Golden State Warriors: Players to target in the 2020 NBA Draft

The Golden State Warriors will likely be picking towards the top of the order in June of 2020, so what players could they be targeting come draft time?

It’s no secret that the Golden State Warriors haven’t been good this year.

With Stephen Curry and Klay Thompson both missing extended periods of time with their respective injuries, the reigns have been left to newcomer D’Angelo Russell and veteran Draymond Green. Neither has performed poorly, but not well enough to keep a lackluster roster afloat in a stacked Western Conference.

Lots of young players have been getting significant playing time as a result, minutes they wouldn’t normally see if the Warriors were operating at full capacity.

Alas, this isn’t the case. Rookie Eric Paschall has stepped into a starting role and played well along with Glenn Robinson III,  who’s in his first season as a full-time starter.

The point I’m getting at is that the Warriors haven’t won a lot of games, but there is a bright spot in all of this. At this rate, they’ll likely finish towards the bottom of the league, and select in the 1-6 range. (Golden State’s draft pick is protected 1-20 this year, so barring a miraculous turnaround, they’ll own their pick.)

There’s still a lot of basketball left to play in not just the NBA but for these prospects as well. Regardless, it’s never too early for draft speculation. Here are a few players the Warriors could target in the upcoming draft.

James Wiseman, C, Memphis (NCAA) – 7’1″ 240 lbs.

Wiseman is a physical specimen, with the agility you wouldn’t expect from a player his size. He can run the floor and shoot the ball fairly well for a center, a skill that would give him a boost in Steve Kerr’s system. The Warriors haven’t had a dominant big-man center in their recent dynasty, but Wiseman could provide a foreboding presence in the paint that would open up more for Curry and Thompson.

Anthony Edwards, SG, Georgia (NCAA) – 6’5″ 225 lbs.

Edwards is up there in the conversation with Wiseman for best player in the class, as the Bulldogs’ 2-guard has a sturdy frame and can attack the basket very well, often taking advantage of smaller guards. He shoots the three-ball well, and has what scouts describe as a “natural scoring ability”. He’ll fit right into Golden State. It’d be interesting to see how he’s used rotationally; whether he would come off the bench or how Kerr would work him and Thompson in the starting lineup. Regardless, come draft day, Edwards will still only be 18 years old, and this pick would come with the future in mind.

Vernon Carey Jr., PF/C, Duke (NCAA) – 6’10” 265 lbs.

Carey Jr. is another big that could impact the Warriors immediately, the word that keeps popping up for guys like him and Wiseman is versatility. Carey Jr. has a range skillset and is a great post scorer and a force in the paint. He’s shooting an extremely efficient 60% for Duke as a true freshman, the only major knock on him is he can sometimes get lost in the flow of the game, seemingly disappearing for minutes at a time. The Warriors would need consistent contributions from him as soon as he steps on the floor.

Deni Avdija, SF, Maccabi Tel Aviv (Israel) – 6’8″ 210 lbs.

NBA teams won’t make the same mistake with Avdija as they did Luka Doncic. Avdija currently plays professionally in Israel and will be 19 come draft time. One scouting report reads, “He moves well off the ball, as he will use off-ball motion to get open, and he is a very good spot-up shooter off the catch.” Sounds pretty familiar. He’d fit extremely well into the Warriors offense and could bolster the frontcourt as a perimeter threat.

Jaden McDaniels, SF/PF, Washington (NCAA) – 6’10” 200 lbs.

McDaniels is a talented, yet relatively raw forward who has great athleticism and scoring ability. He’s shown some promise shooting the ball from outside, but needs to improve on his consistency from distance to have an impact for the Warriors. He has a similar frame as a collegiate Kevin Durant and plays with a similar fluidity. That isn’t to say he’s as a prolific scorer like Durant, but the upside is there for McDaniels.

How the rest of the season ends up going for the Warriors, they’re upcoming draft pick will need to be an impact player not only for next season, but will also need to be a cornerstone of the future.