12 Disastrous moves the Warriors wish they could undo
By Tyler Watts
3. Drafting Anthony Randolph over 3 future All-Stars
The Warriors had the final lottery selection in 2008 after narrowly missing the playoffs. It was a massive opportunity in a loaded draft, and they again selected a big man.
Randolph was fresh off a dominant lone season at LSU where he averaged 15.6 points, 8.5 rebounds, 1.1 steals, and 2.3 blocks per game. Golden State hoped he would blossom into a starter and key contributor, but it never panned out.
Randolph immediately jumped into the Warriors rotation but lasted just two seasons in the Bay Area before being shipped to the Knicks for David Lee. Over his 96 contests with the Dubs, Randolph averaged 9.2 points, 6.0 rebounds, and 1.3 blocks in 19.6 minutes per game.
Unfortunately, he struggled to stay healthy and never averaged more than 16 minutes per night after his departure. Randolph played six seasons in the NBA and was never more than a bench option.
If the Warriors were set on taking a big man, Roy Hibbert, DeAndre Jordan, Serge Ibaka, JaVale McGee, Robin Lopez, and Nikola Pekovic were all still available. Nicolas Batum, Ryan Anderson, Goran Dragic, and George Hill were also on the board. This was a loaded class, and Golden State failed to find a difference-maker.