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In the eight-plus weeks since The Chronicle unveiled its “Warriors Matchmaker,” thousands of readers have taken the 10-question quiz to identify a potential candidate Golden State should take in the NBA draft on November 18, with its No. . or later in the lottery if it is exchanged.
The findings offer insight into how fans want the Warriors to use their top selection in at least 25 years. But with less than a week to draft, how do these views align with what the front office thinks?
Below is a breakdown of how all 11 potential customers who were options in the matchmaker fared and what are the chances that Golden State actually took each of those players:
Warriors Matchmaker results
Deni Avdija: 8.8% of matches
A relatively small percentage of readers landed on Avdija in the matchmaker, but the Warriors are pretty high on him. They saw him training recently in Atlanta and, according to a league source who was there, “he was really impressed with his overall skill level”. Avdija is a forward type who could play an immediate role next season as a secondary ball carrier, one of the Warriors’ needs. Although Golden State would consider it at number 2, it is more likely to take it back if it returns to the 5-8 range.
• Click here to find out which prospect is your perfect match for the Warriors.
LaMelo ball: 9.2%
Not many readers seem to want the Warriors to take Ball, which is fine because Golden State is highly unlikely to enlist him. Though Ball worked for the Warriors, a league source told The Chronicle that Golden State believes it has “too many holes in its game to warrant a top three pick.” It also doesn’t help that Steve Kerr has expressed his contempt for the media fascination with Ball’s talkative father, LaVar. If the Warriors take the ball at number 2, they will almost certainly do so for another team.
Saddiq Bey: 12.8%
Bey got the second-most games of any player available, which might come as a surprise as it is not expected to arrive before the latest lottery. But the Warriors like the combination of length, defensive versatility, shooting range and IQ of Bey’s basketball, and would take it seriously if they returned to the 10-15 range. A league source told The Chronicle: “A lot of people think Bey doesn’t have a high roof just because he’s 21 and not a weird athlete, but I don’t necessarily agree with that. I see he is a productive player in this league for a long, long time. “
Anthony Edwards: 12.6%
A good number of readers have been paired with Edwards, which makes sense considering the Warriors are big fans of his physical instruments. While Edwards is pretty imperfect for a potential # 1 pick, his strength and athleticism give him the ability to become a perennial All-Star – something that cannot be said of many players in this draft. According to several league sources, the Warriors would likely bring Edwards to number 2 if he were available and decided not to trade.
Tyrese Haliburton: 7.2%
Haliburton hasn’t received a ton of matches, but he impressed the Warriors during a recent training session with his play sensitivity and passing ability. What most intrigues Haliburton’s Golden State is its versatility. Although a natural point guard, he is a good enough shooter to play without the ball and a defender skilled enough to contend with multiple positions. Like Avdija, the Warriors would consider Haliburton at number 2, but are more likely to take it back if they return to the 5-8 range. At this point, Avdija is probably slightly ahead of Haliburton on the big Golden State draw.
Killian Hayes: 2.8%
Hayes got the fewest matches of any player available, which isn’t shocking. Even though the Warriors like Hayes, they haven’t fixed it and seem to have Haliburton above him on their playmaker list. It is highly unlikely that Golden State will take Hayes back, even if he does go back. He would probably struggle to command significant minutes as long as Stephen Curry is on the roster.
Onyeka Okongwu: 3.5%
Few readers have matched Okongwu, which isn’t a big surprise considering he’s one of the few best prospects yet to be connected to the Warriors. Golden State hasn’t solved it, and he’s much more likely to enlist James Wiseman at number 2 if he decides he wants a hit. However, Okongwu is ramping up the mock drafts and could make it into the top five.
Isaac Okoro: 4.0%
Okoro has only received a small number of games, and this is likely in line with the odds of the Warriors recruiting him. According to a league source, Golden State has fixed it and thinks he has a chance of becoming a stuck defender in the NBA, but fears he won’t develop offensively enough to become more of a defensive specialist. The Warriors wouldn’t consider Okoro at number 2. Even if they went back to the lottery in the middle and the end, they could probably draft someone who is higher on their scoreboard.
Obi Toppin: 19.0%
The most surprising part of the matchmaker’s results is that Toppin got the most matches by far. While the Warriors like Toppin, they probably fear his skill set overlaps too much with that of Draymond Green and Eric Paschall to fit into the team’s long-term plans. Toppin has yet to work for the Golden State and it’s hard to imagine a scenario that would bring him to San Francisco.
Devin Vassell: 9.3%
Vassell has received a fair number of games, and that makes sense because the Warriors love his potential as a prototype “3-ed” wing to the next level. He is a blocking defender on par with Okoro, but is a much better shooter than Okoro. A league source who attended the Warriors’ recent training with Vassell told The Chronicle: “He’s not very flashy, but he’s the kind of person who will help you win a lot of games. You must like yourself. “The Warriors would consider Vassell if they went back to the lottery between the middle and the end.
James Wiseman: 10.7%
A good amount of readers have matched Wiseman, who is a popular choice over mock drafts for the Warriors at number 2. It’s not hard to see why – he could immediately plug Golden State’s hole in the starting center. While the Warriors don’t necessarily feel obligated to use such an early pick on a big man, they’ve been impressed with his recent training with them and will give him a hard look if they keep pick # 2.
Connor Letourneau is a staff writer for the San Francisco Chronicle. Email: [email protected]. Twitter: @Con_Chron
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