The Milwaukee Bucks may have actually done the Golden State Warriors a massive favor by taking Brayden Burries with the 10th overall pick.
As reported again by ESPN’s Anthony Slater on Thursday, Golden State would have taken Burries at 11 were he available. Instead, they were still happy with the leftover prize of Yaxel Lendeborg, and having the Bucks take the choice of both players out of their hands may be proving a blessing in disguise.
Bucks did Warriors a favor taking Brayden Burries before Yaxel Lendeborg
While there’s always a long-term projection with lottery picks, there’s little doubt that Lendeborg will play a much bigger role for the Warriors in his rookie year than Burries theoretically would have — and it’s not just because he’s 24-years-old.
As a jumbo-sized 6’9” forward, Lendeborg fills a much bigger need for Golden State while six-time All-Star Jimmy Butler remains sidelined by injury. The 11th pick is locked into a starting role and is already destined for big minutes, taking on significant responsibility on both ends of the floor but particularly offensively.
Burries, in contrast, would have entered a guard rotation already featuring Stephen Curry, Brandin Podziemski, De’Anthony Melton and Brandon Williams. Perhaps the Warriors don’t sign both Melton and Williams in free agency if they’d drafted Burries, but the point nonetheless remains.
The Arizona product will very likely become better players than Podziemski, Melton and Williams in time, but based on his youth and the fact he’s coming off the bench for a rebuilding Bucks team, the chances of Burries surpassing that guard trio in his rookie year were slim.
Brayden Burries-Yaxel Lendeborg won’t be the only regular comparison
Given the Warriors’ interest in Burries, there will be regular comparisons between he and Lendeborg to evaluate how fortunate or unlucky Mike Dunleavy Jr. and the front office truly were on draft night.
But that won’t be the only comparison to follow, with Lendeborg’s former Michigan teammate Aday Mara going 12th overall to the Oklahoma City Thunder. After a rough summer league showing, Mara has been simply sensational through his two preseason games to date, including going for 22 points and six rebounds on a perfect 10-of-10 shooting against Burries and the Bucks on Wednesday night.
Between Burries, Lendeborg and Mara, the early indications are that the Warriors couldn't really lose in this scenario. Yet based on the incredibly early evidence, they may have fallen into some luck getting Lendeborg over Burries.
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