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The Warriors are set to be one of the most expensive teams in NBA history next year. Landing a cheap first-round talent is crucial for Golden State.
No one in Golden State is complaining about the team’s high-priced payroll in the wake of winning this year’s NBA title. That doesn’t mean the Warriors couldn’t stand to add a relatively cheap contributor in the first round of this year’s draft.
It’s certainly possible that Golden State elects to deal the pick in an effort to curb their luxury tax bill slightly. That doesn’t seem like a typical Warriors move though. This front office likes to be aggressive in an effort to keep this group’s championship window open for as long as possible.
If Golden State does stay put at No. 28 there are two major directions they could go. They could look to add a quality center to give them what James Wiseman was supposed to or they could roll the dice on another talented wing. The organization would love for the first guy on this list to fall into their laps.
Who could the Golden State Warriors use with their first-round pick in the 2022 NBA Draft?
5. Dalen Terry
Terry was largely a non-shooter during his collegiate career at Arizona but his defensive ability gives him a shot to make an early impact as an energy guy off the bench. The Warriors wouldn’t need him to play right away but he’d give Steve Kerr and his coaching staff even more versatility to utilize during the regular season.
The hope is that Terry can find a reliable jump shot that can transform into a high-end 3-and-D guy at the next level. He’s a lot more projection than production on the offensive end but he’s worth the gamble towards the end of Round 1.