Warriors Draft Preview: With a roster plagued by injuries this could be the most important draft in recent years

Following the Golden State Warriors’ crushing loss to the Toronto Raptors in the NBA Finals, head coach Steve Kerr told the media that “the roster will look a lot different next year.”

As the Warriors’ key players went down with injury throughout the series, the rest of the roster’s limitations were on full display. Stephen Curry had little room to operate due to a lack of shooting and spacing. In an increasingly positionless league, the Warriors lacked crucial versatility, 3-and-D type players who can knock down shots and defend multiple positions effectively.

The Warriors enter the offseason with a plethora of questions, primarily stemming from the tragic injuries to free agent stars Kevin Durant and Klay Thompson. Though their respective statuses, in many ways, are unknown, the Warriors will get their first chance to answer some of those questions through the NBA Draft.

Golden State has the 28th and 58th picks and, after feeling the ramifications of some recent misses in the draft, Bob Myers and the front office need to find players who can help fill the holes around Curry, Draymond Green, and Andre Iguodala.

Chuma Okeke

Auburn forward Chuma Okeke is perhaps one of the most interesting prospects in the draft, a name that many Warriors fans have floated around recently.

The 6’8’’ Okeke averaged 12 points, 6.8 rebounds, and a team-best 1.8 steals per game in his sophomore season. He shot 39 percent from beyond-the-arc over his two-year career while also improving his free throw percentage from 67 percent to 72 percent. Okeke has been most effective in catch-and-shoot situations, both as the screener in the pick-and-pop and as a spot up sniper in the corner. While his shooting is his strongest weapon, he also flashed solid skills in the post with nice touch around the rim. Defensively, he’s got the size and athleticism to defend multiple positions.

Okeke’s skills as a playmaker—something Golden State would be looking for—leave a lot to be desired right now as he averaged 1.9 assists and 1.7 turnovers in his sophomore season. Considered a lottery pick-level talent, the Warriors might have a chance at Okeke simply because he, unfortunately, tore his ACL during the Sweet 16. If selected, Kerr might have to wait most, if not all, of the season as Okeke recovers.

Dylan Windler

Golden State might be more interested in someone who can provide from day one. Sports Illustrated’s mock draft has Golden State picking Dylan Windler, a 6’8’’ wing from Belmont and, given their 2019 roster’s shortcomings, it makes sense.

Windler is a bucket, a smooth lefty scorer and shooter who averaged 21.3 points and 10.8 rebounds as a senior. He shot 54 percent from the field, 43 percent from three, and 85 percent from the free throw line. Windler had a bright green let it fly, even from well behind the college three-point line. Due to Curry’s gravity, he creates a lot of open looks for players and Windler looks to be the type of player who can make defenses pay for leaving him open.

Windler’s bread-and-butter is his ability to put the ball in the basket, but his physical attributes leave him at a disadvantage on the defensive end. His strength, quickness, and athleticism are concerns as he transitions from the OVC to the NBA. Golden State needs defensive versatility and Windler doesn’t seem to be reliable on that side of the floor yet, both in his decision-making and physical capabilities.

Matisse Thybulle

Though Thompson has had some of NBA history’s most brilliant offensive performances, the ramifications of his injury might be felt most on the defensive end, where he has turned himself into one of the game’s best perimeter defenders. That’s where Matisse Thybulle, a 6’5’’ four-year University of Washington guard, comes in.

Thybulle was the Pac 12’s Defensive Player of the Year in both his junior and senior seasons. His quick hands, speed, and high IQ allows him to block jumpshots and break up passes with relative ease. He averaged 3.2 steals and 1.9 blocks his last two seasons at Washington. The Warriors certainly want to add a defensive-minded backcourt mate for Curry in light of Thompson’s injury.

Thybulle’s jumper did not fall with great consistency in his senior year, knocking down a mere 30 percent of his treys. He made nearly 38 percent from long distance over his first three collegiate seasons and shot over 84 percent from the free throw line twice, though, so it’s hard to make sense of what his shot making ability will be at the next level. Thybulle’s defense might intrigue the Warriors, but he needs to assert himself as a stronger offensive force in order to really flourish.

Ty Jerome

The Warriors may have lost the Finals, but they’re not done competing yet. They need winners, 16-game players who can make plays in the postseason that contribute to the ultimate goal. Virginia’s Ty Jerome could be that guy for them.

Fresh off a national title—he had 16 points, 8 assists, and 6 rebounds in the championship game—Jerome knows what it takes to get the job done. The 6’5 guard averaged 13.6 points, 5.5 assists, and 4.2 rebounds in his junior year while shooting 40 percent from three for his career as a Cavalier. He is a smart offensive player who can handle the ball or take advantage of an inch of space with his quick trigger. The way he moves around the court and puts up shots looks like he would be comfortable playing within the Warriors’ system. Jerome has shown himself to be a strong defender at the collegiate level, using his size to overwhelm smaller, quicker guards while reading the plays to find steal opportunities.

The knock on Jerome is his athleticism and quickness, which could impact his defense in the NBA. Already struggling with speedy opponents, it will only get harder when he’s going up against some of the best athletes in the world. While, at 6’5’’ he possess a size advantage over most point guards, his lack of next-level athleticism limits his defensive versatility, something that is of paramount importance in today’s game.

There are a few players who Golden State might consider if they drop far enough — namely Oregon’s Bol Bol and USC’s Kevin Porter Jr. — due to their upside and potential, but their red flags, especially work ethic and character concerns, might be too much for the Warriors, who pride themselves on culture and hard work, to overlook. Purdue’s Carsen Edwards scored 24 points per game last season, but the Warriors might not have the defensive personnel to account for his 6’1’’ frame.

The Warriors have plenty of options for the 28th pick—including trading it for a more established player—but they will certainly look to add shooting and versatility, two things that they desperately needed as they failed to secure a three-peat.

Thompson, who will likely re-sign, and Durant, if he stays, won’t be ready to join Curry and co. for another title run until the 2020-21 season so whoever they pick (outside of Okeke) will have the opportunity to develop their skills during the upcoming season as the cavalry recovers.