The Golden State Warriors' offseason will be defined by need.
With Jimmy Butler and Moses Moody out until at least the middle of next season and the organization as a whole facing the twilight of the Stephen Curry era, they need to add talent to the roster quickly at virtually every position. The 11th overall pick should be a major boon in this endeavor.
This draft class is deep enough that Golden State will likely come away with a top-10-caliber prospect even in that spot. Forward Yaxel Lendeborg out of Michigan will be a real option. So will center Aday Mara, guard Brayden Burries, and lanky wing Nate Ament if they're still available. No matter what, though, the Warriors need to grab a premier talent in the first round.
Given the sheer amount of holes they have on their roster, however, the intrigue won't stop there. Golden State will also select 54th overall in the Draft as a result of their trade of Trayce Jackson-Davis to the Toronto Raptors.
Like last year's second-round selection, Will Richard, this prospect will likely get an immediate opportunity to crack the Warriors' rotation. Golden State's list of pre-draft workouts, accordingly, has targeted a number of guards projected to be available at the end of the second round.
While nothing is set in stone until the pick is actually made, it gives us a pretty clear hint at what they might be looking for in that range.
Warriors could pick up an rotation-ready guard even at the end of the second round
Of course, the NIL era has enticed many players who might otherwise be second-round picks to return to school. But this draft class is not only impressive at the top. Even as far down as 54th overall, there should be serious talent for the taking.
The list of Golden State's pre-draft workouts is too long to include here in its entirety. But here's a quick sampling of some of the guards they've hosted— Kylan Boswell (Illinois), Emmanuel Sharp (Houston), Ja'Kobi Gillespie (Tennessee), Tamin Lipsey (Iowa State), and Ryan Conwell (Louisville).
Of course, guard isn't the only position the Warriors have looked at. They've also hosted centers Felix Okpara (Tennessee) and Ugonna Onyensu (Virginia) for workouts.
But if they're able to grab a player like Lendeborg, Mara, Morez Johnson Jr., or even Ament in the first round, their need for an additional ball-handler could surpass everything else in the second. With Moody out, the Warriors' backcourt is currently comprised of Curry, Brandin Podziemski, and Richard. Assuming Melton declines his player option and Gary Payton II and Pat Spencer are allowed to walk in free agency, it's hard to overstate how dire this need could ultimately be.
While none of these second-round prospects would be immediate difference-makers at a championship level, they all have extensive ball-handling pedigrees. That's what the Warriors need to inject into their rotation more than anything else, and the second round could easily be the place to get it.
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