liability on the defensive end, there is really only room for one of those kind of players on a team, so he would have to be a secondary option for the Dubs if they can’t find another big man on the market that helps them offensively. Also, it is Sullinger’s first big chance to cash in on a multiyear deal, and the Warriors would have bigger and better options than to ink the Ohio State product to a three or four year deal and hope they don’t get stuck with an overpaid player.