Golden State Warriors Draft: Chris Duarte could be surprise option at 14

The Golden State Warriors recently worked out Oregon Ducks’ star guard Chris Duarte, and while he’s projected to be a late first-round pick in the upcoming draft, they could easily make the jump to grab him at 14.

With the draft just 10 days away, the Warriors have done their fair share of scouting prospects that should be available at both 7 and 14. They’ve worked out players like Moses Moody to potentially take at 7 and then players like Duarte who could be taken at 14.

The Golden State Warriors have always liked developed collegiate talents, and it shouldn’t shock anyone if they reach for Oregon star Chris Duarte.

For the Warriors, Duarte may not make a ton of sense given their backcourt depth, but he does have obvious upside. Duarte is a playmaker, and that’s how he was able to help the Ducks advance in the NCAA Tournament.

The Ducks destroyed Iowa in the second round, a highly impressive victory in which Duarte put up a team-high 23 points. On the season, he averaged 17.1 points per game. He was a star during both his seasons with Oregon.

Originally a three-star recruit, Duarte’s toughness, playmaking, and shooting are all reasons why he could have a lengthy NBA career. He shot over 53 percent from the field as a sophomore after hitting just 41.4 percent of his shots as a freshman.

Duarte clearly has the drive or we would not have seen such a huge uptick in both his production and efficiency.

Another massive improvement that should be noted is in his three-point shooting. Duarte averaged 2.3 triples per game and shot over 43 percent from deep, both sizable increases from his freshman season.

At 6-foot-6, Duarte also offers good size. However, he will have a limited upside.

Given that, he should be able to help lead the second unit more than a player that’s considered a project. Duarte’s ceiling is capped due to his age. At 24, he doesn’t have the ideal time to develop into a more skilled player. He knows that criticism, and he’s not buying it.

"“A lottery pick. I don’t care about what anybody says. I’m a lottery pick. They keep talking about my age. My age doesn’t matter. If you’re ready to go, you’re ready to go. It doesn’t matter how old you are. Right now, I’m a lottery pick, and I’m going to prove it,” Duarte told HoopsHype’s Michael Scotto."

Duarte is right, and the Warriors likely won’t take age too much into consideration. After all, while he was a second-round pick, they did take three-time All-Star Draymond Green after four years at Michigan State.

Having shown the skill to be a contributor immediately, taking a Jalen Johnson or Moses Moody and then turning around to take Duarte could pose a win-win situation for Golden State. Duarte is a big-time playmaker, and he should be taken higher than he’s currently being mocked.

That said, I wouldn’t be shocked if Golden State took him at 14.