The NBA Draft kicks off on Thursday night and the Golden State Warriors are slated to pick 19th. While the team has had the No. 2, No. 7 and No. 14 overall picks in recent years, this is the first time they’ve had a playoff season and picked earlier than 28th overall.
Experts around the interwebs have taken aim at guessing what the team will do. Here’s a look at some of the predictions:
Brandin Podziemski, 20, PG/SG, Santa Clara
Predicted by Jonathan Givony – ESPN and Jonathan Wasserman – Bleacher Report
From Givony:
The Warriors are said to be looking at a different strategy on draft night this year, after previously picking young, developmental-type prospects who have been difficult to fully integrate into their style of play. Rival teams have pointed to the likes of Podziemski, Jaime Jaquez Jr. and Kris Murray — who bring varying degrees of skill, feel, shooting and two-way versatility, as the type of players the Warriors could target instead. Podziemski, an analytics-model favorite, has helped himself in the pre-draft process with the intriguing combination of toughness, shooting and passing ability he has demonstrated in workouts, helping him climb solidly into the first round.
From Wasserman:
Brandin Podziemski strengthened his first-round case at the combine, leaving scouts more confident that his shot-making, playmaking and rebounding can translate.
The Santa Clara guard would give Golden State’s second unit some extra creation and shot-making.
Jaime Jaquez Jr., 22, SF, UCLA
Predicted by John Hollinger – The Athletic and John Fanta – Fox Sports
From Hollinger:
The one thing I’m consistently hearing is that there is absolutely, positively, no way in hell the Warriors are taking another speculative dart-throw on a teenager here. They are in win-now mode, and they saw what Christian Braun did for Denver this spring. The two names you hear for the Warriors are Jaquez and Kris Murray.
Trading the pick also seems unlikely, however, since the Warriors need cost-controlled contracts at the back end of their rotation. That’s where Jaquez comes in; his skill and basketball IQ would fit nicely in the Warriors’ system. He hasn’t been mocked this high, generally, but I have him firmly in my top 20.
Golden State could potentially double down on this strategy by trading down as well; for instance, swapping this pick for Indiana’s selections at Nos. 26 and 29, where they might land Jaquez and Murray.
From Fanta:
While the Warriors have typically been geared to pursue younger prospects like Jonathan Kuminga, Moses Moody, Patrick Baldwin Jr. & Co., Golden State is going to be over the “second apron” of the luxury tax in the new CBA and needs NBA-ready talent.
The 22-year-old Jaquez was, simply put, the epitome of a winner at UCLA. He powered the program back to the national map with a Final Four appearance and a trip to the Sweet 16. His competitive edge and underrated athleticism have allowed the Bruins’ product to rise up boards in the pre-draft process. Jaquez is a throwback player in a way, successfully playing with his back to the basket as a wing and using his body to impose his will for high percentage shots.
He has a great understanding of what the right play is offensively and is a really solid defender. His feel for the game on the defensive end and the intensity that he plays with are what scouts love about him. The perimeter shot is the question mark, having shot just 32% from deep this past season. His lack of quickness is also a bit concerning in the transition from the college to the NBA level, but I’m bullish on Jaquez’s IQ, what he can add to a team and his understanding of making winning plays.
Gradey Dick, 19, SG, Kansas
Predicted by Kevin O’Connor, The Ringer
From O’Connor:
Dick landing here would be a bit of a surprise since he’s gotten some top-10 hype. But all it takes is one or two surprises, such as Clowney and Jaquez, and then someone has to slide. It’d be a blessing for the Warriors, since Dick could help immediately in Steve Kerr’s motion-based offensive system. Dick offers more than shooting, though, because of his playmaking ability and at-rim finishing, making him a higher-upside player than people give him credit for.
Jordan Hawkins, 21, SG, UCONN
Predicted by Sam Vecenie – The Athletic
From Vecenie:
The Scout: Hawkins has a case as arguably the best movement shooter in the class. UConn had him sprint off screening actions, using his pristine shooting mechanics and ability to stop on a dime to get open and can 3s. He averaged 16 points and was a critical piece of the national champion Huskies, keying their perimeter attack with how much teams had to respect his gravitational force. Hawkins also improved a bit off the bounce this past season, becoming an impactful, effective attacker of closeouts. He works defensively, but this is where his lack of strength comes in. Hawkins is extremely skinny and will need to put on some weight in the coming years. But he’s an elite shooter and those guys tend to work out.
The Fit: The Warriors have tended to draft younger in recent years. All of Moses Moody, Jonathan Kuminga, Patrick Baldwin Jr., James Wiseman, Nico Mannion, Alen Smailagić and Ryan Rollins were teenagers when the Dubs picked them, and Jordan Poole turned 20 one week before being picked. Typically, I tend to buy into the idea that the best indicator of future drafts is what front offices have done in the past. But the current thought circulating among sources is that the team may look to go a bit older and more experienced after not getting a ton of present-day value out of its selections in the last three years.
Guys like Kris Murray, Jaquez and Hawkins are the names I’ve heard most. This is probably the top of Brandin Podziemski’s range too, and he is also seen as a possibility. Hawkins would really fit their offense well as a guy who can fly around screens and knock down shots at an elite level.
The Range: No. 12 to 24
Keyonte George, 19, SG, Baylor
Predicted by Colin Ward-Henninger, CBS Sports
I had George in the top 10 in my first mock, but I’m getting the sense that I value him more highly than most teams at this point. I still think he has elite three-level scoring potential with the ability to facilitate out of the pick-and-roll, something that the Warriors lack outside of Steph Curry and Jordan Poole. There’s a sentiment that Golden State could draft someone a little more NBA-ready with this pick, but I think they have to take the best prospect, and that’s George if he’s still on the board.