The Warriors’ hopes of climbing into the top four of the NBA Draft Lottery did not materialise. They had a 90% chance of staying at No. 11 or dropping to No. 12, and that’s how it played out.
The Warriors will pick 11th in next month’s NBA Draft. Washington will have the first choice. The Kings dropped from the fifth best odds to seventh, and the Clippers officially reaped the benefits of their midseason Ivica Zubac trade by winning Indiana’s pick at No. 5.
A Deep Draft Class Awaits
This is regarded as a loaded, deep draft class. It’s highlighted by top prospects AJ Dybantsa, Cameron Boozer, and Darryn Peterson, but has talent sprinkled throughout the lottery.
Warriors GM Mike Dunleavy has a strong track record in the draft, and now will get the chance to take his biggest crack yet.
Rookie or Trade?
Adding a rookie who’s ready to contribute right away is the path of least resistance to upgrading Golden State’s roster. It’s also worth noting that the team could consider packaging the pick — along with other assets — in a trade for a proven star.
Prospects to Watch
Here are five prospects worthy of a look in the late lottery range.
One prospect is Ament, a coveted prep star. The 6-foot-10 forward had an up-and-down freshman year at Tennessee and didn’t always use his size to his advantage defensively, occasionally floating within games.
Ament’s upside could be as high as anyone’s outside the top-four. He’s versatile and handles like a guard, and if his poor shooting season with the Vols was a blip instead of the norm, he has the potential to be a matchup nightmare. Do the Warriors have the appetite to stomach another project?
Philon has perhaps the tightest handle in the class and a fearlessness in the paint. The 6-foot-4 guard has the tools to overcome his relative size disadvantage (6-foot-6 wingspan). He was an offensive machine in the tough SEC last year as a sophomore, averaging 22 points and five assists while shooting 50% from the field and 40% from deep.
The Warriors have historically tried to pair Curry with a bigger, stouter guard. Philon might not exactly check that box, but if Golden State is ready to experiment with different player types, there’s a lot there.
Even after last year’s stunner that led to the Mavericks winning the top pick, there are no frozen envelopes in the ping-pong ball era.