Warriors' pipe-dream Draft outcome seems even less likely after latest insider update

The Golden State Warriors are almost guaranteed to get an exciting prospect if they stay put at 11th overall in the upcoming 2026 NBA Draft.

If they can't nab Yaxel Lendeborg, there will be another forward or wing available that can immediately help augment their depleted roster heading into 2026-27. The fit with Lendeborg is obvious, but there will certainly be other players on the board that fit Golden State's needs.

Their pipe-dream, though, has to be that Brayden Burries, the three-level scoring guard out of Arizona, falls out of the top-10. His potential fit next to Stephen Curry is remarkable, and his perimeter shooting abilities would provide the Warriors with an immediate boost. For much of this draft cycle, a fall for Burries seemed like an imminently possible scenario.

But as we get closer to the Draft, it seems as though it might have always been a long-shot. Jake Fischer reported late last night that the Los Angeles Clippers are strongly considering Burries with the fifth pick in the Draft.

Considering Burries' potential fit with teams like the Dallas Mavericks at ninth overall and even the Milwaukee Bucks at 10th, it's starting to feel more and more unlikely that the guard will be available when the Warriors come on the clock.

Brayden Burries may be gone much sooner than many draft analysts have previously thought

Burries is one of the most fluid and intriguing prospects in this draft outside of the top-four. As a freshman at Arizona, he averaged 16.1 points, 4.9 rebounds, and 2.4 assists while shooting 39.1% from beyond the arc. His smooth handle and ball-handling nuance allow him to get past defenders and towards the rim, where he's willing to either take a mid-range jumper or drive to the basket with a level of force that's impressive for his size. This is complemented by both his on-ball and off-ball perimeter shooting abilities, and he has a certain degree of defensive upside as well.

The doubts about Burries have always centered around positional versatility. At 6'3.75", Burries is likely too small to play on the wing consistently, but he also didn't show enough on-ball consistency at Arizona to project him long-term as a point guard.

For the Warriors, the fit would be perfect despite these doubts. But in regards to the Clippers, this level of interest comes as somewhat of a surprise.

Los Angeles has long been expected to target an additional guard in the Draft, but it was largely thought they would seek out a guard with more extensive on-ball capabilities like Keaton Wagler or Darius Acuff Jr. Perhaps they think Burries has more playmaking juice than he showed in college, or maybe they were simply enamored by his fluid and well-rounded game.

Even if the Clippers' interest turns out to be a smoke screen, it still feels unlikely that Burries will fall into Golden State's lap. The fit with the Mavericks, who need long-term perimeter shooting around Cooper Flagg and will soon need a replacement for Klay Thompson, makes perfect sense. So does his fit with Milwaukee, although the Bucks may be looking for a prospect with more upside as a primary offensive option given the looming Giannis Antetokounmpo saga.

In short, there's now an increasingly narrow path for Burries to fall to the Warriors at 11th.

Add us as a preferred source on Google

Follow