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Who are they? Meet the Warriors’ 2019 draft picks

By

Jacob Hutchinson

/

© Brad Penner-USA TODAY Sports

For the first time since the 2012 NBA Draft – when the Warriors drafted Draymond Green, Harrison Barnes, Festus Ezeli and Ognjen Kuzmic – the organization made more than one selection on draft day. At the conclusion of Thursday’s record-setting whiplash night of 17 draft-day trades, the Warriors had been involved in three.

The trades represented a clear decision by the Warriors’ front office to acquire cheap assets in an offseason which may set the team up to become the NBA’s first team with four max-contract players if both Kevin Durant and Klay Thompson re-sign and Draymond Green is re-signed to the max next summer. With that in mind, the Warriors traded up into the first half of the second round twice, and shipped off their final pick for cash.

Here is the detailed trade recap from last night:

The Warriors were slated to have a fourth pick this year at the No. 58 slot, but so late in the draft and having traded up twice using cash, the team opted to secure an as of yet undisclosed amount of cash (which sounds cooler than it is) from the Utah Jazz to relinquish their final selection.

The team started the day with the 28th and 58th overall picks, acquiring the 41st pick early in the day from the Atlanta Hawks for $1.3 million in cash and a 2024 second-round draft pick.

As the clock ticked down on the 39th pick, owned by the even more trade-happy New Orleans Pelicans, the Warriors swooped back in, sending more cash and their 2021 and 2023 second-round draft picks.

With those picks, the Warriors selected University of Michigan guard Jordan Poole 28th overall, their Santa Cruz Warriors forward prospect Alen Smailagic with the 39th overall pick, and Villanova University forward Eric Paschall with the 41st pick.

According to ESPN’s Chris Haynes, the Warriors already signed undrafted forward Dedric Lawson from the University of Kansas, to the team’s Summer League squad.

Below is a general overview of the Warriors’ 2019 draft picks, and their first undrafted free agent signing:

Jordan Poole, 28th overall:

  • Vitals: Age 20 (June 19, 1999), Height: 6’5.5″, Wingspan: 6’6.75″, Weight: 191 pounds
  • School/Year: University of Michigan, Sophomore
  • Position: Guard
  • Skills: Good ball-handler, talented shooter, shown ability to create his own shot and hit clutch attempts, very athletic and shown ability to finish at rim with glimpses of decent defensive potential
  • Weaknesses: Often very poor shot selection (again, a volume shooter), picks up dribble too early and frequently, poor defensive instincts
  • Stats: 12.8 points (43.6 percent shooting, 36.9 percent from 3-pt on 203 attempts, 83.3 percent from FT), 3 rebounds, 2.2 assists, 1.1 steals per game in sophomore season
  • Average draft projection: 46th overall* with one projection (NBADraft.net not factored in) having him go undrafted
  • Average projected value: 61st overall
  • Value assessment: Bad pick for value, but fits the shooting-capable guard the Warriors were looking for – Warriors almost certainly could have picked him with one of second-round picks
  • Most known for: This iconic, game-winning shot over the University of Houston in Round of 32 in 2018 March Madness tournament in which Michigan lost to Eric Paschall’s Villanova Univeristy in the title game:

Alen Smailagic, 39th overall:

  • Vitals: Age 18.8 (August 18, 2000), Height: 6’10”, Weight: 215 pounds,
  • School/Year: N/A – Serbia – Played with Santa Cruz Warriors in G-League
  • Position: Power Forward/Center
  • Skills: Athletic for his size, provides rim-running opportunities, likely to improve shooting and become potential floor-spacer (think Swedish Larry Bird – Jonas Jerebko – but with athleticism), can handle to ball well for a big man, deceptively quick, was dominant in international youth tournaments
  • Weaknesses: Currently an inconsistent shooter, needs to become a more consistent rebounder and rim protector, still very raw in most aspects of his game, viewed as a project to stash in the G-League, while athletic and quick, not fantastic side-to-side
  • Stats: 9.1 points (49.5 percent from field, 24.4 percent on 3-pointers. 65.9 percent from FT), 4 rebounds, 0.9 steals, 0.9 blocks per game
  • Average draft projection: 49.5 overall* – essentially locked into the Warriors by most mocks with one (The Ringer, not factored in) not having him drafted at all. Would likely have been projected 39th by some mocks if the pick up to 39 was made early in the day rather at the time of the pick.
  • Average projected value: 62nd overall* no projection from The Ringer
  • Value assessment: Unclear depending on potential and the chatter on him to the Warriors before the draft. Probably didn’t need to trade up to 39 to get him, but the Warriors have seen something in him that they’ve wanted for a while. Ultimately cost the Warriors two second-round picks in 2021 and 2023 plus cash for a long-term bet.
  • Most known for: The Warriors’ strong desire to keep him after playing in the G-League, flashes of potential as an 18-year-old including a 25-point, 12-rebound game against the South Bay Lakers. Below is his highlight reel:

