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Derek Fisher Rocky Widner/NBAE/Getty Images FAST FACTS Record: 37-45 (T-11th in West) Points Scored: 93.3 (13th in NBA) Points Allowed: 94.0 (14th) Coach: Mike Montgomery (first season with the Warriors) 2004 Schedule | 2004 Draft Picks | 2003 Stats Jason Richardson's scoring average of 18.7 points was the lowest to lead the Warriors in a full season since Purvis Short's 17.0 in 1979-80. PROJECTED STARTING LINEUP With 2003-04 statistics ADONAL FOYLE POS. PVR PPG RPG APG BPG SPG FG% FT% C 159 3.1 3.8 0.4 1.05 0.14 45.4 54.3 TROY MURPHY POS. PVR PPG RPG APG BPG FG% 3FG% FT% PF 73 10.0 6.2 0.7 0.61 44.0 29.4 75.0 JASON RICHARDSON POS. PVR PPG RPG APG SPG FG% 3FG% FT% SG 49 18.7 6.7 2.9 1.10 43.8 28.2 68.4 DEREK FISHER POS. PVR PPG RPG APG SPG FG% 3FG% FT% PG 132 7.1 1.9 2.3 1.26 35.2 29.1 79.7 MIKE DUNLEAVY JR. POS. PVR PPG RPG APG SPG FG% 3FG% FT% SF 67 11.7 5.9 2.9 0.91 44.9 37.0 74.1  BENCH PVR 2003-04 Stats F CLIFFORD ROBINSON 111 11.8 ppg 3.9 rpg 0.89 bpg 0.83 spg 38.7 FG% G SPEEDY CLAXTON 153 10.6 ppg 2.6 rpg 4.5 apg 1.62 spg 42.7 FG% G-F MICKAEL PIETRUS 171 5.3 ppg 2.2 rpg 0.5 apg 0.60 spg 41.6 FG% F EDUARDO NAJERA 263 3.0 ppg 2.7 rpg 0.33 bpg 0.60 spg 44.4 FG% C-F DALE DAVIS 318 4.4 ppg 5.2 rpg 0.82 bpg 0.57 spg 47.3 FG%

There's a fine new leader at point guard, but does he recall how to pass?

It is impossible to predict how well Derek Fisher will handle playing point guard for the Warriors, primarily because it has been years since he has done anything vaguely point guardish. While nominally manning the position for the last eight seasons with the Lakers, Fisher rarely handled the ball, created for teammates or broke down a defense. His primary role: spot up for catch-and-shoot threes. "It was the nature of the triangle offense," he says. "Nobody other than Kobe [Bryant] really handled the ball much."

So perhaps it wasn't so wise to hand floor leadership and a six-year, $37 million free-agent contract to a 30-year-old who has averaged 3.0 assists per game in his career and more closely resembles Steve Kerr than Steve Nash. But new vice president Chris Mullin is clearly trying to build a team with good character, and he wanted a savvy veteran who could help rear rising stars Mike Dunleavy, Troy Murphy and Jason Richardson. Seen in this light, the signing makes sense: Fisher was often the voice of reason on an increasingly unreasonable Lakers team. "I've never been the most talented or most explosive player," he says, "but people have always looked to me. In college [at Arkansas-Little Rock], I became a leader two games into my freshman year."

So Fisher's duties will be twofold on the Warriors: Run the offense and teach a young team how to win. On the first count, he spent the summer working on off-the-dribble moves to "shake the rust off," he says. On the second, he'll let new coach Mike Montgomery set the tone and then, when the time is right, bring out the ultimate motivational tool: his three rings. "Guys lose sight of what we're playing for, why we put our bodies through this for nine months," he says. "I'll remind them." --Chris Ballard