2023 Mock Draft 2.0: Spurs roll the dice, Hornets win Wembanyama sweepstakes

After a few seasons of taking some big swings on high-upside prospects in the draft before returning to championship contention this past season, the Golden State Warriors have found themselves in a place where those swings haven’t really paid off in a meaningful way and their depth is suffering a bit as a result. While Steph Curry is just as capable of erupting for some legendary playoff performances as he’s ever been, there’s no telling how long the rest of the roster is going to be sticking around.

If you’re asking me, assuming the Warriors’ goal is to extend their championship window for as long as possible, they need to prioritize finding players that are willing to contribute in a complementary role but that have also proven themselves capable of succeeding in high-stakes games. UConn’s Jordan Hawkins represents that kind of a player to a T, and even if it means having to find a trade to offload some of the team’s other young role players that haven’t quite panned out, he should be the pick.

Hawkins is one of the most reliable movement shooters in the class and could tremendously benefit from studying under and playing off of Steph Curry. But at roughly 6’5”, Hawkins could conceivably also defend both guard positions on-ball and make occasional defensive plays away from the ball as well.