NBA Mock Draft 6.0: Is anyone’s ceiling higher than Anthony Edwards?

Sliding to No. 5 is kind of a nightmare scenario for the Warriors, especially if their plan is to flip this pick in a deal for another established star who can help them jump back to the top of the Western Conference. However, things have shaken out in an ideal way here, letting Hayes fall to them and leaving all sorts of options on the table.

Hayes has been one of the highest-ranked prospects on our Big Board all season long and if he was here for the Warriors to nab him, it would preserve almost as much leverage for a later trade as it would if they were trading the No. 1 pick on draft night.

If the Warriors end up keeping Hayes, they get a player who offers plenty of redundancy in terms of ball-handling and creation but with his size (6-foot-5), he can play in a variety of lineups. He has the polish to help Golden State next season, pivoting back towards the dynamic flexible attack they used before Kevin Durant arrived, and could be a foundational piece for the next iteration of this team as Stephen Curry and Klay Thompson eventually age out of their primes.

Learn more about Killian Hayes with our full scouting report.