3 Players the Warriors Should Target in Second Round of NBA Draft

The Golden State Warriors currently own one more 2026 draft pick, and it's the 54th overall selection.

That means 23 more players will be drafted before they are on the clock.

At that point, the most intriguing second-round prospects will be taken.

Historically, the Warriors have acquired second-round picks for cash, but it's more difficult now that every team has three two-way roster spots.

My guess is the Warriors will not trade for a second pick in Round 2. They will take stay put at No. 54 with the intention of using a two-way spot on the player they draft.

If any player was in the top 50 of at least two of the three second-round mock drafts from Bleacher Report's Jonathan Wasserman, The Athletic's Sam Vecenie and ESPN's Jeremy Woo, I didn't consider him for the Warriors' selection.

That eliminated Dillon Mitchell, Felix Okpara and Nick Martinelli, among many others.

Dubs Should Try to Fill Need

LJ Cryer and Malevy Leons signed two-year, two-way contracts last season. Both likely will start the 2026-27 season in two-way roster spots.

When the Warriors are short on healthy guards, they can call up Cryer, a 6'0" three-point marksman. They don't need another guard occupying a two-way spot.

It's more likely that the Warriors will need more support at the wing and big positions. They already have two major injuries on the wings (Jimmy Butler and Moses Moody), and if they bring back Kristaps Porzingis and Al Horford, they can expect to need center depth.

Even after drafting 6'9" wing Yaxel Lendeborg with the 11th pick, the Warriors' priority should be adding another wing, with center being a close second on the priority list.

Second-Round Targets

SG/SF Jaden Henley, Grand Canyon

At 6'6", Henley projects to be a wing who can score off the bounce and make plays as a secondary ball-handler. The reason the 22-year-old might be available late in the second round is he shot just 26.8 percent from three this past season and 30.7 percent from three for his four-year college career.

Wasserman has him going 53rd, Vecenie has him going 57th, and Woo has him going undrafted.

SG/SF Tyler Nickel, Vanderbilt

Nickel is also 6'6", but he's less athletic than Henley, which makes him more a defensive liability. But he'll get late second-round attention because of his three-point shot. Over his last three college seasons, Nickel made 250 threes on a 40.1 percent clip.

Vecenie has the Warriors taking him, Woo has him going 55th, and Wasserman has him going undrafted.

C Rafael Castro, George Washington

Castro is undersized at 6'9" for a center, but he could make up for it with athleticism and motor. As a senior, he averaged 9.1 rebounds, 1.8 steals and 1.7 blocks, and he flashed offensively as well with some finesse around the basket as well as explosive dunks.

Wasserman has him going 58th, while Vecenie and Woo have him going undrafted.

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