Before the 2020 NBA Draft, some analysts expected the Warriors to select a wing, with Deni Avdija and Isaac Okoro among the best options.
Golden State ultimately chose big man James Wiseman, and so far the center has met just about every expectation, and showed a surprising amount of versatility for a 7-foot-1, 19-year-old. In The Athletic's 2021 NBA Mock Draft, Sam Vecenie sees the Warriors focusing on the wing and selecting Florida State's Scottie Barnes with the No. 7 overall pick, which the Warriors acquired from the Minnesota Timberwolves in the Andrew Wiggins trade.
Barnes is a dynamic swingman with a solid touch from the outside. At 6-foot-9, he has the size to be either a small or power forward in the NBA, and can score at all levels.
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"Barnes has been the kind of 'do it all but scoring' wing/forward/point that was expected coming into the year," Vecenie writes. "He often initiates the Seminole offense and makes plays as a passer, something that he can do at the college level but I don’t quite think is going to be his primary skill set in the NBA."
The Seminole is averaging 11.1 points and 4.3 assists this season.
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The Warriors will have a pair of draft picks with both their own and Minnesota's, and with the 15th overall pick, Vecenie projects the Warriors will select 18-year-old big man Usman Garuba, who currently plays with Real Madrid.
Golden State Warriors
The Spanish-born Garuba is a high-energy power forward that stands 6-foot-8. At such a young age, Garuba is a raw prospect with a high level of athleticism and already features some of the traits of a solid NBA defender.
"He’s a monster help defender who flies all over the court and constantly makes his presence felt," Vecenie writes. "He’s a good rim protector particularly from the weak side and has the ability to switch out onto perimeter players and slide with them. Garuba is also a strong offensive rebounder who can make the occasional flash pass."
These two would give the Warriors a ton of depth in the frontcourt, something the Warriors might really need in 2021-22.