The Golden State Warriors, the franchise with the No. 2 overall pick in their possession, is the preferred landing place for small forward Deni Avdija.
With the highest odds to land the No.1 overall pick, the Warriors “lost” the lottery. They certainly weren’t the New York Knicks or Cleveland Cavaliers, both teams which fell out of the top three in the upcoming draft.
The Timberwolves won the draft, and they’ll be shopping their pick as well. If they keep the pick, they’ll be projected to take Anthony Edwards No. 1 overall.
For the Warriors at No. 2, there would be a plethora of options. Players like Tyrese Haliburton could be dark-horse picks for Golden State while James Wiseman and LaMelo Ball are the two big-time names.
Another name that’s starting to gain traction in the Warriors cap is Israeli forward Deni Avdija. While his percentages from the field while playing overseas aren’t great, his basketball IQ is what is diving his soaring draft stock.
Avdija was terrific in his pre-draft workout with Golden State, boosting his value even further.
For the Warriors, it’s not a one-way street like it would be had their interest in Ball piqued. Ball wants to be the star of the show while Avdija is fine sitting back, soaking it all in, and becoming the best player he can be.
That’s why he wants to be with the Golden State Warriors. According to The Athletic’s Ethan Strauss (subscription required), Avdija favors Golden State over the several other teams he’s talked with.
At 6-foot-9, he shot just 27.7 percent from three-point range in 26 EuroLeague games. Again, it’s his craftiness around the rim and his ability to create for both himself and others that will get him all the way to the second-overall pick.
Some may consider the Warriors idiotic for passing on the likes of James Wiseman and LaMelo Ball, but for now, that appears to be the direction in which the organization is heading. Given the holes in their game, Avdija may be far more worth the risk.