Golden State Warriors to get first-hand look at exciting, athletic big man

With the NBA Draft just weeks away at Barclays Center on June 23, the Golden State Warriors are focusing heavily on potential prospects that could be available with their first-round pick at 19 overall.

The 2022 NBA champions have already hosted a number of talented young players over recent days, and they’ll work out another five on Monday according to NBC Sports Bay Area’s Dalton Johnson. Among the quintet is exciting, athletic big man Derek Lively II.

The Golden State Warriors will workout Derek Lively II who shapes as a potential replacement for James Wiseman in the franchise’s young big man stocks.

Lively has been linked to the Warriors for a while, largely because of their need for greater center options in the wake of James Wiseman’s trade to the Detroit Pistons in February. The 7’1″ center was selected by Golden State in Kevin O’Connor’s (The Ringer) mock draft some months ago, and has remained there since it was confirmed the franchise would take the 19th overall pick to the draft.

Standing at 7’1″ and with a 7’7″ wingspan, Lively shares a similar physical profile to that of Wiseman, albeit without the fanfare coming into the draft as the latter was taken at the second overall selection in 2020.

In 32 games with Duke this season, Lively averaged 5.4 points, five rebounds, and an impressive 2.3 blocks in 19.8 minutes per game. Will the Warriors be willing to use another first-round pick on a talented big that still needs a lot of development, or will they be wary after the Wiseman failure?

If Golden State were to take Lively at 19, he certainly wouldn’t enter with the same kind of expectation that undoubtedly affected Wiseman’s time at the franchise. Additionally, he wouldn’t be on anywhere near the same level of rookie contract. A big reason why the Warriors dealt their former number two pick is because Wiseman is scheduled to make $12.1 million next season.

While Golden State would be best served taking the best available option, their guard-heavy roster means they’re likely to focus on a forward or center prospect. They took 6’9″ forward Patrick Baldwin Jr. with their first-round pick, 28th overall, in last year’s draft.

Although unlikely, the Warriors could still trade the 19th pick given the glut of young prospects they’ve taken in recent drafts. Regardless of whether they were to select Lively or not, Golden State need to address their big man depth come free agency next month.