Questionable Blogger: Talking Marreese Speights with Bram Kincheloe from Golden State of Mind

We're all Clippers experts here at Clips Nation, but our analysis can be limited when we look around the league.  That's why, when the Clippers add new players, it's always better to reach out to the true experts instead of stretching my knowledge.  Here to talk about former Golden State Warriors big man, and current Clippers signee, Marreese Speights, is Golden State Warriors blogger and all-around professional cool dude, Bram Kincheloe.

I know what you're going to say.  It's heresy to have a Golden State of Mind Blogger's words on Clips Nation's front page.  I think I can get away with it in this instance, but don't tell anyone that Bram has been writing for Clips Nation for several months now.

Lucas Hann: The biggest concern for the Clippers has to be Speights' defense. He plays mostly center, but his calling card is his offensive shooting. How much will the Clippers have to cover for him on defense, especially in the pick-and-roll? Is it possible to him to be passable defensively when paired with Blake Griffin or rookie Brice Johnson?

Bram Kincheloe: Speights will never be a defensive super star. All you can ideally hope for is that his offensive prowess negates his defensive shortcomings. I'm not sure if either Blake or Brice are good enough to cover up for him. But when he makes those deep threes and then jogs back up the court smiling...whoa boy. You'll love rooting for him.

LH: In a small sample size near the end of last season and in the playoffs, Mo shot really well from beyond the arc. Do you think that's sustainable over the course of a full season?

BK: I do, if he's put in the right position. You don't want him trying to iso dudes from beyond the arc and shoot contested threes, but if you swing him the ball in some sort of movement based offense, he has the ability to shoot at a high percentage.

LH: Rumor has it that the Warriors didn't even offer Speights a minimum-salary deal to return. Why is that the case?

BK: Honestly, I don't know. He was a true fan favorite, and I would have loved to have seen him back. I'm guessing Speight's defensive issues played a big part of the Warriors' decision, but that's purely speculation.

LH: Mo has mostly played C in his career, and almost exclusively played there as a Warrior. Is that just a product of the systems he's played in, or does he have limitations that make him less effective as a PF?

BK: Mo is a big dude. If you look at the way the league is trending (smaller guys getting huge minutes at the PF position), you realize there's no way he has the foot speed or agility to keep up with most of the modern power forwards. He could log some minutes next to a traditional center, but really you'd only be able to play that lineup against a handful of the slower, bigger teams in the league.

LH: Is Mo a black hole offensively? We know he can score (his shooting rates and efficiency are good), but does he do much else other than catching and shooting? The Clippers' backup guard unit of Austin Rivers and Jamal Crawford can sometimes struggle to run a high-assist unit.

BK: Speights is crafty with the ball. I could see him developing more of a back to the basket game this season, especially when paired with guys who aren't going to be able to get him open looks on the perimeter. He does have a tendency to shoot first, ask questions later, but that doesn't mean he's a ball hog or anything. When he's on fire, the arena shakes. But, as we saw at times last year, he can go through abysmal shooting stretches where everything just clanks out.