Draft steal is Golden State Warriors best kept secret entering next season

With a legion of fans across the globe and the team's propensity to make headlines as one of the NBA's most popular franchises, it's difficult for any individual player on the Golden State Warriors to be a "secret" or stay under the radar.

But if any Warrior player can be considered that right now, they'll need to very much emerge next season as the franchise looks to respond after failing to make the playoffs in 2024.

Trayce Jackson-Davis should be classified as the Golden State Warriors best kept secret after an impressive rookie season

In a recent article looking at 'Every NBA Roster's Best Kept Secret for 2024-25 Season', Grant Hughes of Bleacher Report identified fourth-year wing Moses Moody as that player for Golden State after three years of inconsistent opportunity.

"Golden State Warriors fans could probably have guessed we'd pick Moses Moody, whose yo-yoing in and out of the rotation basically defines his three-year career," Hughes wrote. "They probably could have also foreseen us mentioning that Moody is such a well-kept secret that even his head coach often seems to forget he exists."

You could actually argue that Steve Kerr's infamous treatment of Moody has actually brought some notoriety to a degree, particularly given he was also a lottery pick initially in 2021. Perhaps the 22-year-old can still be classified as such, but the 'worst kept secret' label should arguably go to another young Warrior in Trayce Jackson-Davis.

Whereas Jonathan Kuminga, Brandin Podziemski and Moody often draw the headlines among Golden State's young core, Jackson-Davis is going a little under the radar after being taken with the 57th overall pick last year.

Jackson-Davis did earn some external attention late last season when he started seeing a more prominent role, but that may be just scratching the surface of what he could produce in his second year.

The 24-year-old posted per 36 minute stats of 17.2 points, 10.9 rebounds, 2.6 assists and 2.4 blocks, all of which exceed Moody's corresponding numbers. The Warriors finished the season 9-2 over the last 11 games when Jackson-Davis entered the starting lineup, illustrating the surprising impact he provided the team last season.

It remains to be seen whether the 6'9" big man will earn a starting role entering next season, but he should nonetheless see at least 20-25 minutes per game as Golden State's primary center after elevating above Kevon Looney in the rotation.

He may not be viewed as having the upside of the team's other young players, which is exactly why Jackson-Davis should be seen as the Warriors best kept secret more so than Moody.