If the Golden State Warriors want to maximize their takeaway in the 2026 NBA Draft, they need to at least consider grabbing an additional first-round pick
While the 11th pick could easily yield a top talent, the Warriors need players who can step into the rotation immediately. If they can get two as opposed to one, that's an easy decision. But any gamble comes naturally comes with a healthy amount of risk, even in a draft as deep as this one.
Say, for example, the Charlotte Hornets are willing to deal their picks at 14th and 18th overall in order to jump up to 11. According to Brett Siegel at ClutchPoints, the Hornets have already shut down suitors for that pairing of selections. But as the board unfolds on draft night, things can change pretty rapidly.
There's also a world where the Oklahoma City Thunder are willing to move off of their 17th overall pick in exchange for future draft capital
If the Warriors believe that the right prospects will still be on the board in that range, both moves would be worth taking. Their chances of grabbing a league-ready prospect there, however, would still take a significant hit.
But if Cameron Carr is available at 14th— or even 17th or 18th— overall, it would immediately justify that decision on Golden State's part. It's a realistic scenario, and it's one the Warriors should consider as the NBA Draft rapidly approaches.
Cameron Carr would be an ideal target for the Warriors if they can land a second first-round pick
For the Warriors, a future first-rounder or even a haul of second-round draft capital won't cut it for a trade-back. The urgency, as ever, is on to surround Stephen Curry with viable talent. If they can't get it done in this Draft, it doesn't seem like the 2027 or 2028 draft classes will yield that.
Staying at 11th overall and selecting a prospect like Lendeborg or Brayden Burries would be their safest bet.
But Carr, plus an additional prospect like Dailyn Swain or Christian Anderson, could be worth the gamble. Across 34 games during his junior season at Baylor, Carr averaged 18.9 points, 5.8 rebounds, and 2.6 assists while shooting 37.4% from beyond the arc. He has clear offensive upside as a perimeter shooter and a back-side cutter, and he could help fill the gap on the wing left by Moses Moody's absence.
There are serious concerns about how his size might play defensively at the NBA level. But he has long arms and active motor on that end of the floor that could, at the very least, quickly make him a neutral defender when you factor in both his on-ball and off-ball impact.
Carr's draft range in the late lottery (and just outside of it) is pretty wide. He came in at 18th on Sam Vecenie's big board for The Athletic, and he came in at 19th on FanSided's big board. But certain mock drafts have him going as high as 15th to the Chicago Bulls or even 14th to Charlotte.
But if the Warriors are able to grab another first-round pick, it'll be hard to find a better fit than Carr in that range. His availability would justify almost any move Golden State could make to pick up additional draft capital.
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