3 reasons why Patrick Baldwin Jr is perfect for the Golden State Warriors

3 reasons why Patrick Baldwin Jr is perfect for the Golden State Warriors: 3. Low-risk, high-reward

With persistent ankle injuries having tanked his draft stock, in time, this could be seen as a blessing in disguise. Additionally, given that Golden State is coming fresh off a championship win, the young recruit should have the breathing room of not having to produce immediately at a high level.

This makes for an ideal situation. PBJ gets the space to develop his skills and strength under an excellent coaching staff as well as future Hall of Famers, while Golden State gets a young forward with plenty of raw talent to potentially grow into a reliable addition to an already-promising young core of talent. Because of this, many scouts consider Patrick Baldwin Jr to be the steal of the draft.

For the perfect case study of flipping an injury-prone prospect with raw talent, look no further than Steph Curry. Before Steph became the illustrious superstar we all know, he was a doubted, small guard with back-to-back ankle injuries throughout his rookie years.

Although trading him would have been a logical move at the time, the organization had enough faith that they could strengthen his physical form and develop him to become who he is today. On this note, Klay Thompson just won the ESPY for Best Comeback Athlete after a couple of years in physical therapy from a pair of serious injuries to his ACL and Achilles tendon.

He had this to say when accepting the award:

"“… I would not be here without the Warriors organization. I mean, who pays a guy after tearing his ACL? That’s unheard of,” Thompson said."

Patrick Baldwin Jr may not have fully proven himself yet, but if history tells us anything, it’s that when Golden State has faith in a player, they will often patiently invest time and effort into realizing their potential.