Even though the Golden State Warriors didn't hit big in the 2026 NBA Draft Lottery, their place at 11th overall has been kind to them.
They ultimately landed Yaxel Lendeborg out of the University of Michigan, who likely fell out of the top-10 as a result of the concerns surrounding his age and long-term upside. But in terms of readiness to contribute, Lendeborg is among the most immediately polished prospects to enter the league in recent years.
Sure, his upside doesn't match that of Darryn Peterson and AJ Dybantsa. But he has the two-way skill-set to immediately make an impact for Golden State on both ends of the floor, and he's routinely put that fact on display in his Summer League performances.
At this juncture, Lendeborg is exactly what the Warriors needed with their first-round pick. As the Stephen Curry era comes to a close, they required a blend of immediate and long-term upside, and Lendeborg provides that wholeheartedly.
But it also begs a serious question. What could the end of this era have looked like if the Warriors had hit on their other top draft selections in recent years?
The Warriors hit on Yaxel Lendeborg— but their past draft failures continue to haunt them
11th overall was the highest the Warriors have selected since the fateful 2021 NBA Draft, in which they grabbed Jonathan Kuminga at seventh overall and Moses Moody at 14th.
It doesn't take the opinion of an expert to tell you that Lendeborg looks like an immediate hit for the Warriors at that draft position. His game combines a polished physicality, a size, and an offensive package that is rare to find in a prospect, even at his age.
Perhaps it's unfair to leverage the Lendeborg selection in hindsight on the Warriors' previous draft classes. The 2026 NBA Draft was deeper than either the 2021 or the 2020 classes. But in terms of draft philosophy, there's a fair comparison to be made here.
The Warriors targeted Lendeborg this year because of his readiness. As Curry nears the end of his career, they needed a player they could plug in immediately. The lack of long-term upside for Lendeborg, frankly, has also been overblown. If he can continue to develop as a perimeter shooter and a scorer, we could very well be looking at an All Star by the end of his rookie deal.
So why, when the Warriors have had high draft picks during this decade, have they routinely gambled on long-term developmental swings to shoehorn into their Curry-centric offensive system? James Wiseman, who Golden State selected at second overall in 2020, is the most prominent example of this trend, simply because of how quickly he fizzled out at the NBA level. But Jonathan Kuminga, despite his upside as a slashing wing, was still far away from being an immediate fit in the Warriors' system by the time he was ultimately traded to the Atlanta Hawks.
Perhaps if Golden State had hit on those picks, they wouldn't have had the opportunity to draft Lendeborg. But even with Lendeborg now in the fold, it may very well be too little too late to drag the Warriors back into contention before the end of Curry's career.
Lendeborg is poised for success precisely because of how well he fits with Steve Kerr's modus operandi. But while Golden State has clearly hit on this pick, it shines a glaring spotlight on all of the selections they missed over the past few seasons.
The Warriors won a championship as recently as 2022. Frankly, it's okay to be content riding the Curry era into the sunset. But the organization has failed to either put Curry in a position to contend or establish a promising young core with their draft selections. The Lendeborg pick is a hit, but what could've happened if the selections in 2020 and 2021 were handled with the same amount of foresight?
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