Meet all the new Warriors: Quinten Post, Lindy Waters III, and Reece Beekman
getting there was complicated but this is an excellent haul in the end
The Warriors started the day with the #52 pick. Somehow, they ended up with one of the G-League’s best three-point shooters, Lindy Waters III, and also the best stretch center in the second round, Quinten Post. Reece Beekman, defensive stopper and efficient point guard, came on board on a two-way.
I am really happy with the GSW haul from a basketball perspective, but also from a DNHQ Draft Tourney perspective. GSW ended up with two players from the Tourney (plus LW3 who wasn't eligible). I feel like I have a good sense of what GSW brass want and also that they have turned harder into analytics than in the Bob Myers era. Post and Beekman are two of the best analytics players in the draft, just as TJD and Podz were two of the best in last year's draft.
All optimism should be tempered, and these players are all long shots to contribute, but for starting off with the #52 pick, this is great. These are exactly the risks that GSW should be making.
Here are scouting reports on all the new guys.
Quinten Post
Quinten Post is the most accomplished Stretch 5 in the draft. The offense at Boston College often ran through Post at the high or low post with numerous off-ball cutters, so I think Post would fit in quickly in the Kerrball system. He also is a legit 7-0 in socks who was #2 in blocks in the ACC so there is rim protection there. Did I mention he shot a stunning 43.1% and 42.6% 3P in his last two years? That’s over 170 3PA. His career FT% is 80.1%, so that shooting looks real.
He was my vote for the DNHQ Tourney Group G, and more so, I made a point of sticking him into Group G even though GSW did not work him out, largely because of how much of an obvious fit he is for GSW.
Forward, 7-0, 240lb
(a real 7-0 in socks at the NBA Combine)
BPM #31
PRPG #44
O'Conner-Ringer 6-4 #49
Why does BPM love him?
High Offensive Rating, efficient shooting (EFG, TS%), on average Usage.
Excellent defensive rebounding rate, high Block rate.
82.1% FT, 43.1% 3P shooting. (FYI career 79% FT, 38.8% 3P)
Why isn’t he in the first round?
He’s a five-year player.
Large and doesn’t have burst athleticism; can he defend in the NBA?
Apricot’s Highly Questionable Statistical Comps
This is from an experimental program finding closest statistical comparisons to other NCAA players since 2010.
Frank Kaminsky 2014
Santi Aldama 2021
Frank Kaminsky 2015
Kelly Olynyk 2013
Greg Monroe 2010
Mike Muscala 2012
In Post’s defense, Kaminsky was a really good college player.
Kevin O’Connor, The Ringer
SHADES OF
Troy Murphy
Float Game
Spacer
Catch-and-shoot Threat
PLUSES
Knockdown shooter from the center position: He made 42.9 percent of his 3s over his final two collegiate seasons. He also made 83.2 percent of his free throws.
Incredibly coordinated big man who displays excellent touch on floaters and hook shots, making him a prime candidate to thrive out of the short roll. He can also attack closeouts off the dribble to drive into sweeping runners and layups.
Capable of running dribble handoffs as a perimeter facilitator. He’s not a flashy passer, but he can make the simple play. Combine his shooting, straight-line driving, and passing skills, and you have an intriguing fit in a ton of systems.
Reliable interior defender who alters and blocks shots without fouling. Boston College was 21.6 points per 100 possessions worse on defense when Post was off the floor, per CBB Analytics.
MINUSES
His handle tends to get a little too loose on post-ups. Despite his last name, he’s better when he’s facing up rather than playing with his back to the basket.
Can he expand on his standstill shooting ability? He can spot up and pick-and-pop, but adding some movement shooting would bring a unique dimension to his game as a 7-footer.
NBA.com / Rotowire
Overview
Post was born in Amsterdam, Netherlands and won the 2017-18 Dutch National U18 Championship as the team’s starting center. In 2018-19, he played for the Alba Berlin Youth Club in Germany. Following that campaign, he moved to the United States, playing his freshman and sophomore years at Mississippi State. As a sophomore, he was a regular rotation player, but saw just 8.7 minutes per game. He transferred to Boston College in 2021-22 for his junior year and made some waves, earning an ACC All-Tournament Second Team nod. As a senior, Post started 14 of 19 appearances and was named the ACC Most Improved Player after posting 15.1 points, 5.6 rebounds and 1.5 assists in 25.9 minutes with 35 starts. He was once again named to the ACC All-Tournament Second Team, but also added ACC All-Second Team and ACC All-Defensive Team honors. He averaged 17.0 points, 8.1 rebounds, 2.9 assists and 1.7 blocks in 31.9 minutes.
