Key Points
Bullet point summary by AI
- The Warriors face a critical decision between chasing immediate titles with veterans or investing in the future with their first-round pick.
- Three Michigan prospects — Aday Mara, Morez Johnson and Yaxel Lendeborg stand out for their ability to contribute right away.
- The debate centers on which player offers the best blend of readiness, versatility, and upside to support a veteran core pushing for one last championship run.
The Golden State Warriors famed "two-timelines" approach has long since imploded and they'll once again head into the offseason deciding between investing in their present or future. They have a veteran-heavy roster with plenty of star power and Steve Kerr back on a two-year extension. They keep saying they're going to try and win another title before Steph Curry is done and we have to take them at their word.
But on the other hand, Jimmy Butler will be coming off ACL surgery, Moses Moody will miss all of the upcoming season, Curry was only healthy enough to play 43 games last year and they could clear some serious cap space with Kristaps Porziņģis hitting free agency and Draymond Green, Al Horford and De'Anthony Melton weighing player options. A full rebuild is probably off the board but there are a lot of different ways they could try to reset for next season — with their first-round pick as major lever.
Trading for a star like Giannis Antetokounmpo or Kawhi Leonard would almost certainly mean sending out the No. 11 pick as part of the package. But if they don't opt for a big trade — maybe renegotiating with Green and/or Porziņģis, trying to find a way to fit LeBron James in a discounted deal — getting someone with the No. 11 pick who can help right away is essential. Yahoo's Marc Spears has reported that the Warriors would like to keep the pick and, if that's true, these are the kinds of prospects they should be targeting.
Yaxel Lendeborg, F, Michigan
You're going to see Lendeborg matched with a lot of different teams in the the 8-16 range, thanks to his winning resume and versatile two-way skillset. He's ranked as the No. 13 prospect in Chris Kline's most recent Big Board, although he has Lendeborg going No. 12 to the Thunder in has last mock draft, with teammate Aday Mara going to the Warriors.
Mara also makes a lot of sense for the Warriors — a 7-foot-3 goliath with terrific rim-protection instincts and the ability to make a difference on offense with his soft touch and vision as a passer. However, he's also prone to foul trouble and it can take young bigs a while to become comfortable anchoring a defense at the next level. Mara with three years of NBA experience could be the perfect fit for the Warriors, but it's harder to imagine the rookie version being a difference-maker in the playoffs next year.
Lendeborg doesn't fill the Warriors' hole at center, but he helps in plenty of other ways. At 6-foot-9 with a 7-foot-3 wingspan and terrific mobility he can defend all over the floor and be disruptive at that end right away. On offense he's a solid spot-up shooter, can do enough as a passer and complementary creator to connect actions on offense and will get points simply with energy and aggressiveness — finishing in transition, scoring off cuts and dump-offs and crashing the glass. His ceiling may be lower than Mara's, especially at 24 having played three years of JUCO ball and three years at D1. But he could play meaningful rotation minutes right off the bat, including in high leverage situations in the playoffs.
If the Warriors want a plug-and-play guy who can help (and be helped by) their established veteran core, Lendeborg might be the best option.
>>Â Read our Yaxel Lendeborg scouting report
Morez Johnson, F, Michigan
Johnson is the third member of Michigan's championship-winning frontline who could get a look from the Warriors, along with Mara and Lendeborg. He may be a reach at No. 11 with a lower offensive ceiling that relies a lot more on finishing around the basket on plays created for him. But he's a bit of a blend of Mara and Lendeborg — maybe more ready to help right away than Mara, with a similar frame to Lenderborg but the size and strength to really play minutes at the 5.
He's a fantastic rebounder, plays with force and power, offers meaningful rim protection and is quick enough to play the 4, switch the pick-and-roll or just stay in front of bigs who like to face up and attack from the perimeter. The big swing skill for Johnson is his shooting. He didn't attempt a single 3-pointer as a freshman at Michigan, but hit 12-of-35 last season and 78.2 percent from the free-throw line. If he developes some stretch to his offensive game then his ceiling skyrockets.
Hannes Steinbach, F, Washington
Steinbach just finished his freshman year at Washington but has the experience of having played a full season of top-level pro ball in Germany, averaging 11.5 points and 7.7 rebounds per game as an 18-year-old. He followed that up by adding 18.5 points, 11.8 rebounds, 1.6 assists, 1.1 steals and 1.2 blocks per game for the Huskies.
Steinbach is a bit of a tweener — 6-foot-11 not an especially intimidating rim protector and with limited stretch on offense. But in the words of Chris Kline, "he's also a smart connective decision-maker and a hellacious, high-effort rebounder. Steinbach is built like a tank and he has mastered the art of rebounding on a fundamental level. He's also quite skilled on offense, with flashes of 3-point shooting to complement face-up drives and bully-ball post-ups."
The Warriors need size and while some of that need is about rim protection, having a big body who can bang with opposing bigs and punish opponents on the glass would help a lot. He's not the player you'd design in a lab to solve their frontcourt problems but his offensive upside, physicality and experience make him a better plug-and-play option than someone like Jayden Quaintance whose profile might seem ideal on paper.
Dailyn Swain, F, Texas
Swain may also be a reach for the Warriors — he went No. 17 to the Thunder in Kline's latest mock draft. He's a 20-year-old college junior, has a similar frame and adjacent skillset to Lendeborg but comes without the championship pedigree. But what Swain offers is all that two-way versatility as a big wing, with the bonus of considerable on-ball potential. As Kline points out he's, "a big, athletic wing with silky-smooth handles, live-dribble passing chops and elite efficiency as an isolation scorer."
Swain averaged 17.3 points, 7.5 rebounds, 3.6 assists and 1.6 steals per game for Texas, often functioning as the primary initiator and on-ball creator at 6-foot-8. But he also played on a team with a ton of offensive threats and was comfortable fitting in and sharing the ball, showing he could absolutely work as a connector on a roster full of stars. He may be slightly less ideal as a role player than Lendeborg or Mara. But if the Warriors want to squeeze win-now value AND upside Swain could be the best option.
Did someone say two timelines?
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