© Kyle Terada-USA TODAY Sports
The Warriors saw out the conclusion of the D’Angelo Russell-Andrew Wiggins trade on Tuesday night, when the NBA Draft lottery confirmed their two first-round picks. Golden State kept their own pick at No. 14 and was conveyed Minnesota’s top-three protected pick at No. 7.
With the NBA Draft about a month away, mock drafters took aim at figuring out who the Warriors will select with their two picks. That, of course, assumes Golden State will keep those picks, rather than parlaying them into another star player to add to the mix with Stephen Curry, Draymond Green and a hopefully healthy Klay Thompson, all of whom are on the wrong side of 30.
Below are some mock draft experts’ takes on who Golden State will draft at 7 and 14:
Sam Vecenie – The Athletic
“Pick No. 7: James Bouknight | 6-5 wing | 20 years old, sophomore | Connecticut
The player: Bouknight is a terrific athlete with great scoring acumen. At 6-foot-5 with long arms, he has good size for the off-guard position. His game is built off of the playground. He has tremendous shake and has potential to be a genuine three-level scorer in the NBA. He’s an absolutely tremendous finisher for a guard, who absorbs contact and finishes through it. Anything you’re looking for in a guy’s bag from a craft perspective, Bouknight has it, and it’s a fun game to watch. Ultimately though, he needs to prove that he can knock down shots at a bit of a better clip, given that it needs to be a genuine plus skill with what his game will be.
The fit: The Warriors will be looking for immediate help, either in the form of a draft pick who can help now or a trade. The Warriors really lacked offensive creation last season in the backcourt any time that Stephen Curry left the floor. Bouknight is the kind of creative force who can put pressure on the rim. His ability to create off the bounce in between Curry and Klay Thompson would be a blast to watch.”
Pick No. 14: Usman Garuba | 6-8 big | 18 years old | Real Madrid
The player: Defense, defense, defense. Garuba is already one of the best defenders in Europe as a teenager and profiles as a potential All-Defense Team guy in the NBA by the time he’s 25. He can defend on the interior, with terrific fundamentals for verticality and weak-side shot blocking. His ability to slide his feet and drop his hips laterally is ridiculous, and his instincts as a pick-and-roll defender are terrific. The problems come on offense. He’s still not a particularly effective player on that end, but there have been signs of progress. He has been making more 3s recently, but it’s going to take some time. He can also pass the ball out of short rolls a bit, and he’s not totally afraid to put the ball on the deck.
The fit: The Warriors took James Wiseman last year, so this might seem a bit odd. But at the end of the day, I think they’ll just take the guy that they think fits their scheme best and who helps them most. To me, Garuba is a spectacular fit whose ability to read the game defensively would appeal to this Warriors team. I’m also looking pretty heavily at the Warriors possibly moving their pick here in a bigger deal, given how incredible Stephen Curry looked this year. If Klay Thompson comes back at anywhere near past Splash Brothers levels, they’re an immediate contender again. It also helps that they were able to fill a hole with the above pick with Bouknight, although again, don’t be surprised to see one of those picks moved.
Kevin O’Connor – The Ringer
“Pick No. 7: Davion Mitchell, guard, Baylor
Mitchell measured shorter than teams were hoping at the NBA draft combine this week, but he still plays bigger than his body suggests as a gritty, strong defender. The Warriors could use a scorer off the bench like him, too. If you consider what Golden State was missing last season, it’s a player like him. Mitchell could help now, and be a bridge toward sustaining success into the future.
Pick No. 14: Chris Duarte, wing, Oregon
Though Duarte is on the older side for a first-round pick, shooting is a premium skill in the NBA. There are two approaches to the draft: upside or certainty. Finding a balance is often a best-case scenario, but in this case the Warriors could have him come in right away and make an impact on his affordable rookie contract, serving as a valuable backup to Steph Curry and Klay Thompson.”
Jonathan Wasserman – Bleacher Report
“Pick No. 7: Franz Wagner (Michigan, SF, Sophomore)
Franz Wagner doesn’t possess the star power of this draft’s top four picks, but his two-way versatility and valued archetype fuel star role player potential.
He’s an easy fit for any lineup based on his catch-and-shoot game and slashing for spot-ups, ball-screen passing and the foot speed to guard the perimeter. And despite still being 19 years old, he’ll start his NBA career after two seasons at Michigan and years of experience playing pro and youth ball overseas.
Wagner may seem like a reach at No. 7, but his shoot-dribble-pass skill set may be too clean of a fit for the Golden State Warriors.
