In ESPN’s first mock draft after the NBA Draft Lottery, it has the Golden State Warriors selecting forward Karim Lopez out of the NBL with the No. 11 pick. And though Lopez has plenty of potential, ESPN has Michigan’s Yaxel Lendeborg going one pick later, at No. 12 to the Oklahoma City Thunder.
If Lendeborg is on the board at No. 11 and the Warriors select anybody but him, it would have the potential to be a massive swing and a miss. Lendeborg is the exact type of player that the Warriors should be targeting with their selection, as he could give them a massive boost right away, especially when you look at the rest of their roster.
Lendeborg would be a layup of a selection, and ESPN has the Warriors passing over him.
Warriors should select Yaxel Lendeborg at pick No. 11 (if he's there)
This is nothing against Lopez. He’s a solid prospect, and should the Warriors choose to take him with the No. 11 selection, they would likely have good reason to.
Lopez is a 6-foot-9, 19-year-old forward who played in New Zealand this past year, putting up some impressive stats, especially considering he was a teenager playing in a professional league.
In his 30 games this past season, Lopez played 25.6 minutes per contest. He averaged 11.9 points, 6.1 rebounds, 1.9 assists, 1.2 steals, and 1.0 blocks while shooting 49.4% from the floor and 32.2% from deep range on 3.0 three-point attempts per contest.
ESPN’s mock draft article, written by Jeremy Woo, notes that Lopez could help Golden State add short-term help with long-term potential.
“Selecting a younger player such as Lopez, who has the experience to potentially slot in early on his rookie deal, might help mesh the short- and long-term goals.”
However, in the very same paragraph, Woo mentioned that Lendeeborg could draw serious consideration with the selection. And he should. Because he would be the perfect pick for Golden State.
Lendeborg is much older than Lopez. Four years older, to be exact, as he will be entering the NBA Draft at 23 years old (though he will turn 24 in September).
Though he’s on the older size, Lendeborg possesses the exact set of tools the Warriors should want from a rookie. He looks like an instantaneous rotation piece whose versatility on both ends of the court stands out above all.
Adding a 3-and-D guy like Lendeborg – who has the potential to be an elite role player – makes so much sense for the Warriors.
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