10. Drafting Jacob Evans
The Warriors won three championships in the last four years before the 2018 NBA Draft. They picked near the end of the first round and hoped to find a role player to round out their roster.
The Warriors took Evans at 28th overall. The 6’4 guard out of Cincinnati lasted just two years in the NBA. He averaged 2.9 points and 1.2 rebounds in 10.8 minutes per game over 57 contests with the Dubs. Evans played two games with the Timberwolves and has not appeared in a contest since 2020.
Golden State missed a massive opportunity. Jalen Brunson was the obvious name left on the board, but the Warriors had Stephen Curry running the point. The Dubs also passed on Devonte Graham, Mitchell Robinson, Bruce Brown, Jarred Vanderbilt, De’Anthony Melton, and Gary Trent Jr. to take Evans. Each of those players slipped into the second round but could have made a massive impact in the Bay Area.
It is difficult to nail selections that late in the draft, but missing out on multiple rotation players stung. All of those options needed time to develop, but imagine the Warriors running out Melton, Graham, or Bruce Brown in recent years. It would have only made their roster stronger.