The Golden State Warriors once looked to an analytical darling from Santa Clara in the draft and found a steal in Brandin Podziemski. They can do so again, but this time the analytical darling from Santa Clara is named Allen Graves.
This past week saw the NBA's deadline to withdraw from the NBA Draft, and many players opted to return to college. From Amari Allen to Tounde Yessoufou to another analytics darling in Tyler Tanner, players opted to return to college for a larger role and a larger payday.
Allen Graves is sticking around
Not Allen Graves. The 6'9" forward elected to keep his name in the draft, something that was reported a few days ahead of the withdrawal deadline, but was confirmed on Wednesday when the deadline came and went.
Graves is a fascinating test case for how the NBA community factors in analytics and possession generation. On the surface, Graves makes no sense as a first round draft prospect. He came off the bench for a team in the West Coast Conference - and it wasn't Gonzaga!
The freshman averaged a mere 11.8 points, 6.5 rebounds and 1.8 assists. He shot a trio of free-throws per game. Even his 41.3 percent mark from deep was relatively unimpressive given that he shot just 2.6 times per game.
Graves' numbers were not obvious
Yet Graves explodes off the page (err, screen?) when you look under the hood. He was a monster generating new possessions for his team; he rarely turned the ball over, he averaged a 1.9 steal rate, and he attacked the offensive glass with vigor. When Graves was on the court, the Broncos racked up possessions compared to their opponent.
Graves is not an elite athlete, but he is long and tall and has excellent instincts. He is going to be drafted much earlier than the consensus draft board, as he brings a unique set of skill and basketball IQ.
The Warriors could use another draft day win. They have been picking late in the first round for the past few years, and now is their chance to take a swing in the NBA Draft Lottery. They should take it on Allen Graves.
Allen Graves has a lot to offer the Warriors
Still just 19 years old, Graves has plenty of room to add skill and grow into an even larger role. His deep bag of tricks makes him an excellent partner to Stephen Curry, who punishes even the most careful defenders.
Put Graves' passing and finishing next to Curry, and you get a lethal combination. Start adding in two-way players to build out a lineup and you've got a contender in the no-alien division.
Draymond and Graves overlap a significant amount in terms of skillset, which would either allow the Warriors to lean into the shot creation, or to move on from Green. Either could and should be on the table.
Many mock drafts have Allen Graves falling into the 20s and 30s. That should not deter the Warriors from taking him in the lottery. This is their chance to shine, and Graves is the perfect addition.
Just as taking a swing on Brandin Podzieksmi worked out for the their need at starting shooting guard, and going back to the same source could yield another steal. Graves is flying under the radar, and until he announces himself on the scene, the NBA world should take notice.
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