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While some expected the Golden State Warriors to leverage one or both of their first-round picks into more proven veteran talent, majority team governor Joe Lacob is happy with their haul from the 2021 NBA draft.
Lacob told The Athletic’s Anthony Slater he’s “ecstatic” after landing Jonathan Kuminga and Moses Moody:
“We’ll probably never have two lottery picks again. If we do, we’ll have a problem. The thing that’s most amazing to me is how it worked out. I shouldn’t say where they were on our board, but it’s hard for me not to say it. I’ll just tell you they were both clearly in our top 10. We feel like we got really fortunate on Kuminga. Then with Moody, I think it’s pretty common knowledge we were seriously considering him at seven. So it’s pretty astonishing to me that we could get him at 14.”
Given the franchise’s priorities, it seemed fair to wonder whether Golden State would stay in the lottery or even the first round altogether.
The Athletic’s Marcus Thompson II reported July 22 that Washington Wizards star Bradley Beal would be a primary target for the Warriors if he decided to request a trade.
Thompson added that Stephen Curry, Draymond Green and Klay Thompson prior to the draft “made it clear to management they want the franchise to focus on the pursuit of a championship, even to consider using their two lottery picks to get someone who can help immediately.”
Contending for a title while simultaneously developing young players who fit into the long-term picture can be a difficult needle to thread.
The Warriors saw this with James Wiseman this past year. Wiseman showed flashes, averaging 11.5 points and 5.8 rebounds before suffering a meniscus injury. However, he also looked like a then-19-year-old who was adjusting to the pro game.
When it comes to Kuminga and Moody, both appear to have Green’s blessing. Warriors general manager Bob Myers said the three-time All-Star, who’s representing Team USA in the 2021 Summer Olympics, reached out to offer his draft advice:
Kuminga averaged 15.8 points and 7.2 rebounds for the NBA G League Ignite. Bleacher Report’s Jonathan Wasserman projected the 6’6″ forward to land with the Warriors while reporting they were “debating whether he fits their team and timeline.”
Like Wiseman, Kuminga could potentially play a starring role for Golden State once Curry, Green and Thompson have taken a step backward.
Moody represents a little more of a sure thing, with Wasserman writing before the draft he “projects as an easy fit for every team, thanks to his off-ball shot-making and knack for scoring within the flow of a team offense.”
Given the state of Golden State’s bench in 2020-21, Moody (16.8 points per game and 35.8 percent on three-pointers) should provide some scoring punch with the second unit.
Of course, the second-guessing will be loud if Kuminga and Moody don’t provide an immediate impact for the Warriors.
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