Analysis
Post is a traditionally sized center with three-and-D upside. Over his past two seasons at BC, he went 73-for-170 (43%) from distance. That translated to the free-throw line, where he shot 144-for-173 (83%). On the block, he uses his size and strength to make basic hook shots and drop steps. However, his limited athleticism doesn’t make him a top-shelf lob threat. It also doesn’t help on defense, where he struggles outside of the paint. Post, for his size, is also simply an adequate rebounder.
Projection
Because of his limited mobility but three-and-D upside, Post has shades of current Brook Lopez or Al Horford to his game. Post also improved his passing as a fifth-year senior, giving him some potential as the occasional offensive hub, especially on handoff actions at the top of the three-point line. A potential second-round pick, Post will probably need reps in the NBA G League before he turns into a reliable backup big.
Alan Lu, NBAScoutingLive.com
Height: 7-0
Weight: 245
College: Boston College
Classification: Fifth-Year Senior
Birthdate: 3/21/2000
2024 Top 100 Prospect Rank: 67
Projected Draft Range: 2nd Round to Undrafted
Pros:
Solid shooter for a big man, has stretch big potential
Adequate low post scorer
Adequate scorer off the dribble
Excels at scoring on off-ball motion plays
Decent playmaker for his size
Cons:
Can struggle to score in traffic
Needs to improve his rebounding
Struggles to guard quicker players
Only an average athlete at best
Old for a draft prospect, may have limited upside
Summary:
Hailing from the Netherlands, Quinten Post is a skilled big man that is having a good season at Boston College this season. He can knock down jumpers, will move off the ball to score around the basket, and he is a good passing big man. On the other hand, his lack of mobility and struggles to defend quicker players could make it difficult for him to adjust at higher levels. Still, his skill set and feel for the game could allow him to be a reliable backup big man at the NBA level.
Lindy Waters III
In brief, Waters looks like a 3-and-D type big guard / wing. Plays off-ball, shoots well from 3 and not afraid to shoot. Defense statistically is not great. Seems like a great guy off the court, dedicated to many Native American causes.
LW3 is a three-year pro bouncing between OKC and the G-League, with a lot of track record of shooting success in one of the most athletic leagues in the world (think about how Justinian Jessup had great college stats and then got overwhelmed by Summer League...). He is certainly a better bet for this year than any of the players in our Tourney. He also looks like a good guy and easy to pull for.
OKC let him go because they were having a roster crunch and Waters is blocked on the depth chart by Isaiah Joe. Slater says the team will keep him by exercising the #2.2M team option on Saturday.
The trade news
From The Oklahoman:
The OKC Thunder is reportedly trading Lindy Waters III to Golden State on Thursday in exchange for the No. 52 overall pick in the 2024 NBA Draft.
The Athletic's Shams Charania first reported the deal. Waters is a former Norman North and OSU standout who spent the past three seasons with OKC.
The 6-foot-6 forward averaged 3.6 points and 1.1 rebounds in 7.4 minutes this past season while shooting a career-high 43.5% from deep. Waters also helped the OKC Blue, the Thunder's G League affiliate, win its first championship.
It's a notable accomplishment for Waters, who briefly played for the The Basketball League's Enid Outlaws after he graduated from OSU and worked his way into the NBA.
Waters has a team option of $2.2 million for next season with a deadline set for Saturday. The Athletic's Anthony Slater reported that Golden State plans to keep Waters past the guarantee date, and it likes him "as a deep rotation option."
This is the second trade OKC has made during the NBA Draft, which will hold its second round at 3 p.m. Thursday. After selecting Serbia's Nikola Topic with the No. 12 overall pick on Wednesday, OKC sent five future second-round picks to New York to select Weber State's Dillon Jones with the No. 26 pick.
The micro scouting report
Lindy Waters III (born July 28, 1997) is a Kiowa American professional basketballplayer for the Golden State Warriors of the National Basketball Association (NBA). He was named a finalist for the NBA 2023-24 Social Justice Champion Award for the work his foundation does to support Native American youth through sports, health and wellness.
Waters is an enrolled member of the Kiowa tribe, he is also of Cherokee descent.
