19. Golden State Warriors – Donovan Clingan, C, UCONN
In the event that the Golden State Warriors will have to rework their frontcourt, taking a shot on a player like Donovan Clingan would make sense. Clingan still needs to work on his offensive skill set but will be a defensive presence right away in the NBA.
If the Warriors do manage to keep their roster intact, Clingan could develop in the background with hopes of blossoming into a contributor down the line.
20. Houston Rockets (via LA Clippers) – GG Jackson F, South Carolina
GG Jackson is one of the bigger question marks in this year’s NBA Draft class but that’s part of what makes him an intriguing option late in the first round. For a team like the Rockets that is looking to find diamonds in the rough at this point in the draft, taking a flier on Jackson makes a lot of sense.
He was inefficient offensively during his freshman season at South Carolina and that’s something he’ll have to work on as he makes the move to the NBA. But the potential is there for Jackson. Will he end up developing and reaching that potential? Who knows, but he’s a worthy first-round pick because of it.