Questions about the NBA draft have littered this space since the holidays, and now the Warriors finally know where they will be picking and we can start looking at this selection with more information.
You all had plenty of questions on the heels of last week’s lottery, which resulted in the Warriors getting the No. 2 pick in the draft. As always, thanks to all who sent questions in. You can send questions for future mailbags to me on Twitter, @wcgoldberg, or email them to me at wgoldberg@bayareanewsgroup.com. Alright, let’s do it.
I read a report speculating the Warriors packaging the No. 2 pick with Andrew Wiggins and the 2021 Wolves’ pick for Bradley Beal. Any realistic hope there? Beal would be an excellent fit in my opinion.
– Alan Frank
While Beal would be a great addition in Golden State, it’s unclear if the Wizards are willing to trade him or if the Warriors have enough to get a deal done.
Beal, who averaged 30.5 points, 6.1 assists and 4.2 rebounds per game this season, is another floor-spacer who can handle the ball and play alongside Stephen Curry and Klay Thompson. He would force Thompson to slide up to small forward and Andrew Wiggins up to power forward, but the league is playing smaller, and he’s good enough offensively to compensate for the lack of size and he tries hard on defense. Even if the fit isn’t perfect from a positional standpoint, the talent is such that Steve Kerr would figure it out. This would not be D’Angelo Russell 2.0.
However, there is no indication that the Wizards are ready to trade Beal. With John Wall set to return from a nearly-two-year absence, Washington will likely want to see what the Wall-Beal backcourt can do alongside an up-and-coming frontcourt that includes Thomas Bryant and Rui Hachimura and, if he re-signs, forward Davis Bertans.
Even if they decide to rebuild and trade Beal, any Warriors proposal would be met with stiff competition. A realistic Golden State package includes Wiggins, the No. 2 pick and next year’s top-three protected first-round pick from Minnesota.
The Nuggets, down 3-1 to the Jazz in a potential first-round upset, could look to make a move and offer a package centered around Jamal Murray. The Heat, a long-rumored Beal destination, have exciting young players like Tyler Herro, Kendrick Nunn and Duncan Robinson to offer. (As a thought exercise, would you rather have Herro or the No. 2 pick in this year’s draft?)
That’s not to say the Warriors’ offer isn’t enticing. It is. But it’s unclear if they’d want to use all of their assets on a player whose skillset is somewhat duplicative of Curry and Thompson.
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Would Deni Avdija or Isaac Okoro be better for this Warriors team? Picking second, it feels like either of those wings would be the pick if they kept it. If Okoro’s jumper hits, that could be an easy franchise player to build around.
– Witagleezy
While the Warriors are high on both Deni Avdija and Isaac Okoro, Advija would be the likelier pick between them if Anthony Edwards is off the board at No. 2.
I’m not as bullish on Okoro’s ability to meet his upside. Though he may be the best one-on-one defender in this class, he has shown little as a ball-handler and shooter, and could end up being more Michael Kidd-Gilchrist than Andre Iguodala.
Avdija has a higher floor, and higher upside. A natural playmaking forward, the 19-year-old Israel product is a strong finisher with a quick first step capable of stretching his game beyond the arc.
The Warriors need to get better defensively, but they’re also in need of playmaking. They can’t rely on Curry and Draymond Green while hoping for Wiggins, Jordan Poole and Eric Paschall to take major steps. Avdija provides an immediate infusion of playmaking and size, at 6-foot-9, 220 pounds.
Any trade back potential now that we know the lottery order?
– 903coleman
Of course. The Warriors will listen to pitches for the No. 2 pick, but league sources indicate they are prepared to select a player no matter what the Timberwolves do at No. 1.
That said, teams like the Cavaliers at No. 5, the Pistons at No. 7 or the Knicks at No. 8 could be inclined to move up for one of the draft’s consensus top three (Edwards, former Memphis center James Wiseman and the NBL’s LaMelo Ball) and offer the Warriors an offer too rich to pass up.
Do you think the Warriors could consider LaMelo Ball? If they do take him, what would be your pros and cons?
– P
As I reported last week, the Warriors believe guard (specifically, point guard) is the strongest position in the draft. If they believe Ball is likely to develop into an All-Star, they will be prepared to draft him. However, they are also high on another point guard: Iowa State’s Tyrese Haliburton.
[Read more: Breaking down the Warriors’ options with the No. 2 pick]
While Ball is indeed flashy and No. 1 on many draft analysts’ boards, Haliburton may have an easier time getting on the floor for Golden State. Ball is a high-level passer who sees the floor like Payton Manning, but he also has a track record for being an inefficient scorer and underperforming defender.
Haliburton is a developed 3-point shooter (41.9% on 5.6 3-point attempts per game as a sophomore) and capable of guarding multiple wing positions. It’s easy to project him playing off the ball and making open jumpers alongside Curry and Thompson, or leading the Warriors’ second-unit offense.
If Ball’s jumper doesn’t develop (25% on 6.7 3-point attempts per game last season with the Illawarra Hawks) and isn’t a plus-defender right away (unlikely as a 19-year-old), he may be limited to leading bench units for 15 minutes a game.
The Warriors want to draft a future All-Star, but they also must be mindful of their short-term goals. A team hoping to win the Western Conference next season can’t realistically use the No. 2 pick on a player who might not be able to play with its best players. Ball, in that situation, may not get the requisite playing time to develop into his best-case scenario.
The trick for the Warriors will be to draft someone who can contribute now, and blossom later.
