The San Francisco Chronicle reported the Warriors are “unlikely” to draft USC center Onyeka Okongwu with a top-five pick, and that Golden State likes Okongwu more than fellow center James Wiseman.
Since acquiring Andrew Wiggins, a starting center has appeared to be the Warriors’ biggest position of need. But if they do believe in Marquese Chriss as the center of the future, as the Chronicle reported, that incentives management to broaden the prospect pool and look for best player over positional need.
Let’s take a brief look at those other players the Warriors would have interest in with a top-five pick, something they would be assured of if the draft lottery proceeds with the current standings.
Players are broken up into guard and forward positions and listed in alphabetical order.
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Guards
LaMelo Ball
Listed at 6-foot-7, Ball is an offensive wizard with his passing abilities and flair. His upside, after averaging 17 points, 7.6 rebounds and 6.8 assists in a pro league while his counterparts were against college students, is enormous.
Ball as a lead ball-handler off the bench would allow the Warriors to continue playing up-tempo even with Steph Curry and Klay Thompson off the floor. The three of them on the court together would result in gobs of points. But it would be difficult to hide both Ball and Curry on defense — Ball has good instincts in passing lanes, but isn’t a disruptive on-ball defender. With a 6-foot-10 wingspan, though, he has the size that would allow him to develop into a good one.
With that said, his low shooting percentages are worrisome: He shot 37.5% from the field and 25% from 3 while shooting 72.3% from the free-throw line last season.
Yet his potential makes him a candidate for the No. 1 pick. If he blossoms in Golden State, the Warriors do too.
Anthony Edwards
Often slotted in the No. 1 spot by analysts, Edwards offers scoring that would ideally allow starting Warriors guards to take the bench without a drop-off in production against another team’s second unit.
Edwards is athletic. He can create his own shot. He was inefficient last season, but that may be a symptom of poor shooting and spacing around him at Georgia — only two players shot above 33% from 3, and one of those players attempted only 18 shots from beyond the arc.
Listed at 6-foot-5 and 225 pounds, Edwards averaged about 19 points, five rebounds and three assists per game at Georgia. He shot 40.2% from the field, 29.4% from 3 and 77.2% from the free throw line. With his size, he also shows promise on the defensive end of the ball.
If Edwards is the player optimists believe and he’s available for the Warriors’ pick, they would luck into a future All-Star to join the talented core.
Tyrese Haliburton
Haliburton shot above 50% from the field and 40% from deep while dishing 6.5 assists per game this past season for Iowa State. The Athletic’s Sam Vecenie wrote he’d be best in a secondary playmaker role next to a lead guard and getting backup point guard minutes.
That’s no problem for the Warriors, who happen to have an MVP point guard but could use another creator. Similar to how Ball offers intrigue on the court with Curry and Thompson, Haliburton could be a less ball-dominant option to run around the backcourt.
Haliburton would be a stretch with one of the top couple picks, as he lacks the upside and athleticism of some of these other players, but he has shown he’s a good playmaker and shooter, one who averaged 2.5 steals per game with his 7-foot wingspan. If he can be a strong two-way player from day one, it will be worth it for the Warriors.
Killian Hayes
Rising up big boards more recently than others on this list, most notably being Kevin O’Connor’s top prospect at The Ringer, Hayes is another player who impressed playing internationally.
The most glaring concern about his fit on the team might be one that is actually a compliment. Hayes, with his lefty flair, receives comparisons to D’Angelo Russell. That didn’t work out in Golden State. But maybe this less-expensive player who wouldn’t be a starter could work better?
A strong playmaker with an arsenal that includes a good off-the-dribble shooting and step-backs, Hayes would be a better backup point guard than most for the 2020-21 Warriors team.
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