Warriors looking for rotation player at No. 30
Team has several needs, but GM says Finals loss won’t dictate draft choice
OAKLAND — Warriors general manager Bob Myers has joked that he “screwed up” the 2012 draft by twice passing on forward Draymond Green, who was nonetheless available when the team’s third pick came around.
It might be time for another such gaffe.
Despite setting an NBA record with 73 regular-season victories and coming within five points of repeating as champions, the Warriors have a fair number of needs headed into the NBA draft on Thursday.
They aren’t major needs. They’re subtle. They’re needs that can be filled on draft night
despite owning the last pick (No. 30) of the first round.
The Warriors could use an athletic big man who can score.
They could use a perimeter player who excels at finishing at the rim (to counterbalance the current array of jump shooters).
They could use a backup point guard. (Shaun Livingston has one year left on his contract, assuming the team picks up his option.)
More than anything, the Warriors could use some of the magic that led the franchise to draft Gilbert Arenas with the 31st pick in 2001, Monta Ellis with the 40th selection in 2005 and Green with the 35th pick in 2012.
“If you can get a player at 30 that can be a rotational player, you’ve done well,” Myers said earlier this week. “The goal is to find a guy we think can play. We hope one will be there but you never know.”
That’s what the Warriors thought they were getting with Green in 2012 — an ultracompetitive, versatile rotation player. That he has transformed into an NBA All-Star is proof plenty that impact players can be found deep in the draft.
But the 2012 draft looms large Thursday because of the players the Warriors picked ahead of Green: forward Harrison Barnes and center Festus Ezeli.
Both are restricted free agents, meaning the Warriors have the right to match any offer. But both seemingly lost value with subpar play in the NBA Finals.
If Barnes isn’t coming back, a wing scorer might be the priority Thursday night.
If Ezeli isn’t coming back, a big man seemingly becomes the position of greatest need.
“We’ll narrow down to four or five guys,” Myers said. “Hopefully, one will be there … a guy that can step in and give us something, not start but play some minutes.”
The Warriors are in a precarious spot in one regard: With emotions raw from the loss to Cleveland, there is a danger in letting the season’s crushing conclusion drive draft night decisions.
“We have to remind ourselves how close we were,” Myers said. “We have to be strong and disciplined enough to not overreact.”
The Warriors are expected to follow an established model when it comes time to make their selection. Myers favors prospects with high character and low ego; prospects suited for the movement offense; prospects who can defend multiple positions.
Green was pegged for the late portion of the first round but dropped into the second because teams were wary of his undefined position and skill set.
To land a rotation player with the 30th pick Thursday, the Warriors will probably need history to repeat: They will need teams drafting in the 20s to disregard a prospect who’s flawed in some fashion but broadly suited for the Warriors’ system.
Several talented big men could be available, including Diamond Stone of Maryland, Stephen Zimmerman of UNLV and Ante Zizic from Croatia. Juan Hernangomez, a combination forward from Spain, might be an option. Thon Maker, a raw but gifted 7-foot-1 power forward, is one of the draft’s most intriguing prospects.
Another possibility is Brice Johnson, a 6-11 power forward who led North Carolina to the NCAA championship game. Projected for the late first or early second round, Johnson doesn’t always operate at maximum intensity but has the requisite skills and athleticism.
“I wouldn’t hesitate, if he’s still there, because … I think he’s kind of a steal there,” ESPN analyst Jay Bilas said.
“With the way Golden State plays and his ability, his mobility and his ability to move his feet and his explosiveness and shot-making ability, I like him a lot.”