The Golden State Warriors did nothing but watch on as the first-round of the NBA Draft took place on Wednesday night, but there were a host of selections and trades that will undoubtedly impact the franchise going forward.
One of the shocks of the first-round came with the 16th overall pick when the Portland Trail Blazers, after a trade with the Memphis Grizzlies, selected Chinese sensation Hansen Yang. The 7'2" big man had recently worked out with the Warriors, and was projected to be an early-to-mid second-round selection who could have been available at Golden State's 41st pick.
The intrigue is only intensified when you consider that the Trail Blazers drafted another 7'2" center, Donovan Clingan, with the seventh overall pick last year. What it does do is leave no doubt about the futures of Portland's veteran big men, with Golden State a team that could potentially take advantage given the uncertainty around their center position.
The Warriors could steal one of Portland's big men
The futures of Deandre Ayton and Robert Williams III will suddenly intensify even further this offseason, with the veteran duo both set to enter the final year of their deals. Even someone like Duop Reath is sure to be gettable for a rival team, having seen a reduced role this past season while holding a non-guaranteed $2.2 million contract for 2025-26.
The center position is arguably the Warriors' biggest problem to address this summer, having started Draymond Green as a small-ball five over the final months of the season. With Steve Kerr already declaring his wish not to start Green at center entering next season, it now remains to be seen whether Golden State will find an external option or simply take a greater gamble on young big man Quinten Post.
Given the recent selections of Clingan and now Yang, it's difficult to see the Trail Blazers asking for too much in return for their other big men if the Warriors want to go shopping. Ayton would be considered unlikely given his $35.6 million salary, having averaged a career-low 14.4 points and 10.2 rebounds in his 40 games last season.
Williams may be more realistic given his far more manageable $13.3 million deal, but Golden State would have to be confident of getting the 27-year-old's body right after so many issues over the past three years.
After finishing seventh in Defensive Player of the Year and helping the Celtics to the 2022 NBA Finals where they ultimately lost to the Warriors, Williams has appeared in 61 total games in the last three years including 20 this season where he averaged 5.8 points, 5.9 rebounds and 1.7 blocks in 17.6 minutes per game.
It feels more likely that the Warriors will explore the free agency market if they do want to add a veteran big man, but the Trail Blazers could certainly emerge as a potential trade partner given they're well over stocked at the center position.