Behind their core of Stephen Curry, Draymond Green, and Jimmy Butler, the Golden State Warriors have a few players who fly under the radar despite exceeding expectations.
The Golden State Warriors gave up their first-round pick in the 2025 NBA Draft, sending it to the Miami Heat in the trade that landed them Jimmy Butler. The Warriors, as a result, will pick 41st, barring a trade up or down.
Teams are aware that they can find elite talent in the second round, with Nikola Jokic and Manu Ginobili standing out, but for every Jokic and Ginobili, there are hundreds of players who have short, forgettable careers.
The Warriors have found success with second-round picks, notably with Draymond Green, who was picked 35th overall in 2012 and turned into a Hall-of-Fame defender. In recent seasons, the Warriors have found contributors in the second round and hope to repeat this year.
While the Warriors did not select Trayce Jackson-Davis, the former Washington Wizards’ 57th overall pick has only ever played for Golden State. Quinten Post, on the other hand, was picked 52nd overall by the Warriors last summer.
Both are solid frontcourt players who have demonstrated value on both ends of the floor, and played a role on the Warriors’ playoff team this season. When explaining his draft strategy, general manager Mike Dunleavy Jr. offered some praise to the youngsters.
“We’ve been fortunate the last couple of years between QP and Trayce, guys that have been able to come in and play right away a little bit,” said general manager Mike Dunleavy Jr.
“You’d be lucky to draft a guy in the second round that can make it at all. So I think we have to be realistic about what it is. But sure, I mean, we’re going to analyze this thing, look at it, and try and find the best player we can find that will be able to contribute to this franchise.”
With Green, Butler, and Stephen Curry, the Warriors are likely looking to add win-now talent, although their track record suggests that they could find a diamond in the rough.
Hundreds of articles have been written about the players selected before Stephen Curry, and Green, Klay Thompson, Brandin Podziemski, Jordan Poole, and Kevon Looney were all overlooked prospects.
Of course, the Warriors drafted James Wiseman second overall in 2020, and he ended up being one of the biggest busts of all time, although for the most part, the Warriors have found talent where they weren’t expected to.
| Player | Year/Pick | Total Points | Total Assists | Total Rebounds | Win Shares per 48 Minutes | VORP |
| Quinten Post | 2024/52nd | 340 (23rd) | 56 (33rd) | 148 (23rd) | .116 (8th) | 0.4 (4th) |
| Trayce Jackson-Davis | 2023/57th | 947 (19th) | 186 (16th) | 652 (6th) | .187 (3rd) | 2.1 (4th) |
| Draymond Green | 2013/35th | 7,665 (9th) | 4,948 (2nd) | 6,087 (3rd) | .123 (6th) | 27.6 (3rd) |
Dunleavy is aware that finding a good player with the 41st pick isn’t likely, but he knows it’s possible. In our full mock draft, the Dubs select Chaz Lanier from Tennessee, who is a five-year NCAA player ready to contribute right away.
Of course, the 2025 class is one of the deeper drafts in recent memory, so the Warriors have reason to be optimistic.
