In Defense of David Lee

The Golden State Warriors are having one of their best seasons so far, and are on track to set a franchise-best win-loss record. Multiple records have been broken, and many of the players are having the best seasons of their career. However, there is one Warrior who has found himself struggling, and as a result, has caught the ire of many fans.

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Just two seasons ago, David Lee was considered by many analysts and fans to be the best player on the Golden State Warriors’ roster. Signed in the 2010 offseason for a hefty six year, $80 million contract with the Warriors. He was the biggest marquee free agent the Warriors had signed in a long time, and was just coming off his first season as an All-Star.

In his first four seasons as a Warrior, Lee averaged 18.2 points and 10 rebounds per game. He was “Mr. Consistent” and could be counted on for regular double-doubles. Inside the NBA’s analyst and Hall of Famer Shaquille O’Neal even gave Lee the nickname of “White Chris Webber”.

Now, that nickname is probably overvaluing Lee’s ability, but it speaks volumes to the contributions he was bringing to the team. He was an offensive powerhouse in the post, and would regularly pull down rebounds. But his defense left a lot to be desired, and that would always be the go-to fact for his detractors.

Two seasons after being picked by the coaches as an All-Star, Lee is struggling to earn playing time this season, having fallen behind Draymond Green and Marreese Speights in the rotation. His injury during the preseason gave coach Steve Kerr the green light to start Green, and with the way the team has been playing, the results have been clear.

When Lee first came back from his injury, Kerr gave him every opportunity to earn playing time. He was averaging 18.7 minutes per game, before the “DNP-CD”s began to roll in. The rationale behind the recent DNPs: a lack of fit.

The problem is, Speights brings the exact same qualities as Lee to the table. The advantage that Speights has over Lee is that Speights provides more size and can play the center position, unlike Lee.

Lee’s best assets are his post-scoring, his ability to knock down the mid-range shot, and his rebounding prowess. The problem is, Speights brings the exact same qualities as Lee to the table. The advantage that Speights has over Lee is that Speights provides more size and can play the center position, unlike Lee.

And as Kerr has realized recently, pairing Speights and Lee can be disastrous defensively. Neither is a rim-protector, and both are poor defensively. Lee’s defensive deficiencies were brought to the forefront in the recent game against the Denver Nuggets, where Kenneth Faried torched him for 24 points and 17 rebounds. The Warriors were up 96-94 when Lee entered the game in the 5:28 minute mark in the fourth quarter, only for the Nuggets to go on a 15-5 run to win back the lead.

But here’s the thing: we all knew David Lee was a bad defender. Watching him go up against the energetic Kenneth Faried was painful to watch, especially when you consider Lee’s lack of athleticism. Chastising him for his poor defense isn’t something new – he’s been a poor defender for most of his career.

Roasting Lee for his lack of fit and playing time with the Warriors isn’t entirely fair. On many other teams, he would be considered a starter. However, the Warriors found their groove with the rotation while he was out, and it’s simply unfortunate that his skillset isn’t as valued on this team as it would be on others.

He was the torchbearer for the franchise during its bad years, and was the relief for many Warriors’ fans. He can still contribute in the playoffs, especially if the Warriors need a consistent scoring option in the post. Plus, he sets monster screens like these.

Lee has said the right things so far, citing that the Warriors’ winning ways have made it easier to swallow his lack of playing time. He has been the consummate professional, and while his on-court production doesn’t justify the hefty $15 million price tag he comes with, that was a by-product of the dark days in Warriors’ basketball.

So, let’s cool it with the anti-Lee talk; he helped turn this franchise around, and if it were not for him, the franchise would not be where it was today.

Next: Revisiting the Warriors' 2013 Upset of the Denver Nuggets