The Golden State Warriors have the 28th overall pick in the 2018 NBA Draft. Here’s a couple prospects that deserve a look.
The reigning NBA champion Golden State Warriors are one of the four teams still in the middle of the 2018 NBA Playoffs, battling against the first-seed Houston Rockets as part of the 2018 NBA Western Conference Finals.
But while we wait for Game 4 to tip off on Tuesday at Oracle Arena, let’s go ahead and fill the time with some analysis of the upcoming 2018 NBA Draft, which will be held on June 21 at the Barclays Center in Brooklyn, New York.
Unlike last season, the Dubs actually have a pick, meaning they won’t have to buy into the draft this year. I’d be remiss not to mention, however, that Warriors owner Joe Lacob has already gone on record with 95.7 The Game, saying the team remains open to the possibility of buying an additional second round pick.
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Assuming they don’t buy another pick or trade the one they have at the moment, the Warriors are currently slated to select near the end of the first round with the 28th pick overall, which is perfect for a team looking to add inexpensive, young talent.
Warriors general manager Bob Myers and the rest of the Dubs front office have quite the successful draft history, laying the foundation for Golden State’s future frontcourt rotation by selecting guys like Damian Jones, Jordan Bell and Kevon Looney.
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This year, GSW will likely be looking to add some backcourt depth to help bolster the future guard rotation, especially considering the current state of the Patrick McCaw experiment. I’d wager that at least one or two of the following 15 names stand at the top of Golden State’s big board.
Jerome Robinson
Coming in first on my list of possible options for the Warriors to take with the 28th pick is Jerome Robinson.
Robinson is a 6-foot-6-inch shooting guard out of Boston College. In his junior year with the Eagles, Robinson averaged a career-high 20.7 points on shooting splits of 48.5 percent from the field, 40.9 percent from behind the arc and 83.0 percent from the free throw line.
In addition, he pulled down 3.6 rebounds and dished out 3.3 assists in 36.0 minutes per game. He also nearly averaged a steal per contest.
From HoopsHype:
"The Warriors actually retain their late first rounder this year after landing valuable backups in succesive drafts by buying early second rounders. The Patrick McCaw experiement is no longer looking as rosey as it appeared a year ago at this time. Robinson could challenge McCaw for minutes off the bench in the coming years and would give them some depth at the guard positions."
While he’s primarily known for his scoring ability, Robinson also proved to be a solid defender capable of guarding both spots in the backcourt. Considering his versatility, I can definitely see him fitting seamlessly into Golden State’s system, possibly replacing Shaun Livingston or Andre Iguodala somewhere down the line.
As of May 20, NBADraft.net has Robinson being selected at the 28th pick going to the Warriors, as well.
Jalen Brunson
Jalen Brunson out of Villanova is certainly within range of the 28th pick in this year’s draft, and the Warriors will likely be taking a long, hard look at him before they’re on the lock.
A 6-foot-3-inch combo guard, Brunson averaged 18.9 points, 3.1 rebounds, 4.6 assists and 0.9 steals in 31.8 minutes per game as a junior. He shot an impressive 52.1 percent from the field, 40.8 percent from behind the arc and 80.2 percent from the free throw line.
Benny Nadeau of Basketball Insiders has had Brunson going at 28 to the Warriors in the site’s last two mock draft versions. Scott Davis of Business Insider named Brunson as one of seven guys that could go at 28, followed by this quote from Jonathan Givony of ESPN concerning Brunson:
"“His leadership, toughness and intangibles could be attractive on a roster that already has quite a bit of talent. The fact that he has shown the ability to operate off the ball certainly helps.”"
At nearly 22 years of age, Brunson is more than likely to go overlooked due to his lack of upside and athleticism, but he’s more than capable of smoothly running an offense. I don’t see how he’ll fit alongside Quinn Cook next season, but he would no doubt be a respectable addition to Golden State’s rotation.
De’Anthony Melton
Also named by Business Insider as one of the seven guys that could possibly be selected with the 28th pick was combo guard De’Anthony Melton out of USC.
