The Golden State Warriors, a franchise steeped in recent championship glory, find themselves in a unique and challenging position heading into the 2025 NBA Draft. Unlike the years when they held lottery picks that yielded talents like Stephen Curry or Draymond Green, or even when they picked high enough to select James Wiseman or Jonathan Kuminga more recently, their approach to the 2025 draft is heavily influenced by their “win-now” imperative and the significant moves already made or rumored to be on the horizon. This mock draft focuses specifically on how the Warriors might navigate their limited draft capital to best support their aging but still potent core.
As it stands, the Golden State Warriors do not possess a first-round pick in the 2025 NBA Draft. This pick was conveyed to the Miami Heat as part of the widely reported (though not officially confirmed by all parties) trade that brought Jimmy Butler to the Bay Area in February 2025. This means the Warriors’ draft fortunes are tied almost entirely to their lone second-round selection, which is currently projected to be the No. 41 overall pick, acquired via the Miami Heat (originally from Brooklyn and Indiana). This pick’s exact placement could still shift based on final league standings.
The Warriors’ draft strategy will be dictated by several key factors:
- Age of Core Players: Stephen Curry (37 years old entering the 2025-26 season), Klay Thompson (if re-signed, likely similar age), Draymond Green (35 years old), and newly acquired Jimmy Butler (36 years old) are all in the twilight of their careers. The window for another championship is shrinking, meaning any draft pick must either contribute immediately or possess a high upside that can be developed rapidly.
- Cap Space and Luxury Tax: The Warriors are deep into the luxury tax and are projected to be well into the punitive second apron under the new CBA. This drastically limits their flexibility in free agency and trades, making affordable, impactful rookie contracts more valuable than ever. They need young talent that can contribute on cheap deals.
- Team Needs:
- Center: Despite having Trayce Jackson-Davis and Quinten Post, the Warriors still lack a consistent, long-term starting center who can provide rim protection, rebounding, and some offensive versatility. Draymond Green, while exceptional, cannot be the full-time solution at center for an entire season and deep playoff run. This has been a perennial need.
- Shooting and Spacing: Even with Curry, the Warriors often need more consistent three-point shooting, especially from their frontcourt and bench units, to truly optimize Curry’s gravity and open up driving lanes.
- Backup Point Guard: While Curry commands the offense, a reliable backup point guard who can manage the game, handle the ball, and initiate offense when Curry is off the floor or resting is a valuable asset.
- 3-and-D Wings: These are always in demand in the modern NBA, and the Warriors’ system thrives with versatile defenders who can also knock down open shots.
- Depth: With an aging core, injuries are an increasing concern. Building reliable, plug-and-play depth is crucial.
Given these considerations, here’s a look at how the Golden State Warriors might approach the 2025 NBA Draft with their No. 41 overall pick, along with a few potential targets identified in recent mock drafts:
Team Needs Addressed: Center, Shooting, Depth, Backup PG
The Warriors’ primary goal with this pick will likely be to find a player who offers a high-upside swing or a project with a clear pathway to filling a specific role. Given the depth of talent typically available in the early second round, they could unearth a hidden gem.
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Rocco Zikarsky (C – Australia, NBL)
- Height/Weight: 7’3″ / 255 lbs
- Age: 18
- Why he fits: Zikarsky is a fascinating prospect often linked to the Warriors at this spot. At 7’3″, he offers elite size and length, which is a desperate need for Golden State. He’s reportedly an efficient paint scorer and shot blocker, two areas where the Warriors need significant help. The “Andrew Bogut 2.0” comparisons are easy to make given his Australian background and size.
- Concerns: He is undeniably raw and very young (18), meaning he would likely be a multi-year project. His uneventful 2024-25 season in the NBL, coupled with some injury concerns, has caused his stock to fluctuate. The Warriors might not have the luxury of waiting years for a prospect to develop with their current veteran timeline. However, his immense upside as a true big man is enticing.
- Projection: A long-term center solution who could eventually anchor their defense and provide interior presence. A high-risk, high-reward pick.
