If the Golden State Warriors are going to take a big swing at 11th overall in the 2026 NBA Draft, it might be wise for them to target a backcourt partner for Stephen Curry.
Of course, a forward like Yaxel Lendeborg or a center like Aday Mara might be their most intriguing options there. especially given those prospects' individual doses of size and athleticism. But with De'Anthony Melton likely set to depart this offseason and Golden State in search of additional perimeter shooting and ball-handling, taking a guard might also be solid swing.
Of the guards projected to go inside the top-10 in this year's Draft, the Warriors have most consistently been connected to Brayden Burries out of Arizona. He offers a strong mix of downhill momentum and perimeter shooting, and he has the defensive upside to be a strong pairing for Curry even as an off-ball guard.
But FanSided's recent NBA Draft Big Board has Burries ranked as just the 17th overall prospect in this class. It's not likely he'll drop that far in the Draft, but his placement does highlight some concerns that could put the Warriors in prime position to nab him at 11th overall.
Brayden Burries is likely a top-10 prospect, but he's also a strong candidate to fall to the Warriors
Let's start with the positives here. Across 39 games as a freshman at Arizona, Burries averaged 16.1 points, 4.9 rebounds, and 2.4 assists while shooting 39.1% from beyond the arc. In terms of perimeter shooters in this draft class, he potentially has the highest upside.
But there's also the reality that, at 6'4" and with a lack of true on-ball facilitating abilities, Burries is a bit of a 'tweener'. He has the perimeter and downhill capabilities of a wing, but his lack of size and length likely forces him into a shooting guard role in the long-term.
For some teams, including the Warriors, this wouldn't be a prohibiting issue. Christopher Kline, who drew up FanSided's Big Board, is certainly complimentary of Burries in his analysis:
"A smaller combo guard frame could limit Burries, especially since he didn’t create much for Arizona offensively. But he’s a knockdown shooter and a hard-nosed defender at the point of attack, with the strength and change-of-pace ability to beat closeouts and score at the rim. He also limits mistakes, making quick and purposeful decisions. Burries was a winning player in college and should be the same in the NBA" Chrisopher Kline, FanSided
For Kline to put Burries so far below the consensus though, means he must place an extra emphasis on the facts outlined in his first sentence. Burries is a smaller combo guard, and teams might be looking more at ball-handling prospects like Kingston Flemings and Darius Acuff Jr. as a result.
This draft class is so deep that at least one high lottery-projected prospect will need to fall outside of the top-10. If it turns out to be Burries, the Warriors will be in prime position to capitalize.
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