Warriors apply logical draft strategy with championship clock ticking

Warriors apply logical draft strategy with championship clock ticking originally appeared on NBC Sports Bay Area

SAN FRANCISCO – There are hundreds of examples, in every major professional sport, of draft-day misjudgment, of flowery self-flattery that in a matter of months turns to regret and, often, an executive losing his job.

So, the Warriors on Thursday utilized their limited options in the 2024 NBA Draft to make decisions that won’t light up social media but make a statement about their sense of urgency.

They made moves that reaffirmed their commitment to maximizing the remaining years of the Stephen Curry era.

Golden State added three 20-somethings that carry resumés. Average age: 24.

“We’re not sitting here just trying to draft older dudes,” general manager Mike Dunleavy said during a news conference at Chase Center. “We’re trying to draft guys that are good basketball players. If it takes just a short amount of time to evaluate that, or a longer period, we’re less worried about age.”

With no first-round pick and, therefore, little chance of finding a future All-Star, Golden State collected players that defy the NBA draft trend of seeking teenagers with “upside.” Another logical trend in what was widely considered an unexceptional draft.

The Warriors on Thursday morning traded their only pick, 52nd overall, to Oklahoma City for 26-year-old Lindy Waters III, a wing who has endured three years of pro hoops, the last three in the Thunder system.

“I don’t think we would have traded for a guy using a draft pick if we didn’t think that (he can compete for a spot in the rotation),” Dunleavy said. “With his skill set and the way he plays, it fits how we play. We feel like he’s a guy we can plug and play.”

On Thursday afternoon, they reacquired that No. 52 pick (which OKC had traded to Portland) and selected 24-year-old Ouinten Post, a 7-foot center who began his journey in the Netherlands before playing 124 games at two Division I colleges in the United States.

“We identified him as a guy who can shoot the ball and stretch the floor, and he’s got really good size,” Dunleavy…

Source link : https://sports.yahoo.com/warriors-apply-logical-draft-strategy-150820958.html

Author : NBC Sports BayArea

Publish date : 2024-06-28 15:08:20

Copyright for syndicated content belongs to the linked Source.