It's official. The Golden State Warriors will head to next month's 2026 NBA Draft with the 11th overall pick, having remained where their record and odds suggested after finishing 10th in the Western Conference this season.
The Washington Wizards landed the first overall pick ahead of the Utah Jazz, Memphis Grizzlies and Chicago Bulls, but for the Warriors it's now about evaluating the talent and assessing what they could do with the 11th pick over the next six weeks.
5 Prospects for Warriors to consider with 11th overall pick
Golden State could use the pick -- along with their future draft capital -- for a seismic trade, yet this draft class is considered a strong one where the franchise could get immediete rotation help as they look to return towards deep playoff contention.
Let's have a look at five prospects the Warriors could consider with the 11th pick:
1. Yaxel Lendeborg
Steve Kerr's return to the Warriors on a two-year contract on Saturday signals the franchise is pushing ahead with trying to be as competitive as possible. With that being the case, Yaxel Lendeborg makes a lot of sense as an experienced college player who will enter next season at 24-years-old.
The age will turn off a lot of teams from using a lottery pick on Lendeborg, but perhaps not Golden State considering their timeline. Lendeborg led the Michigan Wolverines to the NCAA title this year, averaging 14.4 points, 7.0 rebounds and 3.3 assists on an efficient 50.6% from the floor and 34.3% from 3-point range.Â
Given their need for size and athleticism on the wing/forward spots after losing Jimmy Butler and Moses Moody to long-term knee injuries, the 6'9" Lendeborg also makes a lot of sense from a positional standpoint.
2. Aday Mara
The Warriors could also look at Lendeborg's championship teammate Aday Mara who, at 7'3", could give the franchise a long-term starting center that they've been yearning for ever since the failed James Wiseman selection.
The Spanish big man averaged 12.6 points, 6.8 rebounds, 2.4 assists and a massive 2.6 blocks per game this season while shooting 66.8% from the floor, having impressed with his skill and size on both ends of the floor.
With Kristaps Porzingis (unrestricted free agent), Al Horford (player option) and Quinten Post (restricted free agent), Golden State have plenty of decisions to be made with their center rotation.
3. Karim Lopez
Yahoo Sports' Kevin O'Connor identifies Karim Lopez as a Swiss army knife with a high basketball IQ, as well as an excellent team defender who can guard multiple positions -- all qualities and traits that would be attractive to the Warriors if he was available at the 11th pick.
Lopez has played the last two years with the New Zealand Breakers in the NBL, averaging 11.9 points, 6.1 rebounds, 2.0 assists, 1.2 steals and 1.0 block on over 50% shooting from the floor last season.
Like Lendeborg, the 6'8" Lopez would help fill a glaring need for Golden State positionally entering next season, while at 19-years-old he may hold far greater upside in the long-term than older prospects.
4. Nate Ament
Adding a 6'10" scorer seems perfect on paper for the Warriors, and that's just what Nate Ament could turn into at the NBA level after a strong finish to the season in his freshman year at Tennessee.
Ament ended the season averaging 16.7 points, 6.3 rebounds and 2.7 assists with the Volunteers, though his less than 40% shooting from the floor, only 33.3% from 3-point range, and 2.3 turnovers per game are far from ideal.
If Golden State want to look further towards the future and a high-upside piece, the 19-year-old Ament may be the way to go if he's still available for them at the 11th pick.
5. Labaron Philon Jr.
With the Warriors still looking for the long-term replacement for Stephen Curry at point guard, they could find it at the draft in the form of Labaron Philon Jr. who is coming off an impressive sophomore year at Alabama.
Like Curry, Philon is a score-first point guard who plays below the rim, while he also elevated his 3-point shooting to 39.9% on over six attempts per game with the Crimson Tide this season.
The 20-year-old also shot over 50% from the floor overall, posting 22.0 points, 3.5 rebounds, 5.0 assists and 1.2 steals per game, proving he could be an immediate backup for Curry at the Warriors next season.
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