Warriors Draft Rumors: Team disclosing strategy with recent report

The Golden State Warriors do not want a flashy, high-risk player if they keep No. 2, and their recent report confirms that thought.

According to The San Francisco Chronicle’s Connor Letourneau, the Warriors are “higher on” forward Deni Avdija than they are on LaMelo Ball, the youngest brother of well-known Pelicans guard Lonzo Ball.

Letourneau also added that they are “possibly” higher on the 6-foot-9 than James Wiseman as well. Those are two pretty big reports even though many still think the Warriors are likely to trade the pick prior to the late-November draft.

Assuming they do keep the pick, the Warriors should prepare for the draft like shooting guard Anthony Edwards will be the first player off the board. That leaves them with Ball and Wiseman as the top prospects.

Ball, who played in Australia over taking his talent to a collegiate program, has clear upside, but his efficiency overseas was extremely worrisome. For Wiseman, the negatives surrounding his potential on the offensive side of the floor are many.

There isn’t much film on Ball or Wiseman, and the Warriors won’t get individual workouts prior to the 2020 NBA Draft. However, there isn’t much tape on Avdija either, and he seems to be the preferred target.

Standing 6-foot-9, Avdija is a wing, and he’ll be able to play the three or four, something the team will crave for their small-ball lineups. It’s not necessarily about Avdija as his numbers aren’t the best and his game doesn’t seem the most polished.

It’s about the wing and finding a player that can play alongside Stephen Curry and Klay Thompson. That’s what the reports say, and those should be notable as Tyrese Haliburton given his size may also be a target moving forward.

The Warriors continue to give hints at who they’ll take with the second-overall pick, but at the end of the day, most still believe they’ll trade the pick.