Once the Golden State Warriors officially make their selection in the 2020 NBA Draft, Obi Toppin may end up being their best option.
The 2020 NBA Draft is going to be the most peculiar draft of all-time. Due to the COVID-19 pandemic cutting the NCAA season short, scouts are left with a smaller sample size than ever before. For the Golden State Warriors, Obi Toppin could end up being their best option.
Toppin compounded on a breakout freshman season for Dayton by improving in nearly every aspect as a sophomore. The pure-shooting forward is averaging 20.0 points and 7.5 rebounds as he has led Dayton to a 29-2 record.
It’s obvious that Toppin would fit in nicely with the rest of the Dubs lineup. He is a bulky 6’9″ forward with a versatile skill set on offense. He is capable of stretching the floor with his shooting and is great at using his size and athleticism to attack the rim.
Toppin would be a suitable sixth man for the Warriors. However, there are concerns surrounding his potential. At 22 years of age, Toppin is significantly older than the rest of the 2020 NBA Draft class.
Furthermore, Toppin has mostly avoided top tier competition playing in a weaker conference. Since the March Madness tournament is canceled we will not have an opportunity to see Toppin play at the highest level.
Still, Toppin makes the most sense for the Warriors from a lineup standpoint.
With Stephen Curry still playing in his prime, the need for another guard is minimal. This means valuable prospects such as LaMelo Ball and Anthony Edwards are not as critical to the lineup as Toppin would be.
Toppin could become a potential replacement for Draymond Green. The former Defensive Player of the Year has been showing signs of decline and could benefit from having a younger player to mentor towards the backend of his career.
Lastly, James Wiseman is a player the Warriors should heavily consider. The seven-foot big man looked good in his three games played for Memphis but it would be a risk to draft a player after barely seeing him play.
Because of this, Toppin seems to be the safest pick the Warriors could make.