2019 NBA Draft: Golden State Warriors add 3-and-D wing in final mock

The 2019 NBA Draft is just about here and the Golden State Warriors will have two picks to make. Here is one final mock draft ahead of the big night.

The Golden State Warriors aren’t typically a team that has had to worry about the draft in recent years. But this year’s 2019 NBA Draft could be the most important for the franchise in recent memory.

We saw firsthand just how much the Warriors lack of depth came back to bite them in this year’s NBA Finals. This was proven especially true after the lengthy list of injuries suffered by the team throughout the postseason.

For that reason alone, this year’s draft is going to be crucial.

With Kevin Durant likely out for all of next season and Klay Thompson out until at least March, the Warriors will field a fairly different lineup next season. That is assuming both do return which is looking increasingly likely at this point.

And while the Warriors have had the luxury of drafting defensive-minded, developmental role players in recent years, they might need to look for a player who could step in and contribute from day one.

Let’s take a look at who we’ve pegged to the Warriors in our final 2019 NBA Mock Draft.

*Note: This mock was made prior to the Warriors acquisition of the No. 41 pick*

Round 1, Pick 28 — SF Dylan Windler (Belmont)

The 2019 NBA Finals proved that the Warriors scoring depth isn’t nearly as deep as many may believe. Sure the likes of Stephen Curry, Klay Thompson, and Kevin Durant are three of the greatest scorers of this generation — if not all-time.

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But once Durant and Thompson went down, the lack of scoring depth off the bench became very evident. While the Toronto Raptors regularly fielded a lineup complete with five legitimate scoring options, the Warriors were lucky to have two or three at any given moment.

As such, it’s clear they need some additional scoring depth coming off the bench. Belmont’s Dylan Windler could be just that type of player.

Windler is a bit of an older prospect as he’ll turn 23-years-old in September after playing four years at Belmont, but he certainly fits the bill of a young wing player with a plus outside shot. The 6-foot-8 small forward shot over 54% throughout his college career and over 40% from three-point range.

His presence on the wing would allow the aging Andre Iguodala to be spared some minutes and give the team a legitimate scoring threat coming off the bench opposed to someone like Alfonzo McKinnie who is more defensive-minded.

Windler is most effective as a catch-and-shoot player but can shoot off the dribble from time-to-time and can even excel as a playmaker. On top of that, his defensive game is particularly strong making him an ideal fit as a “3-and-D” type player.

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He isn’t an elite athlete and is an older prospect from a small school which will likely see him fall in the draft. But if he’s there at pick No. 28, there’s a very good chance that he’s the pick.

Round 2, Pick 58 — PF/C Alen Smailagic (Santa Cruz Warriors)

Generally, the late-second round of the NBA Draft is extremely unpredictable. Sometimes players who nobody thought would be selected get picked while others surprisingly go undrafted.

But if there’s one pick that league sources almost unanimously expect to be made in this spot of the draft, it has to be the Warriors taking intriguing big man Alen Smailagic. Golden State has been stashing Smailagic away on their G-League affiliate for this past season as he became the youngest player in G-League history soon after his 18th birthday.

A native of Serbia, Smailagic played in his home country in 2017 and part of 2018 before being drafted into the G-League this past year. He put up semi-respectable numbers averaging 9.1 points and 4.0 rebounds in 17.4 minutes per game this past season.

But given his age, he’ll clearly be a long-term developmental project that the Warriors would simply stash away for a few years. That said, it’s clear that Golden State is very interested in his raw potential and skillset.

Smailagic is extremely athletic for his size and has the potential to be a modern-day, “away-from-the-basket” type of center if he could develop his shot more. At just 18-years-old, he’s more than worth taking a flyer on.

And it appears that the Warriors intend to do just that.