The Miami Heat didn’t just beat the Golden State Warriors to Giannis Antetokounmpo. They may have also knocked Golden State off its preferred path in the draft.
That was the ripple effect of the blockbuster trade that sent Antetokounmpo from the Milwaukee Bucks to Miami earlier in the offseason. The Warriors had long been linked to the superstar forward, but the deal’s timing ended up mattering just as much as the destination. Miami’s move gave Milwaukee the 13th overall pick, and that changed the board in a way that cost Golden State its top target.
According to ESPN’s Anthony Slater in a report on Thursday, the Warriors were hopeful that Brayden Burries would still be there at No. 11.
Instead, the Bucks’ new draft position allowed them to reshape the top of the order. Milwaukee wanted 19-year-old Nate Ament, and with the 13th pick in hand, the Bucks were able to play it perfectly.
Knowing the Warriors at No. 11 and the Oklahoma City Thunder at No. 12 were unlikely to take a raw prospect like Ament, Milwaukee grabbed Burries at No. 10 and still landed Ament at No. 13.
That left Golden State with Yaxel Lendeborg at No. 11, but Slater reported that Burries was the player the Warriors really had their eye on. He was a favorite of Steve Kerr and had supporters throughout the organization.
And it’s easy to see why the Warriors were so interested. Burries has already flashed big-time scoring touch in Summer League, averaging 21.2 points, 4.0 rebounds, 3.6 assists and 1.6 steals while shooting 48.6% from the field across five games.
Still, the Warriors may not be walking away from the draft empty-handed. Lendeborg was strong enough to win Summer League MVP and help lead the franchise to the championship, giving Golden State at least one reason to feel good about how things played out.
There’s also the matter of fit. With Jimmy Butler and Moses Moody dealing with injuries, Lendeborg fills a more immediate need for the Warriors than Burries would have in the short term.
Whether Burries or Lendeborg ends up the better player is a question for later. For now, though, Golden State can at least say the path to its preferred pick was blocked by the same trade that sent Giannis Antetokounmpo to Miami.
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