The Miami Heat did work at 20, but with a top-2 pick, it was hard for Golden State to mess it up. They didn’t and they also got what might be a necessary piece in the second round.
Golden State Warriors
You’re probably thinking, “the Warriors picked number 2 overall, I sure hope they feel good about their pick.” I love Wiseman more than most, I think he easily goes number 1 if he played the whole season at Memphis.
This is also looking at the bigger picture for Golden State. With Klay’s new injury and the rest of that Warriors core getting older, this pick was about eventually handing over the keys to Wiseman.
But Golden State was a winner in the draft because of how late they drafted Nico Mannion. At pick 48, I was surprised he was still available.
The half-Italian freshman from Arizona was one of the best playmakers in the PAC-12 last season. Mannion has a great feel for the game and a good outside shot, but who does that sound like?
Obviously, he’s not Steph Curry, but if Klay Thompson is injured for an extended period of time, look for Mannion to compete for playing time right away.
To be fair, none of these teams got the value that the Miami Heat did. They got the draft arguably most athletic player, one of the most pro-ready players in the entire draft, and probably the biggest steal for their selection.
Our Precious was projected as high as being a top 10 pick, after winning the conference Player Of The Year and Rookie Of The Year awards in just his one season at Memphis. Hey, everybody can’t be the Heat though.
Luckily for them, they don’t have to be to win. Outside of Miami, these were the other big winners from Wednesday night’s draft.