NBA Rumors: 5 prospects and trades Warriors must target with No. 7 pick
By John Buhler
2. Draft UConn Huskies guard James Bouknight with the No. 7 overall pick
Along with Kuminga and Mitchell, the other prospect who has been slotted to the Warriors at No. 7 is UConn Huskies guard James Bouknight. The 6-foot-5, 190-pound guard from Brooklyn spent two years in Storrs playing for the Huskies where he averaged 15.0 points, 4.7 rebounds and 1.5 assists per game in 27.9 minutes per contest. He will be 21-years-old during the 2021-22 season.
By drafting Bouknight inside of the top 10, it probably means that the Warriors are done with Wiggins. Golden State could make it work with Curry at point guard and Thompson at small forward, but Wiggins and Bouknight would be taking minutes away from each other down the line. The question is how pro-ready Bouknight will be coming out of UConn after his sophomore year.
Again, we have to wonder what the Warriors’ plans are for 2021-22. Do they want to draft a player out of college and hope that he can be ready to play big minutes in the second half of the season? Or do they want to cash in these draft assets in the pursuit of a polished star player who can help them get back into the title race. For now, drafting Bouknight would signify the former.
Of all the players Golden State could draft at No. 7, Bouknight helps the team contend right away.