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Koby Brea (SG/SF – Kentucky)
- Height/Weight: 6’6″ / 205 lbs
- Age: 21
- Why he fits: Brea is a premier three-point shooter, precisely the type of specialist the Warriors value. He shot over 43% from three in his final college season at Kentucky (and nearly 50% at Dayton the year before), on good volume. At 6’6″, he has decent size for a wing and could potentially develop into a 3-and-D role player. His immediate impact could be as a floor spacer off the bench.
- Concerns: While his shooting is elite, questions remain about his defensive versatility, athleticism, and ability to create his own shot against NBA-level defenders. The Warriors would need him to be a capable team defender.
- Projection: A “plug-and-play” shooter who could provide immediate spacing and offensive punch off the bench, fitting the “Splash Brother” mold for the second unit.
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John Tonje (SG/SF – Wisconsin)
- Height/Weight: 6’5″ / 200 lbs
- Age: 22
- Why he fits: Another potential 3-and-D prospect. Tonje is known for his defensive effort and a developing three-point shot. He’s an older prospect, which means he might be more ready to contribute in an NBA rotation immediately, aligning with the Warriors’ win-now mentality. He offers good athleticism and versatility on the wing.
- Concerns: His offensive game beyond spot-up shooting might be limited, and consistency will be key.
- Projection: A reliable, versatile wing who can defend multiple positions and contribute as a complementary scorer.
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Javon Small (PG – West Virginia)
- Height/Weight: 6’2″ / 180 lbs
- Age: 21
- Why he fits: Small is a strong, experienced point guard who can score and facilitate. He averaged 18.6 points and 5.6 assists in his final season, showing he can be a primary ball-handler. The Warriors’ need for a reliable backup point guard behind Stephen Curry is evident, and Small could potentially fill that void immediately.
- Concerns: His size might be a defensive liability against bigger NBA guards, and his three-point shooting needs to become more consistent.
- Projection: A potential backup point guard who can run the second unit offense and alleviate ball-handling duties from Curry.
While the Warriors only currently hold the No. 41 pick, there are ongoing discussions in the league about their potential draft strategy, including trades.
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Trading for a Lottery Pick (e.g., Chicago Bulls No. 12 pick): Some mock drafts have explored audacious trade scenarios for the Warriors to acquire a first-round pick. One prominent rumor suggests a deal with the Chicago Bulls, sending Jonathan Kuminga (via sign-and-trade) and Gary Payton II to Chicago for Nikola Vucevic, Jevon Carter, and the Bulls’ No. 12 overall pick in the 2025 Draft.
- Why it works for GSW: This would give the Warriors a much-needed established center in Vucevic (albeit an aging one), veteran point guard depth in Carter, and a lottery pick to select a high-upside forward or big man like Collin Murray-Boyles (South Carolina) or Derik Queen (Maryland), who are skilled bigs with potential to be long-term solutions. It addresses their center need and adds a valuable young prospect without totally sacrificing future control (as they’d still have their own 2026+ first-rounders).
- Why it’s complex: Kuminga’s sign-and-trade salary implications under BYC rules would make the financials difficult. Sacrificing Kuminga’s potential, even for a lottery pick, is a significant decision.
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Trading out of No. 41: The Warriors could also choose to trade down or trade out of the 41st pick entirely, either for future draft capital or a veteran player, if they don’t see a prospect who fits their immediate needs or long-term vision at that spot.
The Golden State Warriors are in a unique position where their draft decisions are less about rebuilding and more about finely tuning a championship contender in its twilight. The loss of their first-round pick to the Jimmy Butler trade puts immense pressure on their No. 41 selection. They need to unearth a player who can either contribute immediately in a specific role (like a shooter or backup point guard) or a raw talent with such overwhelming long-term potential (like a Rocco Zikarsky) that he’s worth the developmental investment, even with the shrinking championship window.
The alternative, and perhaps more impactful, route for the Warriors in this draft cycle might be through a trade to acquire a higher pick, as speculated with the Bulls. This would allow them to inject a more significant young talent into their roster while still leveraging their existing assets. Regardless of the path they choose, every decision in the 2025 NBA Draft will be viewed through the lens of maximizing Stephen Curry’s remaining years and pursuing another NBA championship.
