SAN FRANCISCO — In November 2020, the Warriors drafted James Wiseman with the No. 2 overall draft pick, their highest pick since they took Mike Dunleavy Jr. third overall out of Duke in 2002.
Three years later, though, Wiseman is no longer with the team, and Dunleavy, despite once being made scapegoat for Warriors fans’ frustrations after years of futility, is the team’s new general manager.
The Warriors have gambled in the last three drafts, taking some high-upside teenage players with the hopes to groom them to one day take the baton from the dynastic trio as it ages out.
But with Stephen Curry still a top-five NBA star at the age of 35, the Warriors should be looking to maximize the here and now. And the process of retooling their roster to be a championship contender once again starts with the No. 19 pick in Thursday’s draft.
Last season, Jonathan Kuminga and Moses Moody were expected to step into larger roles having been two lottery picks who had a championship run under their belts. The Warriors had hoped the same for Wiseman, who was finally healthy. Meanwhile, Golden State walked out of the 2022 draft with Patrick Baldwin Jr. (No. 28), Ryan Rollins (No. 44) and Gui Santos (No. 55), knowing that they were also developmental projects.
But Kuminga and Moody didn’t get consistent playing time, and Wiseman had a G League stint before being traded to the Detroit Pistons in February in a multi-team deal to bring back Gary Payton II.
In hindsight, Dunleavy said the Warriors might’ve relied too heavily on young players stepping up to fill voids left by veteran role players who left in free agency after winning the 2022 title.
“You could make an argument last year we were too young in some ways,” Dunleavy said Monday. “That’s what we’ll take a look at once the draft has gone by and take it from there.”
There are three prospects in this year’s draft class who are well ahead of the next tier of players. San Antonio lucked out on lottery night last month in Chicago and received the No. 1 pick. The obvious choice is 7-foot-4 French sensation Victor Wembanyama.
After that, the Charlotte Hornets have the second pick and could choose between Alabama forward Brandon Miller or G League Ignite guard Scoot Henderson. Given the Hornets already have LaMelo Ball running point, signs point to them taking Miller, leaving Henderson to the Portland Trail Blazers.
It’s anyone’s guess how the rest of the draft will play out from there. The Warriors will have to wait until 18 prospects are off the board before making their decision. They cannot trade prior to making their pick due to NBA rules requiring teams to have at least one first-rounder every other year.
There are several players in this class who profile as being potential NBA-ready role players who should still be available come the Warriors’ turn at 19. The list includes Santa Clara combo guard Brandin Podziemski, Iowa forward Kris Murray and UCLA forward Jaime Jaquez Jr.
The draft, however, is only the beginning of what should be an exciting offseason for the Warriors, who have seven free agents.
Draymond Green has reportedly already decided to opt out of his $27.6 million player option. Donte DiVincenzo also has a player option, worth $4.7 million, that he’ll have to decide on by June 29.
JaMychal Green and Andre Iguodala are unrestricted free agents, though Iguodala previously said the 2022-23 season would be his last. Meanwhile, Anthony Lamb and two-way players Ty Jerome and Lester Quinones are restricted free agents.
Dunleavy has his work cut out for him — that’s for sure. His top priority is bringing Green back.
“We really want Draymond back,” Dunleavy said, citing Green’s contributions to title teams. “We feel like we have to have him.”
Beyond that, the Warriors’ sticky financial situation will make it difficult to add valuable pieces to plug holes on the roster. But Dunleavy believes they’ll be able to construct a team that will be a formidable threat for next season.
“A lot can be made of all the challenges that are coming our way, whether it be the aging roster, the new CBA with some of the limitations there, anything else you can bring up,” Dunleavy said. “We’re aware of all those things, but we also feel like we’re in a great place because we’ve got a competitive owner willing to spend, a group that’s tied in, has good synergy, good processes, good, sound decision making.
“We feel confident we can navigate it.”