The next big date for the Warriors is Tuesday, Aug. 25. As the NBA looks to restart its season later this month in Orlando, Golden State has its eyes on the draft lottery.
After going a NBA-worst 15-50 before the league was shut down due to the coronavirus pandemic, the Warriors are guaranteed a top-five pick. There's a very real chance they might even grab the No. 1 overall pick this year.
The last time the Warriors owned a top-five pick, they took Mike Dunleavy Jr. No. 3 overall in 2002. That didn't exactly work out. Dunleavy was traded in his fifth year with the Warriors after averaging just 10.6 points per game. So, who should the Warriors take with their top pick in October's draft?
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There isn't exactly a consensus answer.
Tyrese Haliburton, PG, Iowa State
Haliburton's name has popped up a lot recently for the Warriors. He landed in their lap with the No. 5 pick in our own latest mock draft from James Ham, too.
"He stuffs the stat sheet like very few players in this year’s draft and he has plenty of room to grow," Ham wrote on Haliburton.
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Haliburton is a long guard at 6-foot-5 and 175 pounds. He certainly did stuff the stat sheet as a sophomore, averaging 15.2 points, 6.5 assists, 5.9 rebounds and 2.5 steals per game.
Watching Haliburton, his feel for the game stands out right away. There's reason to believe he can fit in seamlessly with stars like Steph Curry and Klay Thompson as a role player right away. Look for this connection to only grow in the coming months.
James Wiseman, C, Memphis
If the Warriors are to go big, Wiseman could fit the bill. NBC Sports' Rob Dauster agrees. He gave the Warriors Wiseman with the No. 1 pick in his latest mock draft. Here's why.
"He has all the tools to be a rim protector that can guard in ball-screens and switch on the perimeter if needed," Dauster wrote. "He’s not Dirk Nowitzki but he’s not Clint Capela, either -- he’s shown some flashes of being capable on the perimeter."
Wiseman has his red flags, too. His competitiveness and motor have been questioned, and some teams will be put off from him leaving Memphis, although his case notably was another ugly situation with the NCAA.
At 7-foot-1 and 240 pounds, the athletic big man can be a game-changer. In only three college games, he averaged 19.7 points, 10.7 rebounds and 3.0 blocks per game.
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LaMelo Ball, PG, Illawarra Hawks
Would the Warriors really take Ball with the top pick in the draft? That's exactly what CBS Sports' Gary Parris did.
"The 6-6 point guard, who is still only 18 years old, has broken out of his family's shadow and developed into an incredible playmaker and passer who fared well playing professionally in Australia this past season," Parrish wrote.
Ball, who is listed at 6-foot-7 and 181 pounds, averaged 17.0 points, 7.6 rebounds and 6.8 assists per game over 12 games as a teenager in Australia. The youngest of the three famous brothers has incredible court vision, puts fans in the seats and is must-see TV. He also isn't close to a perfect prospect.
Ball shot just 25 percent from beyond the arc in Australia, while taking 6.7 3-pointers per game. He also isn't reliable on defense at this stage, something the Warriors will take a long look at.
The potential is sky-high for Ball, but the risks might be too much.
Onyeka Okongwu, C, USC
If the Warriors do look to find a center, there might be a better fit than Wiseman. Enter, USC's Onyeka Okongwu. FOX Sports' Jason McIntyre believes the Warriors should make him the top pick in the draft.
"At 6-foot-9, 240 pounds, he’s a man-child who has the highest motor of any player in the draft," McIntyre wrote.
Despite being a shorter center, there's reason to see why the Warriors could love Okongwu. He has a 7-1 wingspan and plays his butt off. As a freshman, he averaged 16.2 points, 8.6 rebounds and 2.7 blocks per game.
The Warriors want someone who will impact the game in multiple ways. Okongwu fits the bill.
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Devin Vassell, SG/SF, Florida State
Vassell is an interesting case. Complex's Danny Cunningham has the Warriors taking the wing with the No. 5 pick, and he could be a trade down option. Instead of a ball-heavy player like Ball, Vassell should fill a role right away.
"While it’s entirely possible they would take a guard such as Ball or [Anthony] Edwards, it has to be about fit above anything else, if Golden State does indeed keep its pick," Cunningham wrote.
Vassell, 6-foot-6 and 180 pounds, is a lockdown defender who can hit open 3s. That sounds just about perfect for Steve Kerr and the Warriors.
Over 30 games as a sophomore, Vassell averaged 12.7 points and 5.1 rebounds while nailing 41.5 percent of his shots from distance. He might not be the sexy pick, but he could be the right one.