The Golden State Warriors must dedicate the 2026 offseason to simplifying the game for Stephen Curry. Though Curry is still capable of extraordinary feats, he's a 38-year-old point guard whom teams design their gameplans to slow down.
If the Warriors are looking for ways to make life easier for Curry at the 2026 NBA Draft, then Aday Mara should be high on their list of options at No. 11 overall.
Mara, 21, has risen to NBA Draft prominence after turning in a stellar 2025-26 season and an eye-opening showing at the Combine. His sensational junior season included winning the Big Ten Defensive Player of the Year award and helping the Michigan Wolverines secure the 2026 NCAA championship.
Fast forward to the 2026 NBA Draft Combine and Mara went from a first-round grade to a potential lottery pick when he measured at 7'3" and 259 pounds with a 7'6" wingspan and a 9'9" standing reach.
The reason Mara's stock has stabilized in the lottery range is the fact that many more fans and scouts have turned their attention to his film. He was a part of a three-headed monster in college, with Yaxel Lendeborg and Morez Johnson Jr. also receiving first-round grades, but he more than stands out on his own.
Far from just another giant who's great on paper, Mara has the footwork, agility, skill set, and timing to be a high-level NBA player and a potential two-way force of nature.
Aday Mara can help Stephen Curry on both ends of the floor
One of the most impressive elements of Mara's potential is how fluid he is in his movements at 7'3" and 259 pounds. He's not going to outrun many NBA players in a 40-yard dash, but he has tremendous footwork that enables him to cover ground rather quickly on either end of the floor.
That resulted in Mara averaging an absurd 4.4 blocks per 40 minutes in 2025-26 and 4.3 across his three-year collegiate career.
That helps make Mara the potential defensive anchor the Warriors have long needed at the center position. Draymond Green has spoken openly about how physically taxing it is for him to defend bigger players. Alongside Mara, he could move to the 4 and direct traffic with less of a physical burden.
Curry, meanwhile, would have a safety net behind him in the form of a 7'3" giant whose height, reach, and shot-blocking instincts could act as quite a deterrent for slashing scorers.
Offensively, Mara is a skilled post scorer who can finish over either shoulder, as well as a surprisingly quick pick-and-roll dive man who can get to his spots, field a pass, and finish above the rim. He's also flashed a willingness to shoot, which could translate to floor-spacing potential in the NBA.
Mara isn't the clear-cut No. 1 prospect for the Warriors to eye quite yet, but he needs to be high on their list of priorities to thoroughly evaluate and potentially draft.
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