Breakdown of the Warriors' 2019 Draft Haul: Jordan Poole, Alen Smailagic, and Eric Paschall

In an unfortunate turn of events, the Golden State Warriors went from having perhaps the most talented rotation in the history of the NBA to a roster in free fall, desperately in need of help at every position.

Klay Thompson will, likely, miss most of the 2019-20 season while Kevin Durant likely won’t step onto the floor until the 2020-21 season opener. And that’s assuming that both guys re-sign.

Kevon Looney, another key free player, is a free agent who has certainly earned a significant payday, one that the Warriors might not be able to compete with. Shaun Livingston, a core member of the Warriors’ entire run, is contemplating retirement.

That’s all on top of the reality that the Warriors’ needed shooting, defensive versatility, and an injection of youth, which they got their first chance at addressing during the draft last week.

The Warriors came away with three players—Jordan Poole (no. 28), Alen Smailagic (no. 39), and Eric Paschall (no. 41) all of who have varying degrees of NBA readiness and roles to fill over the next year or two. Let’s take a closer look at them.

Jordan Poole

With names like Kevin Porter Jr. and Bol Bol still on the board, the Warriors surprised many by selecting Poole, a 6’5’’ guard out of Michigan who flew under the radar leading up to the first round of the draft.

Poole played two years in college, averaging nearly 12.8 points, 3.0 rebounds, and 2.2 assists with 1.5 turnovers per game. He shot 37 percent from three-point range and 83 percent from the free throw line during his collegiate career.

The Warriors’ lack of spacing and perimeter depth hurt them in the championship series and they are hoping Poole can provide much-needed marksmanship from outside.

Poole saw an increase in his ball handling responsibilities as a sophomore at Michigan, but it’s unlikely that the Warriors will focus heavily on that given Steve Kerr’s pass-first egalitarian offense. With that said, it it might behoove Steve Kerr to turn his attention to highlight Poole’s skillset, rather than require him to blend in.

Whether or not he’ll be on the ball as a playmaker, his strongest contributions will be in catch-and-shoot opportunities and slashing to the basket.

Though the ’19-20 roster will be considerably less star-studded than the last few versions, Stephen Curry draws enough attention in an offense that can produce open looks for role players for Poole to have chances to make defenses pay for slow closeouts, both from deep and cutting to the rim.

While free agency can change a lot, the Warriors wouldn’t have selected Poole in that position unless they intended on having him contribute from day one, playing around 15-20 minutes in a Patrick McCaw-like spot.

Alen Smailagic

Smailagic is a 6’10’’ project that the Warriors are already familiar with after playing 47 games in Santa Cruz with the team’s G-League affiliate.

The 18-year-old Serbian averaged 9.1 points and 4.1 rebounds on 49.7 percent shooting from the field in 17.4 minutes per game last year.

Though he believes he can play at the NBA level right now, he is expected to spend more time in Santa Cruz to develop his raw game.

A scout told NBC Sports Bay Area that “He can be really good if his body continues to mature. There is no question about his desire or his skill…But I think he’s a couple years away.”

His tape from his first professional season shows a high-IQ player that knows how to fill the lane, running to the right spot at the right time to finish off plays.

Even as a teenager playing in a league full of more experienced players, he is aggressive and confident, qualities that Golden State definitely needs.

Smailagic has shown himself to be an active and aggressive, albeit inconsistent, defender. He rotates in help effectively, reading plays before they happen and utilizing his quick hands to break them up.

Unsurprisingly, the youngest player in G-League history had lapses, moments of poor technique or bad judgement on gambles, but the foundation is there. And it was enough to convince Bob Myers and the rest of the team to hold onto him for the long run.

Smailagic might not step onto the Chase Center floor for an NBA game for a season or two, but there are plenty of reasons to be excited for him as he continues to develop his game and body in Santa Cruz for the foreseeable future.

Eric Paschall

If there was ever a team that could elevate a versatile 6’8’’ forward coming off a successful four-year collegiate career highlighted by an NCAA championship, it’s the team that employs Draymond Green.

In his final year at Villanova, Paschall averaged 16.5 points and 6.1 rebounds. He also shot 34.8 percent from three though he has admitted that he needs to work on becoming more comfortable and letting it fly from NBA range.

For his collegiate career, he averaged more turnovers (1.9) than assists (1.5), something the Warriors will definitely look to clean up, especially if they want him to develop him into a Green-like playmaker. His ability to put the ball in the basket, though, is undeniable.

Not known as an elite defender, his play on that end improved over his four years. He is strong, able to hold his own in the post against big players and his high motor—perhaps his best attribute—allows him to switch out onto the perimeter and defend in space.

Paschall has a lot to clean up, but he has a strong base to build off of. He has the potential to be a very effective positionless player. Though his skills are different than Green’s—Paschall is more of a scorer and his playmaking and defense are both works in progress—but the core is the same.

The Warriors surely appreciated Paschall’s determination to get better every year, much like Green has done since his Michigan State days. Paschall is a hard worker who invites physicality and wants to win.

As a 22-year-old, Paschall has experience to play a role from the beginning of the season, one that could increase if his three-point shot becomes a viable option for him.

If Thompson and Durant re-sign, the Warriors will need production from young players to extend this dynasty, much like the San Antonio Spurs did during the reign of Tim Duncan, Manu Ginobili, and Tony Parker.

This trio might not feature a cornerstone or a franchise-changer, but if they reach their potential, they can be talented players for a contending team for years to come.