Unfortunately, the former Trojan missed out on the 2017-18 season due to the FBI’s ongoing investigation into college basketball. The only stats we have from Melton go back to his freshman year: 8.3 points, 4.7 rebounds, 3.5 assists, 1.0 blocks and 1.0 steals in 27.0 minutes.
Additionally, he shot 43.7 percent from the field, 28.4 percent from behind the arc and 70.6 percent from the free throw line. Primarily known as an athletic defender, it’s obvious Melton has much to learn on the offensive side of the ball.
Both NetScouts Basketball and Sports Illustrated think Melton should go at 28 to the Warriors. From Jeremy Woo of SI.com:
"After missing the season due to fallout from the FBI’s investigation into college hoops, Melton is in the midst of an especially important predraft process. Golden State will aim to find another future role player at this spot, and Melton would add an extra degree of athleticism to the Warriors’ backcourt. A talented, instinctive defender, he needs to improve his jumper but could potentially play on and off the ball while handling a tough defensive assignment and taking pressure off the Warriors’ stars."
Josh Okogie
Coming out of Georgia Tech, Josh Okogie is a 6-foot-4-inch combo guard renowned for his defensive ability.
In his sophomore year as a Yellow Jacket, Okogie averaged 18.2 points, 6.3 rebounds, 2.5 assists, 1.0 blocks and 1.8 steals. He shot 41.6 percent from the field, 38.0 percent from behind the arc and 82.1 percent from the free throw line.
From Chris Stone of Sporting News:
"The 6-4 guard stands out as a potential defensive stopper due to his length, strength and athleticism. He’s also a career 38.2 percent shooter from behind the arc. Okogie isn’t a first-round projected prospect yet, but he could end up here by the time the draft rolls around."
From Ricky O’Donnell of SB Nation:
"Okogie is a long, athletic wing who plays with a high motor. He’s also hit 38 percent of his threes in two seasons at Georgia Tech. He’s not an offensive creator, but he checks a lot of boxes as a role player."
Only way I see Okogie joining the Warriors is if the team opts to let go of Pat McCaw, who is also primarily known for his defense. However, Okogie hasn’t displayed the kind of playmaking ability that McCaw has shown, so I don’t personally see Golden State deciding to go this route.
Aaron Holiday
The latest in the long line of Southern California royalty, the youngest Holiday brother is expected to go late in the first round or early in the second, but both Paul Kasabian of Bleacher Report and Connor Harr of Hoops Habit have Holiday going at 28 to the Dubs.
"“Aaron Holiday has basketball running through his veins. His brothers Jrue and Justin both play in the NBA. Aaron will join his two brothers this year after an impressive junior campaign at UCLA. Holiday is more of an off-ball point guard offensively where he can take advantage of his quality 3-point shooting. He already has NBA range and can shoot off movement, the dribble or just spotting up. Holiday is the perfect complement to play spot minutes with the Golden State Warriors’ stars like Stephen Curry, Kevin Durant and Draymond Green. He will have an extremely simplified role where all he must focus on is knocking down shots and trying to play quality defense.”"
As Harr mentioned, Holiday had a solid junior year with the Bruins, averaging 20.3 points, 3.7 rebounds, 5.8 assists and 1.3 steals in 37.7 minutes. He shot 46.1 percent from the field, 42.9 percent from behind the arc and 82.8 percent from the free throw line.
He’s the smallest Holiday brother, measuring in at just an inch over 6-feet. Despite his elite scoring ability and overall feel for game, his small stature doesn’t exactly sit well with teams who emphasize defense — like the Warriors.
Landry Shamet
Coming out of Wichita State is 6-foot-4 sophomore guard Landry Shamet, who is widely considered to be one of the best shooters in the 2018 draft class.
In 32 appearances for the Shockers, Shamet averaged 14.9 points on 44.2 percent shooting from behind the arc and 56.0 percent shooting from within it, which translates to an overall field goal percentage of 48.9 percent.
