Warriors GM Mike Dunleavy Jr explains getting Quinten Post and Lindy Wells III and all the moves on draft day
It was a complicated day
Here is MDJ’s draft day press conference. It’s all pretty interesting and covers some details like what they like about the new guys, about leaving Quinten Post’s contract status open (two way or minimum) and who’s playing Summer League, a hopefully minor Post injury, and free agency with Chris Paul and Klay Thompson. Plus plenty of other topics.
First, some self-congratulations
This interview also resolved one enduring mystery to me, which was that I was convinced that Quinten Post was the perfect Warriors draft prospect due to statistics, draft projection, and team needs. EXCEPT… he never had a publicly announced draft workout, so I wondered if GSW had identified a problem with his profile.
It’s pretty obvious that GSW needs a stretch 5 (since Draymond and Kuminga both don’t get guarded at the 3 point line). The standout was Quinten Post, who was also popping with BPM, a simple statistical measure. BPM thought he was the #31 most productive college player in the country out of 5,000+ players.
Because he wasn’t mocked to be drafted, I marked him as a GSW priority undrafted free agent in a public mock draft at the end of May — except for the fact that he hadn’t worked out, so I elevated Branden Carlson (the other notable stretch 5 in the class) who did have a GSW workout. And regardless of the lack of workout, I left him in the 2024 DNHQ Draft Tourney and then again called on GSW to make him a priority.
And… lo and behold, he was drafted. And then… Dunleavy confirms that he actually did have an unannounced draft workout and interview. I feel very proud of identifying Post even without the visible evidence. Kind of like inferring the existence of Pluto from basic principles.
After a streak of three years where I was absolutely the opposite of GSW’s drafters and GSW drafted my last choice, it is now two years in a row where GSW drafted the exact guy(s) that I predicted them to target. I feel that under MDJ there has been a marked turn toward the analytics-friendly approach, for better or worse.
The interview
As a present to paid subscribers, I have transcribed the interview in another post. But let’s have all commentary over here.
I wonder if getting the Mavs involved as a 3rd team in a deal for PG (if re signing Klay is dead and he wants to go to DAL) would be possible? Becomes a question of what DAL and LAC get back and why would DAL entertain it? Guessing both teams would get players and/or draft picks from us, but maybe DAL wants to unload some salary to LAC?
Just spit ballin.
Now discuss! (Or shoot me down and tell me I’m crazy)
A couple of those "anonymous NBA insider" accounts are saying George to the Warriors is a done deal and they are just looking for a third team to facilitate it, but when all you need to do is delete your account if you are wrong rather than suffer a reputational hit it's pretty hard to take you seriously. Especially after the 2019 offseason where those types of accounts swore that Kawhi was going to the Lakers, shout out "Arye Abraham" and "RDAmbition".
It's clear that some sort of trade is going to happen involving Wiggins after the Olympics thing though. I hope Moody and TJD can make it through the reckoning.