Key element stemming from Warriors busy day with acquisition of three new players

The Golden State Warriors had a busy second day of the NBA draft, adding three new players on Thursday to begin a retool of their roster this offseason.

After initially trading the 52nd overall pick to the Oklahoma City Thunder for Lindy Waters III, the Warriors got their pick back via the Portland Trail Blazers and drafted 24-year-old center Quinten Post out of Boston. Note: The second transaction with Portland can't be completed until next month due to a restriction on how much cash Golden State can send as of right now.

Following the draft, the Warriors finished their day's work by securing defensive-minded guard Reece Beekman on a two-way contract. Neither of the three players will likely sway the franchise's hopes next season, but it's all part of the wider roster-building landscape that Mike Dunleavy Jr. and the front office will continue to undertake in the coming days and weeks.

The Golden State Warriors decision to reclaim their 52nd pick has hard-capped themselves at the NBA's second tax apron

The key element stemming from Thursday's action is that in reacquiring the 52nd pick, Golden State no longer have the opportunity to go above the second tax apron which sits at just over $189 million. That's because teams above the apron cannot buy second-round picks using cash, which is what they've just done in securing the draft rights to Post.

That means the Warriors have limited themselves to a degree, though it's unlikely they would have gone over the second apron anyway given the restrictive nature of it as outlined by Dunleavy in his post-draft press conference (via Anthony Slater).

"I think we were aware of what it did. I think at the same time we're okay with that. To stay under the second apron is plenty of money to spend to build a good team, and we also recognize how restrictive and prohibitive it is."

- Mike Dunleavy Jr.

Going above the apron not only prohibits teams from sending out cash like Golden State have just done, but teams also don't have access to the taxpayer mid-level exception, and can't aggregate salaries in a trade.

That final piece is key here -- to trade for a star player making upwards of $30 million -- let's say Paul George -- the Warriors would have to aggregate salaries which teams above the second apron can't do anyway. In other words, this move doesn't financially alter the Warriors hopes of going out and trading for a star-level player on a max contract.

The Boston Celtics, Minnesota Timberwolves and Phoenix Suns currently project as teams who will be above the second apron, meaning the Warriors will most likely be outside the top three in roster spending for the first time since the 2019-20 season.