The Warriors went with experience over upside, and for a team on Steph Curry's timeline, that might be exactly the right call.
The Golden State Warriors went into the 2026 NBA Draft needing players who could help right now.
After going 37-45 and getting knocked out of the play-in tournament by Phoenix, there was no room for long-term projects.
Stephen Curry is 38, Draymond Green is 36, and Jimmy Butler will be 37 when he comes back from the torn ACL that ended his season in January.
The window is closing fast, and the front office knew it, so when the draft came around the Warriors walked away with two wings who look like they can step in and contribute right away.
Lendeborg Is a Home Run at No. 11
Michigan forward Yaxel Lendeborg was one of the most pro-ready players available in the class, and the fact that he fell to Golden State at 11 feels like a gift for a roster that badly needed size on the wing.
At 6-foot-9 and 240 pounds with a 7-foot-3-plus wingspan, he fills the hole left by Jonathan Kuminga's midseason trade to Atlanta.
Lendeborg averaged 15.1 points, 6.8 rebounds and 3.2 assists while shooting 51.5 percent from the floor and 37.2 percent from three at Michigan, leading the Wolverines to a national championship and earning Big Ten Player of the Year along with consensus All-American honors.
His age will come up since he turns 24 in September, but GM Mike Dunleavy has already pushed back on that, and it is hard to argue with the reasoning.
A team operating on Curry's timeline cannot afford to wait around.
Lendeborg can defend multiple positions, rebound, move the ball and knock down open shots without needing the ball in his hands.
His five seasons of college experience have given him the feel and maturity that most rookies just do not have, and that is what makes this an easy A.
Grade: A
Jones Is a Smart Swing at No. 54
With the 54th pick, the Warriors grabbed Florida State wing Lajae Jones, a 6-foot-7, 220-pound guard who averaged 12.7 points and 5.7 rebounds while starting 31 games for the Seminoles.
Jones is not as polished as Lendeborg, but his physical tools and defensive instincts give him a real shot at earning minutes.
He can guard multiple positions, plays hard on both ends and showed flashes of scoring punch, including a 36-point eruption against Georgia Southern where he tied a school record with 10 made three-pointers.
The question mark is his 32.5 percent three-point shooting, which will need to come up if he wants to space the floor in Steve Kerr's offense.
But at pick 54, you are not looking for a finished product.
You are swinging on a player with tools and energy who might surprise you, and Jones fits that.
He is only 22 and still has time to grow into his shot, which is exactly the kind of upside you want at this point in the draft.
The Warriors needed versatile wings, and Jones adds another one to the mix.
Grade: B
