NBC Sports Bay Area’s Monte Poole chatted with ESPN’s Jay Bilas about which players could potentially fall to the Warriors with the seventh overall pick in the NBA draft.
Draymond Green has been dubbed the heart and soul of the Warriors. He's the key to their defense. He gets as much, if not more, gratification helping out his teammates and doing the stuff that doesn't appear on the stat sheet as he does scoring. He is a game-changer for Golden State.
The Warriors could have an opportunity to add a young player with a lot of the same tendencies in the 2021 NBA Draft in Scottie Barnes.
Barnes has appeared on mock drafts getting taken anywhere between the sixth and eleventh, and has even been slated to be a top-four draft choice by some experts.
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So, the Warriors could fall into some luck if he is still available when the seventh pick comes around.
Like Green, Barnes is credited with defensive versatility and having the willingness to do the little things. For the Warriors, adding another player like off the bench would help bridge the non-Draymond minutes.
Barnes' 6-foot-9 frame and 7-foot-2 wingspan make him a valuable wing defender. He has the size and the strength to defend forwards, but he's able to move his feet quick enough to defend the perimeter against guards. Sounds familiar.
On offense, Barnes isn't going to be a big scoring contributor -- averaging 10.3 points on 50 percent field goal shooting, 27.5 percent from three, in his one year at FSU. His biggest offensive skill is his passing ability, averaging 4.1 assists per game. Like Green, Barnes can be considered a point forward.
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The Warriors have said over and over again how they are not going to depend on Green to score. But, it's also been proven that they are better when he does. And, it's not likely they will sing the same tune for a 19-year-old rookie. They will need Barnes to contribute in multiple ways off the bat. That could be the drawback on selecting him.
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Barnes' jump shot is the weakest area of his game. And for a Warriors team that struggled to get consistent long-distance shooting from anyone not named Steph Curry, they could be looking to add someone who will be sure to help this area as well as floor spacing.
But, if Barnes is still available when the Warriors' seventh pick comes around, they'd have to consider the possibility.
Scottie Barnes profile
Position: Small forward, power forward
Class: Freshman
Birthdate: July 31, 2001
Hometown: West Palm Beach, Florida
2020-21 season averages: 10.3 points (50.3 percent FG, 27.5 percent 3-point, 62.1 percent FT), 4.0 rebounds, 4.1 assists, 0.5 blocks
Height: 6-foot-9
Weight: 225
Wingspan: 7-2
What they're saying: "He handles the ball well and can run the point as well as post up down low against bigger defenders ... His versatility on offense is consistent with his versatility on the other end. Barnes has the lateral quickness and strength to guard every position on the court and is able to take the ball away with over two steals per 40 minutes ... He is a modern era point forward who sees the floor well and elevates above traditional big men with his size, length, and explosiveness." -- nbadraft.net