Golden State Warriors: Pass or draft these 6 NBA Draft prospects

Warriors potential NBA prospect — Draft: Scottie Barnes

The 3rd player on my board, Barnes is one of the most exciting prospects in some time because of his unique set of skills. A 6-foot-9 guard who can play defense all over the floor, make elite reads offensively, and consistently disrupt in the open floor evokes Ben Simmons in my mind.

He was a tone-setter coming off the bench for a deep and talented Florida State squad. Nobody played harder, celebrated more, or had a higher level of impact on this team. He’s also an explosive athlete with a touch of flair, and he makes you get out of your seat on fast breaks.

Oh, and he can shoot a bit and create his own looks, both inside and outside the paint.

With all those tools, why is he not considered part of the Big Five at the top of the draft? It’s because fear of the unknown. Where he fits on both ends of the floor, and what position he plays, will largely be dictated by the team that drafts him.

In the past these players were considered “tweeners” and viewed in a negative light, but the revolution was sparked by none other than Draymond Green. Lack of fit at a single position is a strength if you have an ability to create, switch and disrupt all over the floor, and Barnes has that in spades.

My primary concern with Barnes is that he may in fact be *too* Draymond-esque to actually coexist with this team. Having two players who aren’t able to consistently shoot or create for themselves could be problematic, but Andre Iguodala and Draymond went crazy together for years.

Barnes in a switch-heavy scheme where he can float around and disrupt while using his elite vision and passing skills in the motion offense would be a dream. He’s the kind of player who could catapult what was already a top-five defense into the elite, “oh no not these guys” category.

If the Wolves pick stays at 6 or 7, he should be at the front of their minds in those spots.