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USA Today Sports Media Group

Sport

Aneesh Namburi

Golden State Warriors 2019 NBA Draft Night Preview

It may that just yesterday the Golden State Warriors lost Game 6 of the NBA Finals to the Toronto Raptors. Fans might still be in a lull. But it is time to move on, because the NBA Draft is finally here!

Before the Finals, even before the playoffs, the idea was that the Warriors would use the draft as an opportunity to add a guard or wing to come off the bench, given the weakness of the Warriors’ second unit throughout the season. Adding a bench player would have allowed Golden State to have the requisite depth to make another run at the NBA Finals, regardless of what the team looked like.

Then came the Finals, in which everything changed. Two-time Finals MVP Kevin Durant (Achilles) has been ruled out for the 2019 season and Klay Thompson (ACL) — still awaiting surgery — is expected to miss most, if not all, of the season as well. Now, not only does Stephen Curry no longer have his backcourt partner, but there is limited help elsewhere as well. This makes the draft increasingly important.

Fans may not have a good idea who, or even what position, Golden State should target. No worries! Our draft primer should help. Here’s an overview at the prospects in Golden State’s range and individual players to watch for specifically:

Next: Ranking the draft needs

Ranking the draft needs

1) Guard

In the playoffs, it was abundantly clear that the Warriors needed some backcourt bench help. With Shaun Livingston looking like a shell of himself and headed toward retirement the Warriors were forced to turn to Quinn Cook for major minutes. While Cook did not play terribly, it would still be nice for Golden State to have some additional depth there.

Take into account that Thompson is probably out until at least All-Star break, if not the whole season, and that makes the guard position even more of a priority.

2) Wing

Even at the beginning of the year, it was clear that Golden State would likely have to replenish their stock of wings. With Durant unavailable, whether he stays or leaves in free agency, and Andre Iguodala not getting any younger, plugging in a wing could be seen as a viable option.

3) Big

Recently, the Warriors have been keen on drafting big men. Over the last three years, Golden State selected Kevon Looney, Damian Jones and Jordan Bell. While that streak was broken with the selection of Jacob Evans last year, there may be a need for the streak to began once more.

If both DeMarcus Cousins and Looney are priced out of Golden State’s range and sign elsewhere, there may be a need to acquire yet another young big.

Next: Draft targets to consider

Draft targets to consider

Grant Williams: A versatile NBA prospect who can contribute in a variety of ways on both ends of the floor but lacking a consistent jump shot.

Chuma Okeke: A solid two-way wing who shined in the NCAA Tournament before tearing his ACL.

Ty Jerome: Helped lead Virginia to the NCAA title by being one of the best players in the country despite limited physical tools.

Matisse Thybulle: An elite defender who collected a historic number of steals and blocks but must become more diverse offensively.

Kevin Porter: Top-5 talent who must fix his off-court concerns to stay in the NBA.

Bol Bol: Potentially transcendent center talent who has to fight off long-term injury concerns.

Darius Bazley: Versatile but raw combo forward who needs to develop into his full potential.

Bruno Fernando: Physical specimen of a center who has taken strides in his on-court development.

Daniel Gafford: Athletic big man who showed NBA potential despite being miscast in his college role.

Dylan Windler: A shooter (and potentially more) who will need to adjust to the massive jump in NBA talent.

Cam Johnson: Arguably the draft’s best shooter who needs to prove that he can provide value in other areas.

Mfiondo Kabengele: Potentially versatile modern big but currently is an awful passer.

Carsen Edwards: One of college basketball’s most dynamic scorers.

Talen Horton-Tucker: A unicorn in terms of a unique body raw enough to be molded by the team that drafts him.

Luguentz Dort: Potentially dominant defender who has not caught up offensively.

KZ Okpala: Carries the upside of an elite two-way wing but must develop efficiency and consistency.

Luka Samanic: Versatile European big who could provide value on both ends of the court.

This is list is, by no means, ordered by quality of the players. But, hopefully it provides insight into the Warriors’ strategy heading into the draft and which players to watch for when Golden State’s pick rolls around.

Next: Further reading