While the Warriors still are recovering from their wild party during their 2022 NBA championship victory parade in San Francisco on Monday, the front office quickly has to turn its attention to the 2022 draft on Thursday night.
Golden State currently holds the No. 28 overall pick in the first round and two second-round picks (No. 51 and No. 55). The Warriors originally were slated to have the No. 57 overall pick in the second round but the Milwaukee Bucks (No. 54) and Miami Heat (No. 55) were forced to forfeit those picks as penalty for tampering violations regarding separate sign-and-trade deals over the last few offseasons. Because of the abandoned picks, the Warriors' pick moved up two spots and only 58 players will be selected in the draft on Thursday night.
The No. 28 overall pick has paid off for the Warriors in recent years with the selection of Jordan Poole in 2019. It took a few years for the Michigan product to develop into an impactful rotation player, but he ascension was worth the wait.
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Can team president/general manager Bob Myers and his staff strike gold again at the end of the first round or will they trade the pick as Sports Illustrated's Jeremy Woo reported?
If the Warriors keep the pick, they will be adding another young player to go along with Poole, James Wiseman, Jonathan Kuminga and Moses Moody. That could be useful with the core of Steph Curry, Klay Thompson and Draymond Green getting older. But if they don't want another developmental project on their hands, the pick could be on the move for veteran help or future draft picks.
Here's how NBA draft experts see the Warriors using the pick if they decide to keep it:
Jonathan Givony, ESPN
Golden State Warriors
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Jake LaRavia, PF, Wake Forest
"The Warriors have some interesting young pieces in place waiting in the wings in Moses Moody, Jonathan Kuminga and James Wiseman, along with 22-year-old budding star Jordan Poole. The NBA champs could be in the market for a versatile wing-forward who can play off others, make shots from the perimeter and defend multiple positions. LaRavia, who shot 38% from 3 last season and 78% at the free throw line, brings a strong feel for the game and intriguing playmaking ability defensively. The fact that he's only 20 years old gives him some additional upside he can tap into as he continues to improve his frame, maximize his talent and become a more assertive perimeter shooter."
Sam Vecenie, The Athletic
Nikola Jovic, Forward, Serbia
"The Warriors won the title in large part because of their depth of talented guys across the positional spectrum. That core is about to get even more expensive moving forward here. I wonder if the team could look to potentially stash someone who might be willing to stay overseas for a year or two to develop, then come over when the Warriors need another cheaper option. Jović would really fit what the Warriors look for from a basketball IQ perspective, as he’s incredibly smart plus has the ability to dribble, pass and shoot at 6-foot-11. It’s also worth noting that this pick has absolutely been speculated upon as being available in league circles given the Warriors’ upcoming tax bill."
Krysten Peek, Yahoo Sports
Jake LaRavia, PF, Wake Forest
"The Warriors don't need to add much to their championship-winning roster, but LaRavia brings great size at the swing-four position and shot 38.4% from 3-point range during his junior season at Wake Forest. LaRavia could sneak up a few more spots in the first round with his high basketball IQ and relentless work ethic."
Jeremy Woo, Sports Illustrated
Patrick Baldwin Jr., PF, Milwaukee
"Sources say the Warriors are working to trade this pick, considering their hefty payroll and the need to integrate James Wiseman, Jonathan Kuminga and Moses Moody into the rotation next season. Baldwin remains an acquired taste due to his injury history and frustrating year in college, but continues to draw first-round interest based on his size and potentially elite three-point shooting. He needs to be able to stay healthy, improve his conditioning, regain his confidence and string games together, but it’s hard to imagine things can get much worse for him than they did in college. Teams will have to understand the context and feel comfortable to actually take the leap. Baldwin’s athleticism, defense and lack of physicality have inspired concern, but there are only so many knockdown shooters at his size, and most of them are valuable."
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Kevin O'Connor, The Ringer
Christian Koloko, Center, Arizona
"With James Wiseman’s stock in question after a slow start to his career, the Warriors could look at a big man late in the first round. Koloko is raw for his age, but with shot blocking skill and shooting potential he fits a similar role to the one the team envisioned for Wiseman."