Did the Golden State Warriors address one of the biggest needs on their roster by selecting Jacob Evans with their first round draft pick?
The Golden State Warriors lost Patrick McCaw to a back injury late in the season, and they nearly went down in the Western Conference Finals after Andre Iguodala suffered a knee injury.
The Warriors didn’t have much depth on the wing thanks to disappointing years from Nick Young and Omri Casspi, and it almost cost them a chance to defend their championship.
Golden State’s front office knew they needed to address that position this offseason, and their first opportunity to do so was in the NBA Draft.
The Warriors used their one and only pick on Cincinnati swingman Jacob Evans to add another possible three-and-D wing to their roster.
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The former Bearcat measured 6-foot, 5.5-inches at the NBA Combine with a 6-foot, 9.25-inch wingspan.
That length allows him to make plays on the ball on defense as he averaged 1.3 steals and 1 block per game during his final year at Cincinnati.
Evans could also develop into a great fit for the Warriors on the offensive end as well.
He doesn’t need the ball in his hands very often, and he shot 37.7% from three on 4.4 attempts per game during his college career.
If Evans can shoot a similar rate from deep in the NBA, that will force opposing defenses to stick to him and give Golden State’s All-Stars space to create on offense.
Jacob Evans was the best wing on the board at pick number 28, and the Warriors didn’t waste any time turning in the card on draft night.
Evans is exactly the type of player Golden State needs in their rotation, and now he needs to focus on improving his game to earn some playing time next season.
Check out our grades of the Warriors’ other offseason moves: