19. Golden State Warriors – Maxwell Lewis, F, Pepperdine
It’s anyone’s guess as to what the Golden State Warriors are going to do. They have plenty of questions and most of their decisions this summer are likely going to depend on how their playoff run ends. If they have a deep run, I’d have to imagine they’ll think hard about running it back. If they end up losing in the first round to the Sacramento Kings, though, it will open the door for some big changes.
With the 19th pick, look for the Warriors to select another layer that fits with this core. Maxwell Lewis projects as a 3-and-D fit for nearly every team in the league.
20. Houston Rockets (via LA Clippers) – Dereck Lively II, C, Duke
The more traditional center position is not dead just yet. Dereck Lively II out of Duke represents just that. At 7-foot-1, Lively is probably not going to be one of these unicorn bigs that seem to be becoming a dime a dozen. Instead, he’s going to protect the paint and clean up the boards for a team. And perhaps the Rockets would want to take a flier on his long-term potential.
I have a feeling that Lively is going to be one of the bigs that excel in the pre-draft process and move up the draft boards over the next couple of months.