Eric Paschall, 41st overall:

  • Vitals: Age 22.6 (November 4, 1996), Height: 6’7.25″, Wingspan: 6’11.75″, Weight: 254 pounds
  • School/Year: Villanova University, Senior
  • Position: Forward
  • Skills: Similar mold to Draymond Green, hard to stop when he gets moving downhill, sets solid screens, good passer, is a strong defender and works well both one-on-one against bigger players and on switches, decent ball-handler and OK shooter off the dribble
  • Weaknesses: Older pick, fairly low ceiling, needs to improve shooting ability, can get beaten off dribble by smaller players, like Green in that he’s somewhat undersized at the 4, but more of a power forward than a natural small forward
  • Stats: 16.5 points (44.7 percent from the field and 34.8 percent from 3-point range, 74.1 percent from FT), 6.1 rebounds, 2.1 assists, 0.7 steals, 0.5 blocks per game in his senior season.
  • Average draft projection: 27.1 overall – Value higher than pick, was projected by some to go with Warriors’ first-round pick
  • Average projected value: 33.8 overall
  • Value assessment: The Warriors best pick for value by far. Paschall, while one of the oldest prospects of the draft, has an NBA ready body and archetype, and can learn plenty from Draymond Green, with whom he shares plenty of similarities. Late first-round prospect drafted 11 picks into the second round is fantastic value.
  • Most known for: Was a key part of Villanova’s 2018 NCAA National Championship, did a lot of the dirty work, had 6 points (2-for-5, 1-for-3 from 3-pt, 1-for-2 from FT), 8 rebounds, 1 block, didn’t force his shot in a 79-62 victory over Poole’s Michigan.

Undrafted signing, Dedric Lawson

  • Vitals: Age 21.7 (October 1, 1997), Height: 6’9″, Wingspan (reported): 7’3″, Weight: 235 pounds,
  • School/Year: University of Kansas, Junior (did not play his junior season due to transfer rules)
  • Position: Forward
  • Skills: Great rebounder, scorer from post and on drives, solid shooter for size, plus defender for the most part
  • Weaknesses: Below-average athleticism, shooting can be inconsistent coupled with questionable shot choice, as decent shooting percentage from deep was on only 85 attempts on a late-season streak
  • Stats: 19.1 points (49 percent from field, 39.3 percent from 3-point range, 81.5 percent from FT), 10.6 rebounds (led BIG 12 in scoring, rebounding), 1.7 assists, 1.3 steals, 1.1 blocks per game
  • Average draft projection: Projected to go undrafted by most mocks
  • Average projected value: 70.6 overall* not ranked by The Ringer
  • Value assessment: Could be an absolute steal on a two-way contract who could come in and play right away if his college skills translate. He was a fantastic scorer and rebounder with tweener size and decent wingspan, so if his shooting translates, the Warriors could find a cheap, effective player with fantastic a rebounding knack much like Alfonzo McKinnie.
  • Most known for: Led the BIG 12 and Kansas in both scoring and rebounding in his senior season, left the University of Memphis with his brother K.J. after sophomore season after leading team with 19.2 points and 9.9 rebounds per game. Did not play his first full season at Kansas due to NCAA transfer rules. Also ran into trouble with a practice altercation and ensuing suspension, and cursing out Memphis head coach Tubby Smith on Snapchat after leaving Memphis:

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