Basketball Reference (NBA)
Lindy Waters III ▪ Twitter: LindyWatersIII
Position: Shooting Guard ▪ Shoots: Right
6-6, 215lb (198cm, 97kg)
College: Oklahoma State
NBA Debut: February 11, 2022
Experience: 3 years
In 1276 career pro minutes, shot 37.7% 3P, 58.7% TS on a whopping 11.1 3PA per 36 min.
Has absolutely torched the G-League with lights out shooting over a big sample size (43.0% 3P, 93.8% FT career)
On very small sample size, last year shot 65.2% TS (93rd percentile) and 43.5% 3P (97th percentile).
EPM rated him +0.2 on offense (74th percentile) and -1.7 on defense (14th percentile)
More fun with small sample sizes, from BBall-Index.com:
The highlights
Reese Beekman
I rather dismissively called him too small in the DNHQ Draft Tourney Group C. But he’s definitely worth a shot to see if he can play bigger than his size. At least in college, his wingspan allowed him to be a plus defender (ACC Defensive Player of the Year). The dream would be that he develops into a point of attack defender like GP2 but healthy and someone who can really run an offense well.
Guard, 6-3, 174lb
BPM #21
PRPG #157
The Ringer 5-9 #67
TheAthletic 4-19 #85
Why does BPM love him?
He has a stupendous 44.7% Assist Rate (% of teammate scores he assists on), #1 in the whole NCAA.
He also has a high Steal Rate (4.1% of opponent possessions stolen by Beekman), #28 in the nation.
Average Offensive Rating on high usage. His turnovers are low and he doesn’t foul much.
Why isn’t he in the first round?
He’s a four year senior.
His shooting is not good.
Apricot’s Highly Questionable Statistical Comps
This is from an experimental program finding closest statistical comparisons to other NCAA players since 2010.
Tyler Ennis 2014
Kris Dunn 2015
Norris Cole 2011
Tre Jones 2020
Highlights
Kevin O’Connor, The Ringer
SHADES OF
Jose Alvarado
Floor General
On-Ball Defense
Off-Ball Defense
Hustle
PLUSES
Excellent defender who won ACC Defensive Player of the Year for the second straight year as a senior despite an increased offensive workload. He mirrors opponents’ movements on-ball as if he knows the play they’re running. With his long wingspan, he’s able to bother the ball handler even if they have a slight edge.
He makes smart rotations, stays active, and shows great fundamentals chasing players through screens as an off-ball defender. And in the passing lanes, he’s a total menace. He is the type of rookie even a veteran head coach will trust early on.
Patient ball handler in the pick-and-roll. He knows how to navigate screens and use angles to slither his way into the paint. Though he isn’t the speediest player, he knows how to alternate pace to generate space.
Minimizes mistakes as a ball handler. He can help in running the offense in a pinch, even if he’s not a primary option.
Solid finisher in the paint who started draining floaters as a senior.
MINUSES
Ineffective shooter with a hitch and a low release, as he holds the ball far in front of his face. If his dribble jumper doesn’t improve, defenders will go under screens, capping his ceiling as a playmaker.
Ersin Demir
Low-usage leading guards who consistently show they can carry a team on the defensive end are feasible investments to make. Beekman averaged under 20% usage in his three seasons at Virginia and has been the main player on Virginia’s gritty defensive-minded team.
With 27.6% usage as a senior, it’s his team to run now, and the production will be a crucial factor for how high he can go on draft night. The intangibles are his unique selling point. The combination of feel for the game, awareness, and defensive activity make him the plug-and-play point guard who’ll have NBA decision-makers interested in him.
Physical Profile
At 6’2”, Beekman filled out his frame measuring 194 pounds, twenty more than when he started his college career. With a 6’7” wingspan his length is good enough to comfortably guard the one and two positions at the next level.
Beekman is a solid athlete who knows how to use his body to gain advantages. While he isn’t explosive, his ability to accelerate and decelerate makes him a scoring threat on top of his playmaking duties.
Defense
The first thing that stood out in Beekman’s profile is that he’s consistently making his rotations. That’s an area that’ll serve him well early on in his career in terms of earning NBA minutes.
…
As an NBA point guard, Beekman must be able to guard the point of attack. In terms of the scalability of his defensive presence that’s an important measurement to determine which types of minutes he’ll be able to handle.
Beekman shows that he slides his feet very well. An improvement in the last two seasons is his keeping the same aggressiveness without fouling. At 1.3 personal fouls in almost 32 minutes per game, that’s a good sign of him being able to guard at the NBA level while maintaining his team’s pace.
