Golden State Warriors should get an A+ for two picks in first round
The Golden State Warriors drafted Jonathan Kuminga at No. 7 and Moses Moody at No. 14.
They were gifted a top-five talent and a top-ten talent. For that reason, they should get an A+ from those reviewing the draft. While other teams will feel the same way, Golden State did exactly what they needed to do.
By drafting a win-now prospect at No. 14 and a high-ceiling prospect at No. 7, the Golden State Warriors came, saw, and conquered the 2021 NBA Draft.
Jonathan Kuminga has decision-making issues. At the same time, he was extremely inefficient in his 13 games with the G-League Ignite. However, for a 19-year-old that’s overly athletic and can be molded into an All-Star player, that’s okay.
He’s going to improve, and the Warriors took him knowing that.
Golden State actually had a fair amount of options at No. 7. With UConn’s James Bouknight surprisingly still on the board, there were several players that many may not have thought would be available.
That said, They also drafted a player that will help them compete immediately with Moses Moody. Moody came out of Arkansas where he spent one season.
Moody averaged 16.8 points per game and shot 36 percent from deep. At 6-foot-6, he has ideal size and is a smart player, committing just 1.6 turnovers per game as a freshman. He should be ready to instantly play a role for the bench.
The combination of the two players was the preferred way the draft would’ve went for the Warriors. Now, they’re loaded with young talent, many of which have a high ceiling. However, some may argue that wasn’t the ideal result for Golden State.
They didn’t necessarily improve their title chances with their picks. The Big 3 are going to have to be enough to get the job done, and if that’s how you’re grading the Warriors draft, it was more of a D.
However, in terms of getting the best available players and not taking trades they didn’t find the value in just for a marginally improved shot at the title, the Warriors won these last few days.