In addition, he shot 82.5 percent from the free throw line and added 3.2 rebounds and 5.2 assists in 31.7 minutes. All things considered, teams can never have too many shooters, and that especially rings true with the Golden State Warriors (who actually NEEDS more shooters off the bench).
From Nick Ashooh of NBC Sports Washington:
"Shamet would be a perfect fit for the Warriors. Unselfish, with good size for a point guard (6-foot-4). Has deep range and a high basketball IQ. The Warriors would love him to be on the board for them."
From Gary Parrish of CBS Sports:
"Wichita State has made a habit of developing guards into NBA players — most notably Fred VanVleet and Ron Baker. Shamet should be next. The 6-4 sophomore averaged 14.9 points and 5.2 assists for a WSU team that finished the regular season 24-6. He shot 44.2 percent from 3-point range while taking nearly six 3-pointers a contest, which makes Shamet one of the best shooters in this draft and a perfect fit for Golden State’s roster."
Elie Okobo
Elie Okobo out of France is our first international player to make the list, and he certainly isn’t our last. In case you have absolutely no idea who this guy is, our friends at Hoops Habit wrote up an excellent piece on everything you need to know about Okobo.
The 20-year-old combo guard played the past season with French basketball club Élan Béarnais Pau-Lacq-Orthez (more commonly known as Pau-Orthez outside of Europe), establishing himself as one of the top up-and-comers overseas.
He started 31 out of his 34 games with Pau-Orthez this season, averaging 12.9 points, 2.7 rebounds, 4.7 assists and 0.9 steals in 26.3 minutes per game. He shot 47.6 percent overall, going 39.4 percent from three and 81.9 percent from the free throw line.
I haven’t seen Okobo enough to form a reliable opinion on him, but The Ringer describes the Frenchman as “A confident scoring guard who has the potential to be the best point guard in the draft,” comparing him to Deron Williams, Jeremy Lin and Delonte West.
Take that as you will, but know that I’m definitely taking that with a grain of salt.
Gary Trent Jr.
Next up on my list is Duke freshman, Gary Trent Jr., who’s listed as a 6-foot-6, 19 year old shooting guard.
He averaged 14.5 points, 4.2 rebounds, 1.4 assists and 1.2 steals in 33.9 minutes with the Blue Devils, shooting 41.5 percent from the field, 40.2 percent from behind the arc and 87.6 percent from the free throw line.
He’s primarily known for his long range scoring ability, which makes him a bit one-dimensional. He’s pegged as a possible defensive liability, which could prove problematic for a team like the Warriors that bases much of its success on the defensive end.
Lucky for him, the one thing he does, he does exceptionally well, and like I said a couple slides before, you can never have too many shooters.
From Jonathan Wasserman of Bleacher Report:
"The Warriors can add another shooter in Trent, who drilled 97 threes in 37 games at a 40.2 percent clip. He’s a limited athlete, creator and defender, but in Golden State, he’d play to his strengths as a shot-making specialist who can fill in for soon-to-be free agent Nick Young."
From Reid Forgrave at CBS Sports:
"A beautiful shooter for a team that’s already full of them. He’s not the most impressive athlete, but he’s an absolute pit bull on the court."
Rodions Kurucs
Onto our next and final international player on my list (I know, so soon!), we have Rodions Kurucs of Latvia, who played the past season with FC Barcelona II.
This 20-year-old Latvian small forward has been on NBA radars for quite some time. At 6-foot-9-inches, he doesn’t fit the typical backcourt criteria on which every aforementioned player has been based, but he checks off many of the other boxes.
Averaging 10.6 points on 44.5 percent shooting from the field, 33.3 percent from behind the arc and 76.9 percent shooting from the free throw line, Kurucs is a developing scorer with a great feel for the game.
He also tallied 2.6 rebounds, 1.5 assists and 1.5 steals in jus 20.8 minutes with Barcelona II, which many scouts expect to improve with time. That said, the Warriors could very well select Kurucs with the intention of stashing him overseas, thereby saving them some money and making him a low-risk, high-reward project.