…
At the NBA level, the P&R ball handler is the most common play type, making it important for him to be able to physically neutralize the danger near the rim. While turning 23 just before the start of the regular season, Beekman already added twenty pounds in his college career. NBA decision-makers have to add that to his developmental plan.
Offense
…
With 6.0 assists per game, Beekman is currently leading the ACC. Just like he’s creating driving lanes with his plays out of the pick-and-roll, Beekman does the same when he’s creating for others.
His early role is important when testing the feasibility of his NBA game. Therefore, making plays as the secondary creator was the focus of evaluating his pick-and-roll playmaking. The first two plays below show he’s solid in finding his teammates while utilizing a ball screen or doing it off the dribble.
Coach Bennett’s style of play at Virginia focuses on utilizing tight lanes with motion and in his four years there Beekman has mastered this type of play. The only concern an NBA decision-maker could have is that he’s too half-court-focused and hasn’t shown that he can do the same things at a higher pace. That’s something he’ll have to show during summer workouts.
NBA Draft Projection
Beekman is one of the top point guards in college basketball due to him being a consistent factor for Virginia in each of his four seasons there. With the first three ones being on less than 20% usage, he had to show that he could carry the load for the Cavaliers to add more value to his profile.
He succeeds in proving that he can maintain the same level of play while having to be his team’s leader, which increases his draft value. An NBA decision-maker will value his ability to make plays with and without the ball in his hands. The lack of pace is a concern in terms of fully translating his game to the NBA level.
However, a defender of his caliber shouldn’t cause any long-term issues to deal with for an NBA team. Especially considering that he mastered using his physical tools to gain advantages, with the ability to accelerate and decelerate combined with his footwork being the most crucial one.
The ACC’s leader in assists is doing so coming off screens and with the ball in his hands. He’s able to consistently knock down jumpers and has a clear path to play early NBA minutes. He’ll be 23 years old near the start of next season and therefore he has to be able to contribute on day one.
The focus on long-term value is less important in his profile, and considering how deep this class is in terms of depth, that’s an area not working in his favor. With the above-mentioned arguments in mind, I project that Beekman will be an early second-round pick in the 2024 NBA Draft.
Apricot Live Reaction Comments
For anyone feeling weird about the [LW3] trade -- and speaking as the guy who put hours into the Draft Tourney -- I submit to you this: On Feb 8 2024, GSW traded Cory Joseph and a 2025 Top-55 protected pick from CHA and cash for salary savings and what turned out to be the #52 pick. The #52 pick became Lindy Waters III today. So basically, GSW got rid of a big negative on-court performer and got a bonus of maybe the best 3 point shooter in the G-League.
Those GSW draft workouts must have stunk because it looks like GSW could have TJD'd almost any sub-35 draft pick to fall to #52.
Yes... technically Lacob saved the money, not us, but no one sane can complain about the amount he's spending... [[ The Warriors sent the gobsmacking sum of $5.8 million to the Indiana Pacers to get the least valuable of the Pacers' three 2024 second-round picks (essentially either Milwaukee's or Cleveland's, likely to be in the mid-50s). In the process, Golden State saved itself about $12 million in tax penalties by offloading Joseph's $2 million contract. (John Hollinger) https://theathletic.com/live-blogs/nba-trade-deadline-2024-live-updates-rumors-news-deals/6QBHP42i8QLc/NoSvl668MrQm/ ]]
Looks like OKC is trying to rack up 2nd rounders to trade up to #40
Yes, from a glamour point of view, this is a letdown, but from a strict common sense point of view, LW3 is a third-year pro with a lot of track record of shooting success in one of the most athletic leagues in the world (think about how Justinian Jessup had great college stats and then got overwhelmed by Summer League...). He is certainly a better bet for this year than any of the players in our Tourney. He also looks like a good guy and easy to pull for.
Beli's note below about how 2nd Rd teams aren't offering guaranteed NBA contracts (only two-ways) is quite relevant. That means that there should be a number of players who decline being drafted and will be available as undrafted free agents, looking for a guaranteed contract. These players are probably pretty good (or at least think they are), so there will be interesting UFAs. A player can "decline" being drafted because teams have to offer a qualifying offer of a minimum NBA contract in order to keep the player's rights, so the player can refuse to sign a two-way and force teams to either give the minimum or give up their rights. This is the reason that TJD's agent was able to nope his way all the way down to #57 last year. https://x.com/JakeLFischer/status/1806413979620626763
Yes, it's interesting. From a player point of view, the draft is bad and they should want complete free agency. From the team point of view, the current system is good if you're willing to pony up a minimum contract, because you have a ton of player control. So this is only bad for teams that are trying to cheap-ass out of offering a proper minimum contract to the draft picks
It's actually quite interesting to observe this second round. After the four first-round fallers (Filipowski, Smith, Kolek, Furphy) were grabbed #32-#35, it's three prospects taken a lot higher than expected (Nunez, Mitchell, Wells) and Bobi Klintman, who in true DET form, is an athletic guy still trying to figure out basketball. Consistent with the reporting that teams are trying to cheap out and may be getting turned down by players expected to go higher. It's not too late for GSW to try to swoop back into the 2nd round via some cheap trade ($1.2M cash anyone?) and grab a prospect by offering the minimum.
