The Golden State Warriors and Deni Avdija could be perfect for each other

Deni Avdija is a possible target for the Golden State Warriors with the second overall pick in the upcoming NBA Draft. Both sides could benefit from one another.

After a rough 2019-2020 campaign, the Golden State Warriors own the second overall pick in the NBA Draft.

While Golden State,, looking to contend next season, may try to trade the pick for a more established player, they might not receive intriguing offers due to this draft being the worst in years.

There may be some intriguing names on the board such as Anthony Edwards, LaMelo Ball and James Wiseman, but the Golden State Warriors are, and always have been, very selective of the new players they bring on board.

James Wiseman may seem like a fit due to the Warriors’ hole at the center spot, but the truth is the Warriors never valued that position under Steve Kerr and never paid more than the mid-level exception for any center.

That’s why this year’s MLE would be enough for Golden State to strengthen their front-court. Besides, they’re very unlikely to pay a center around $8 million a year, which is what the second overall pick is scheduled to make.

Anthony Edwards is a great scorer who could be able to contribute right away, but according to Drew Shiller of NBC Sports Bay Area, the Warriors are unlikely to draft Edwards due to concerns about his professionalism and ability to impact winning.

As for LaMelo Ball, Golden State doesn’t seem to be big fans of the point guard, according to San Francisco Chronicle’s Connor Letourneau, and LaVar Ball saying he doesn’t want his son on the team probably seals the deal.

More from Blue Man Hoop

• 3x champion may come to regret forgoing Golden State Warriors reunion
• Golden State Warriors: History shows USA may need Stephen Curry for more than the Olympics
• 7 players Golden State Warriors might replace Klay Thompson with by the trade deadline
• Golden State Warriors villain pours on more pain to end USA’s World Cup
• Golden State Warriors: Stephen Curry continues philanthropic efforts off the court

That doesn’t mean the Warriors can’t find a diamond in the rough. Enter 19-year-old Israeli forward Deni Avdija. Avdija could be perfect for the Warriors as he fits their style of play and has many abilities that the Warriors value.

At 6-foot-9, Deni has good size and is pretty strong for his age. His defense will need to improve but his physical tools give him the potential of becoming a good defender, who could be capable of switching and defending multiple positions.

On the offensive end, much like Draymond, Avdija is capable of handling the ball and making plays. That would allow Steph and Klay to run the break immediately after a missed shot and get better looks.

Also, Deni has played pro basketball with European powerhouse Maccabi Tel-Aviv and even helped them reach the Euroleague playoffs this season for the first time since 2015. He has been pro since 2017 and so he could be more NBA-ready than most prospects.

That’s good news for a team looking to contend.

While the biggest concern with Avdija is his ability to be a knock-down shooter, he does have good mechanics, especially off the catch and shoot and he did manage to hit 47 percent of his corner 3’s this past season, so there is some potential here.

Besides, he’ll get a lot of open looks playing alongside the splash brothers.

As for Avdija, playing for Golden State will allow him to contribute to a contending team right away. His abilities and high IQ will earn him playing time as a secondary playmaker under coach Kerr and his fit with the Warriors can help him maximize his potential.

Avdija is not likely to be a future superstar, but in this weak draft, he may be worth taking with the second overall pick or perhaps with the fourth or fifth pick if the Warriors are able to trade down.

So unless Golden State finds a trade for a win-now player, Deni Avdija seems like the right choice, and both sides will benefit from one another.