Bruce Brown
Bruce Brown out of Miami would fit perfectly into Golden State’s system with his style of play. Standing as a 6-foot-5 shooting guard, his elite defensive IQ and solid playmaking ability could be worth developing over time.
As a sophomore with the Hurricanes, Brown averaged 11.4 points, 7.1 rebounds, 4.0 assists and 1.3 steals in 33.7 minutes. He shot 41.5 percent from the field, 26.7 percent from behind the arc and 62.9 percent from the free throw line.
Looking at the numbers, it’s pretty obvious Brown will have to improve his shooting ability if he’s going to unlock the next level in his game. If he develops a jumper, there’s no doubt this guy is going to be in the league for a long time.
Warriors must be wary of the red flag surrounding his left foot injury, however, which sidelined Brown after playing just 19 games with Miami this past season.
Anfernee Simons
One of the most polarizing figures in this year’s draft is Anfernee Simons, a 19-year-old kid who will be coming out of IMG Academy, a high school in Florida.
So how exactly what he able to forego college basketball? Technically speaking, Simons graduated from Edgewater High School in Orlando, but spent an extra year of high school eligibility at IMG, which serves as a prep school.
Despite being heavily recruited by college teams as one of the top players his age, Simons surprisingly opted to skip college and go straight to the NBA, taking advantage of a current loophole that makes him draft eligible.
There isn’t enough reliable statistical evidence to help support why the Warriors would go after such a high-risk, high-reward player, but considering how high teams currently rank him, there’s no telling whether he could possibly drop due to questions concerning his maturity.
If that’s the case, the Warriors could prove a prime destination considering their high-level chemistry and overall experience level. Golden State has developed a sort of reputation for maximizing players’ potentials, and Simons would have the opportunity to learn from some of the best in the business.
Donte DiVincenzo
Another Villanova product, Donte DiVincenzo is a 21 year old, 6-foot-4 point guard capable of doing…well, almost anything and everything, if we’re being honest.
Averaging 13.4 points, 4.8 rebounds, 3.5 assists and 1.1 steals in just 29.3 minutes, DiVincenzo’s greatest strength is his versatility. While he’s not primarily known for one particular skill, he’s by no means a liability on either end of the floor, and he displays a great deal of upside for a late-first round pick.
Additionally, he shot 48.1 percent from the floor, 40.1 percent from behind the arc and 71.0 percent from the free throw line. He certainly has room to grow, but he appears to be the all-around package.
From Michael Scotto of The Athletic:
"DiVincenzo can shoot well from 3-point range (.401), rebound (4.8) pass (3.5 assists) and is a versatile guard who does all the little things to win. While DiVincenzo is still testing the waters in the draft process, his 31-point performance in the NCAA championship game appears to have left a lasting impression on NBA executives."
Rawle Alkins
Rawle Alkins comes as a suggestion from our friends at Hoops Habit, and honestly, I like this pick. A 20 year old sophomore that last played with the Arizona Wildcats, I think Alkins would prove to be a perfect fit in Oakland.
He averaged 13.1 points, 4.8 rebounds, 2.5 assists and 1.3 steals in 31.4 minutes, shooting 43.2 percent from the field, 35.9 percent from behind the arc and 72.4 percent from the free throw line.
I see this guy being Draymond Green‘s counterpart in the backcourt. Like the guy in my last slide, Alkins’ biggest strength is his versatility: he’s a good spot-up shooter, a gritty defender, a willing passer and an energetic, charismatic leader.
From Ty Delbridge at Hoops Habit:
"Alkins could come in and play both guard positions for the Warriors. He brings them a scrappy wing to play behind Curry, Thompson and Shaun Livingston. He has solid offensive skills and will be able to knock down catch-and-shoot 3s that the Warriors offense loves to get. If the Dubs move on from Nick Young or Patrick McCaw, Alkins could be a nice fill-in the next couple seasons."
