3 players the Warriors should target if they can trade up in the NBA Draft
By Ian Levy
NBA Draft rumors are buzzing about the Warriors trying to trade up. Who could they target if they move toward the top of the draft?
The Warriors and their fans have been focused on the middle of the first round for weeks. But it might be time to start scouting a little higher. They hold the No. 19 pick but a nugget in Jonathan Givony’s latest mock draft at ESPN mentioned that they’ve been looking at trading Jonathan Kuminga for a chance to move up.
Kuminga didn’t progress as much as they hoped last season and seemed to chafe under his limited role at times. Still, he was the No. 7 pick in the 2021 draft and has immense upside. Given how they sold low on James Wiseman, the Warriors can’t afford to move him unless it’s for a BIG leap up the draft board.
The good news is that there are a few teams — the Trail Blazers at No. 3, the Rockets at No. 4 and the Pistons at No. 5 — who could be interested in trading back and could be intrigued by Kuminga. In each case, Kuminga, the No. 19 pick and some other minor sweetener might be enough to pull off a trade. Assuming they can get into that No. 3-5 range, here are a few new prospects who could be a great fit in Golden State.
NBA Draft prospects the Warriors can trade up for: 3. Cam Whitmore
Whitmore has been linked with the Rockets at No. 4 and the Pistons at No. 5 which means he’d almost certainly still be available for the Warriors if they were able to trade up into one of those spots.
Whitmore is a powerful wing with a unique blend of strength and quickness and boundless aggressiveness. He is fantastic defensive potential with the tools and dedication to defend multiple positions. On offense, he’s a fantastic finisher and looks like he can be a reliable outside shooter, especially with better shot selection. Whitmore probably doesn’t create much for others at the next level, but should be a solid and versatile scorer who can attack mismatches and play well off the ball.
There are a lot of similarities between Kuminga and Whitmore but not enough to discourage the Warriors from taking him, especially given Whitmore’s intensity and aggressiveness.