The Golden State Warriors, by trading for and then extending Jimmy Butler, have slammed their foot onto the gas and are eyeing immediate success in favor of a long-term outlook. They do not own their own first-round draft pick this year and only own the Miami Heat's second-rounder this year.
With a win-now core in place, fans can't realistically expect the Warriors to land a high-value player, especially in the second round, but they can hope, and if their pick pans out in *The Athletic's*most recent mock draft, the future might be fine in Golden State.
In the mock draft, the Dubs pick Walter Clayton Jr. from the Univerity of Florida with the 41st overall pick. Clayton helped lead the Gators to the SEC championship and is a big reason why they are a first seed in the NCAA Tournament.
In his fourth college season, the combo guard averaged 17.5 points, 4.3 assists, and 3.8 rebounds. He is a solid shooter and can pour in points from all over the court. Despite not being a primary point guard, he can run the offense, and a physical backcourt of him and Brandin Podziemski long-term could be very dangerous.
Podziemski is a better defender and it will likely stay that way, but both can get the hot hand on offense and go to work with or without the ball in their hands.
As long as Stephen Curry is playing, the Warriors have virtually no incentive to give the reigns to a young and unproven player, even for just a few minutes at a time. Clayton Jr. has been in the NCAA for four years and is a pretty complete prospect, so his necessary development will be minimal.
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That said, he is not the perfect young guard. His defense and ability to get to the rim are questionable, and there is a reason he will be available in the second round.
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This story was originally published March 19, 2025 at 3:18 PM.