The Golden State Warriors are a young team that has largely been built through the draft. With Stephen Curry, Klay Thompson, and Harrison Barnes all drafted in the first round, the Warriors have become a thriving team under the coaching of Mark Jackson.
NBA Draft 2013: Golden State Warriors don’t hold a pick, yet
The Warriors don’t have any draft picks in the 2013 NBA Draft to add to their young core, but could move into the late first-round or second-round to land a prospect.
The Warriors are fresh off one of their best seasons in recent memory after pushing the San Antonio Spurs to six games in the second round of the playoffs. Golden State is renowned for its enviable young nucleus but also has a couple bad contracts on the roster next season. Without a pick heading into the 2013 draft, the Warriors are seemingly strapped for affordable ways of improving the roster in the immediate future.
Draft picks
Complete Golden State Warriors draft coverage
Visit Golden State of Mind for more on the Warriors. The Warriors have no draft picks in the 2013 NBA Draft. The team traded its 2012 first-round pick to the Brooklyn Nets, who then traded it to the Utah Jazz as part of a package to land Deron Williams, but it was top-seven protected. The Warriors landed the seventh pick in the 2012 NBA Draft and selected Barnes.
The pick rolled over to 2013 and the pick is now the No. 21 overall. It is heading to Utah.
Their second-round pick was traded to the New York Knicks as part of the sign-and-trade trade that sent David Lee to Golden State. That pick has also traveled while being a part of deals that have shifted superstars. The Knicks sent the draft pick to the Denver Nuggets while acquiring Carmelo Anthony, and the Nuggets eventually sent that same pick to the Orlando Magic as part of the package that sent Dwight Howard to the Los Angeles Lakers.
Depth chart
Point guard: Stephen Curry, Jarrett Jack (unrestricted free agent)
Shooting guard: Klay Thompson, Brandon Rush (player option), Kent Bazemore
Small forward: Harrison Barnes, Richard Jefferson, Draymond Green
Power forward: David Lee, Carl Landry (player option)
Center: Andrew Bogut, Andris Biedrins, Festus Ezeli
Jarrett Jack is a free agent after turning in one of the best seasons of his career on a one-year deal in Golden State last season. Jack proved himself to be a vital part of the Golden State nucleus, and his scoring punch is much-needed off the bench. His status remains the biggest question mark for the franchise this offseason.
Biggest need(s)
The Warriors biggest need going into the draft would be at the point guard position. Jack is a free agent and it is unclear whether the Warriors will be able to retain him. They often used Jack alongside Curry when they played small ball, and Curry's ankle issues also cause reason for Golden State to consider having a point guard that can fill in should depth become an issue.
Potential targets
The Warriors could look to sneak into the second round of the draft by buying rights to a draft pick outright. With $66 million in guaranteed salary on the books for 2012-2013, and $4 million player options lingering for both Carl Landry and Brandon Rush, the Warriors are dangerously close to the $70 million luxury tax range and are unlikely to offer salary relief to teams.
Without the promise of salary relief, this likely puts Golden State in the second round area where they can outright buy a draft pick from a team. Jonathan Tjarks discussed point guards the Warriors could target with Golden State of Mind and believes Isaiah Canaan, Pierre Jackson, Phil Pressey (scouting report) and Nate Wolters could be within reach:
Here are four PG’s in the mid-second round range who I think could make the league on the right team: Isaiah Canaan (Murray State), Pierre Jackson (Baylor), Phil Pressey (Missouri) and Nate Wolters (South Dakota State). Of the bunch, Canaan is the best scorer, Jackson is the best athlete, Pressey is the best passer and Wolters is the best shooter.
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