Alen Smailagic can be a reliable contributor for Golden State Warriors

The Golden State Warriors selected Alen Smailagic late in last year’s NBA Draft, but what impact will he have with the Warriors moving forward?

Alen Smailagic was drafted with the 39th pick of the 2019 NBA Draft by the Golden State Warriors after the Warriors traded for him with New Orleans. Smailagic has been in the Warriors system for a while now as the Serbian big-man was a member of the Santa Cruz Warriors, Golden State’s G-League affiliate, the year he was drafted.

With the status of Marquese Chriss’ contract up-in-the-air, Alen Smailagic, along with Kevon Looney, are the only two centers for the Warriors under guaranteed contracts for the 2020-21 NBA season, so what kind of role could Smailagic have this season if the Warriors elect not to take a center with the #2 pick in the 2020 NBA Draft?

The Athletic’s Tim Kawakami talked with Steve Kerr about the status of the Warriors this offseason and how he views Alen Smailagic’s role with the Warriors.

Kerr views Smiley as a true center for the Warriors who can shoot the three-ball well but is not a very versatile defender. Standing 6’10” and used to playing in the paint his entire career, Alen Smailagic won’t be a stretch 5 in the NBA who can guard numerous positions on the floor. Kerr used the term, “face-up five” when referencing Smailagic which should not surprise a lot of Warriors fans who know his game.

Alen Smailagic is a player who is not extremely explosive but is a very poised and relaxed type of player. He has shown flashes of his athletic abilities as a big-man at times but is mainly a big body who has the ability to knock down threes.

In an injury-plagued 2019-20 season for the Warriors, Smiley played in 14 games, averaging 4.2 PPG, 1.9 RPG, and shot 20-40 (50%) from the floor, 3-13 (23.1%) from three-point range. With the Santa Cruz Warriors last season, Smailagic was featured in 19 games averaging: 15.2 PPG, 6.2 RPG, and shot 108-211 (51.2%) from the floor, 28-82 (34.1%) from three-point range.

Smiley is still only 20-years old and is still developing his body and game into a true NBA center. His upside is definitely positive though as he has shown flashes of his offensive creativity in the G-League for the Santa Cruz Warriors. Here are some of his highlights from a season ago below:

If the Warriors take a center with the #2 overall pick in the 2020 NBA Draft, Alen Smailagic could see very limited minutes again this season as he continues to develop in practices and in the G-League, but could also see increased playing time if the Warriors elect to take a wing or guard in the draft. Smiley’s future with the Warriors is definitely not in jeopardy though as management has said from the time that they drafted him that they like his potential and believe he could fit in nicely with the Warriors’ system after a couple of years of development.