With the NBA draft approaching, the Golden State Warriors are entering uncharted territory. With five consecutive trips to the NBA Finals in their rearview, the Warriors have generally lived in the back half of the draft.
However, for the first time in years, Steve Kerr and Bob Myers are slated to make their selection at the start of the lottery.
The Warriors could learn a thing or two from their football neighbors. After owning the No. 2 overall pick in the 2019 draft, the San Francisco 49ers streaked to an appearance in the Super Bowl.
San Francisco’s top picks Nick Bosa and Deebo Samuel were immediate contributors to their surprise run to the top of the NFC. The 49ers’ quest to return to the Super Bowl began over the weekend with the 2020 NFL draft.
After three days of drafting, there are a couple of things the Warriors could learn from John Lynch and Kyle Shanahan.
Build off your strength
In 2019, the San Francisco 49ers defense was at the core of their climb to the top of the NFC. Behind a lethal front seven, the 49ers ranked in the top five in sacks, points allowed per game and defensive touchdowns.
A key factor in San Francisco’s league-leading attack was defensive captain DeForest Buckner. Over the offseason, the All-Pro defensive tackle was traded to the Indianapolis Colts. The 49ers didn’t wait long to replace him.
With their first pick in the 2020 draft, the 49ers reloaded their best unit when they drafted defensive tackle Javon Kinlaw out of South Carolina. Instead of selecting a position of need, the 49ers doubled down on their most productive group.
For the Warriors, shooting and backcourt play is their version of the 49ers’ defensive line. Adding firepower behind Stephen Curry and Klay Thompson could be a rewarding option for Golden State if the best player on the board is a guard like Lamelo Ball, Tyrese Maxey or Anthony Edwards.
Draft seniors
After coaching the Senior Bowl in 2019, Shanahan and Lynch went back to Mobile, Alabama for the 2020 draft. Four of the 49ers’ six selections were all on the Senior Bowl roster. Kinlaw, Brandon Aiyuk, Colton McKivitz and Jauan Jennings played in the pre-draft All-Star game.
After the seventh round was over, the 49ers signed two undrafted free agents in Jamychal Hasty and Jared Mayden, who both participated in the Senior Bowl.
The 49ers trip to the Super Bowl was boosted by a pair of 2019 Senior Bowl members with Samuel and Dre Greenlaw.
While it’s more common in the NBA to take a flyer on a younger player, the Golden State Warriors have had success of their own with the senior class. After bursting onto the scene in his rookie year, former four-year college player Eric Paschall looks like a core piece of the Warriors’ future.
Top seniors Grant Riller, Payton Pritchard and Cassius Winston could be intriguing choices for the Golden State Warriors if available.
Don’t be afraid to make a trade
Although the 49ers had limited draft capital outside of their two first-rounders, Lynch moved up and down the draft order. In the first round, the 49ers made two transactions with both of their top picks.
While Lynch and the 49ers were wheeling and dealing in the first round, their big splash came on day three of the draft. San Francisco traded its fifth-round pick and a future third-rounder for seven-time Pro Bowler Trent Williams.
The 49ers used the 2020 draft to push all their chips in for another chance at the Super Bowl.
If a prospect doesn’t catch Golden State’s eye at the top of the draft, the Warriors could use their pick as an asset. The Warriors will also have the option of using their two second-round picks in 2020 as an aid in a potential deal.
While the Warriors sit at the bottom of the Western Conference standings, the championship core of Curry, Thompson and Green is still intact. Adding an established veteran via trade to Golden State’s All-Star trio could be what the team needs to get back to the playoffs.
