Golden State Warriors: Eric Paschall will play a key role next season

Golden State Warriors rookie Eric Paschall is set to play a critical role with the team in his first NBA season. Here’s what we could expect from the second-round pick.

The Golden State Warriors haven’t had a great recent history with their draft picks, but second-round pick Eric Paschall could very well be the player who bucks that trend.

While Michigan shooting guard Jordan Poole was drafted at the tail-end of the first round, the Warriors expect just as much out of second-round pick, Paschall. After all, he wasn’t drafted to just sit on the bench or play in the G-League.

The word on Paschall coming out of college was that he was a high-character, do-it-all, versatile type of player with no glaring weaknesses to his game. He’s a versatile defender and a well-rounded offensive player with a high work ethic.

On top of that, Paschall is a bit undersized for a big man but he makes up for it with a chip on his shoulder that has been present ever since he was snubbed by top-tier colleges his senior year of high school. That chip only grew larger when he fell to the second round in this year’s draft.

With all of that, it’s easy to see why he’s been compared to the Warriors’ own Draymond Green.

Interestingly enough, Paschall is likely the player that the team will rely on to be Green’s primary backup going into next season. Despite the fact that fellow big man Alen Smailagic was selected two slots ahead of him, Paschall is expected to play a more prominent role — at least in the short-term.

And that’s just it — Paschall is as NBA ready as a second-round prospect could be. His defensive physicality matches his offensive hustle but it’s his basketball IQ that truly sets him apart from other young players.

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Paschall always seems to be one step ahead on defense and his savvy passing give him Draymond-like upside. Now, the Villanova product is nowhere near the defender or passer that Green is just yet.

But the similarities are strong and the potential for development is apparent. Especially with Green serving as his mentor.

Plus, the opportunities should be aplenty early on in his career. With the Warriors losing most of their depth this offseason, it will be up to Paschall and a slew of new contributors to play significant minutes coming off the bench.

The returning Kevon Looney and free-agent acquisition Willie Cauley-Stein are expected to split time at center with the newly-acquired Omari Spellman also figuring to be in the mix. And if the Warriors decide to go big with their lineup, Paschall could even slide to the wing.

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At 6-foot-8, the 22-year-old has prototypical size for the position and he’s quick enough on defense to make it work. Plus his outside game improved tremendously over his college career as he shot a respectable 35% from three-point range over his final two seasons.

Paschall is a true culture fit as he perfectly embodies the “strength in numbers” approach that has become the team’s calling card. On top of that, his work ethic and early playing time should put him in the perfect position to develop during his rookie year.

And given the role he’s expected to play this upcoming season, the Warriors might need him to do just that.

Paschall may have been the last of three picks that the Warriors made in this year’s draft, but he will have the best chance to make an early impact and play a critical role in the team’s rotation.