Grayson Allen
Another suggestion from Hoops Habit that I can honestly see happening (but don’t necessarily support) is the Warriors picking up Grayson Allen out of Duke.
The senior Blue Devil has long been a staple in their system, making a name for himself through his exceptional offensive capabilities and controversial defense.
Standing just a smidge under 6-foot-5 at almost 23 years of age, Allen averaged 15.5 points, 3.3 rebounds, 4.6 assists and 1.7 steals in 35.6 minutes per game, shooting 41.8 percent from the field, 37.0 percent from behind the arc and 85.0 percent from the free throw line.
He also notably did well at the NBA Combine according to ESPN’s Jonathan Givony via SB Nation:
"Allen posted a lane agility time of 10.31 seconds. According to ESPN draft analyst Jonathon Givony, that’s the fifth-best mark in NBA Combine database history, dating back to 2000. He also had the second-best shuttle run time (3.4 seconds) in the combine and tied for the fourth-highest in both max vertical leap (40.5”) and standing vertical (32.5”) among those who worked out this year."
He’s not exactly the best defender in his draft class, so teams will certainly be banking on his uncanny ability to put the ball in the basket. Considering what we’ve seen the past four years, it’s difficult seeing him not get picked up early in the second round should he slip past the Dubs.
Keita Bates-Diop
Last but definitely not the least is Keita Bates-Diop out of Ohio State. Like Kurucs, KBD doesn’t fit the mold of a backcourt player, but he checks off most of the other boxes.
The 6-foot-8, 22 year old forward averaged 19.8 points, 8.7 rebounds, 1.6 assists and 1.6 blocks in 33.1 minutes per game this past season, earning Big Ten Player of the Year honors. In addition to his solid defensive ability, KBD also proved to be a solid shooter, going 48.0 percent from the field, 35.9 percent from beyond the arc and 79.4 percent from the free throw line.
Like the past few guys on my list, this guy is another versatile option the Warriors could pick up to add to their already versatile rotation of versatile players. He’s a bit of an in-betweener, however, so it make take a bit of time to figure out where he fits exactly.
The thing with KBD is he could get picked up as soon as the lottery ends in the middle of the first round. Should he drop due to his age, however, the Warriors would be wise to steal him away before buying into the second round to pick up one of the aforementioned guards.
Honorable Mentions
All of the aforementioned names are guys who are considered to be fringe-first round picks. The following names are guys widely considered to be second round selections, but could possibly end up on the Warriors should Lacob and company decide to buy a pick.
Kevin Huerter: 6’7, 20-year-old primarily known for his scoring ability. Averaged 14.8 points, 5.0 rebounds, 3.4 assists with an effective field goal percentage of 61.6 percent. The Ringer compares him to Klay Thompson, Allen Crabbe and Nik Stauskas.
Malik Newman: 6’3, 21-year-old also known for his scoring ability. Averaged 14.2 points, 5.0 rebounds, 2.1 assists and 1.1 steals with an effective field goal percentage of 56.8 percent. Had a great postseason, averaging over 22 points per game.
Devon Hall: 6’6, 23-year-old with 3-and-D potential. Averaged 11.7 points, 4.2 rebounds, 3.1 assists with a 3-point shooting percentage of 43.2 percent. Two-way player, willing playmaker. Lefty.
Tyus Battle: 6’6, 21-year-old wingman. Averaged 19.2 points, 2.9 rebounds, 2.1 assists and 1.5 steals with an effective field goal percentage of 46.5 percent. Spot-up shooter, willing playmaker.
Jontay Porter: 6’11, 19-year-old big man. Averaged 9.9 points, 6.8 rebounds, 2.2 assists and 1.7 blocks. Willing passer, great handle and coordination. Capable stretch-big, but doesn’t project as a rim protector.
Next: Top 20 Draft Picks in Warriors Franchise History
All stats are accurate as of Monday, May 21, 2018 via ESPN, RealGM and Sports-Reference.com.
All rankings are accurate as of Monday, May 21, 2018.
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