Complete 2017 NBA Draft grades for all 30 teams
Golden State Warriors
Jordan Bell (No. 38)
The freaking Golden State Warriors, man.
Let’s start with the history behind their lack of a pick entering the 2017 NBA Draft, shall we? In a 2013 salary dump with the Utah Jazz and Denver Nuggets, the Warriors cleared out Richard Jefferson, Andris Biedrins and Brandon Rush to create enough space for Andre Iguodala.
The move cost them a first-rounder in 2014 (Rodney Hood) and 2017 (Josh Hart at No. 30), plus second-rounders in 2016 (Tyrone Wallace), 2017 (Alpha Kaba at No. 60) and 2018, but considering where the Dubs are now, it’s pretty obvious they’d make that move again in a heartbeat.
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Iguodala has been a crucial part of the most dominant three-year stretch in NBA history. He’s accepted a sixth man role, helped the team win two championships and an NBA-record 73 regular season games, and earned Finals MVP honors in the process.
With the Warriors now looking like perhaps the greatest team of all time and poised to rule the league for the next half-decade, that’s more than worth missing out on Hood, Hart, a draft-and-stash named after a fraternity and a guy who never played a single NBA game.
But rather than sit back and feel content about being the richest of the rich, the Dubs went full reverse-Robin Hood when they snagged Oregon’s Jordan Bell from Chicago at No. 38. It cost them $3.5 million, sure, but that might wind up being one of the biggest steals of the draft.
Warriors paid $3.5 million for the rights to No. 38 pick Jordan Bell
— Marcus Thompson II (@ThompsonScribe) June 23, 2017
Bell may be limited offensively, but he’s a freak athlete whose shot-blocking instincts, rebounding, toughness and defensive versatility will be a scary good addition for a defensive powerhouse like the Warriors.
The Dubs exude a winning culture, and Bell’s untapped potential is heading there. It’s unfair for the rest of the league, since he has the capability of being a small-ball 5 in this league and switching out onto the perimeter.
Oh, and there’s this little tidbit too:
The Golden State Warriors and Oregon's Chris Boucher have agreed to a two-way NBA contract, league sources say.
— Shams Charania (@ShamsCharania) June 23, 2017
Sleep well, children! Just try not to think about the NBA Boogeyman that’s going to be living under the bed for the next 5-10 years.
Grade: A+