NYK now has #51 and #56 in the draft. What are they going to do with two late picks on a win-now team? Time to give one to GSW for $1.2M cash, right?
Now 4 out of 5 players taken early (add Ighodaro)... each taken about 10 spots earlier than mocked.
Adem Bona and KJ Simpson going exactly as mocked... things have returned to normal?
The draft has returned almost exactly to mocks with #41-#44. Looks like maybe it was only SAS, OKC, MEM and (PHX or POR) that were trying to lowball the draft picks. The guys (see below) who were supposed to be drafted #36-#40 perhaps declined the two-ways and now we've hit a patch of teams TOR and LAC who will actually give a minimum? It will be very interesting to see what everyone's contract looks like at the end of this. Cam Christie Jamal Shead Kevin McCullar Jr. Harrison Ingram
Thank you, I was looking for that. I added it to the article.
AAaaaaah, my guy Antonio Reeves swooped up by NOP at #47
Tristen Newton to IND at 49. Interesting to see him going before Cam Spencer.
[Asked which Undrafted Free Agents I want] I have affection for a number of Tourneyians but I'd like to see GSW try out Quinten Post or Branden Carlson. I know they are long shots, but a decent stretch 5 would solve so many of the team's roster issues.
You know, last year at this time, we both spoke into existence in real time the secret handshake deal for Trayce. We [belilaugh and I] must use our powers wisely
NOOOOOOO OKC takes Quinten Post. Well, about time OKC added a 7 footer to their roster.
I report with sad puppy eyes that MEM is taking Cam Spencer at #53
[When announced that GSW is trying to trade to get #52 back] ARE YOU KIDDING ME
YEEEEEAAAAAAAAAHAAAAAHAHAHA [[ The Warriors traded this No. 52 pick for Lindy Waters III, OKC traded it to Portland, and then Golden State bought it back a couple hours later because the second round is the second round, baby. ]] https://x.com/JakeLFischer/status/1806447914572554377
Ahahahahaha What a roller coaster ride. I was hoping GSW would get back into the draft somehow... Quinten Post was by far the pick that made the most sense for GSW, assuming he is not a complete stiff. And somehow got a flyer on Lindy Waters III. Woo hoo!
In other news, I report without comment that LAL took Bronny.
The rule that second apron teams can't use cash in deals does not begin until the 2024-25 season, which begins July 1 moohahaha https://sports.yahoo.com/nba-offseason-what-is-the-cbas-second-apron-and-how-does-it-limit-high-spending-teams-215607328.html
NOTE: This may be wrong. It is technically right, but I think Bobby Marks said there is a deadline before July 1 after which all transactions count towards the following year. I’m not too clear about this.
This draft went so much better than I expected. I wonder if LW3 will play Summer League...
https://x.com/TheDunkCentral/status/1806689531782910366
The Denver Nuggets are showing interest in Klay Thompson as a potential replacement for Kentavious Caldwell-Pope, per
@sam_amick
&
@anthonyVslater
The Philadelphia 76ers are also expected to show interest in Thompson.
“A league source said Philadelphia has interest in Thompson. If the Nuggets lose free-agent-to-be Kentavious Caldwell-Pope, who has decided to decline his player option and enter the market, a league source said Denver has pegged Thompson as a possible replacement.”
--------------------------------------------------------------
Klay in Denver would be crazy
I didn't know Lindy Waters was indigenous. (Tbf, I basically didn't know anything about him at all.) Definitely know some folks who will be excited about that.
Wikipedia says: "He was named a finalist for the NBA 2023–24 Social Justice Champion Award for the work his foundation does to support Native American youth through sports, health and wellness."
Pretty cool. It's hardly an overwhelming acquisition, but it'd be great if he could carve out enough of a role to become a fan favorite.