In the lead-up to the NBA draft, The Chronicle is analyzing players the Warriors could take with the No. 2 pick. Up now: Georgia shooting guard Anthony Edwards.
Strengths: Edwards has drawn comparisons to Dwyane Wade and Donovan Mitchell for good reason: A 6-foot-5 shooting guard with a strong build, 6-foot-9 wingspan and 42-inch vertical leap, he boasts the physical gifts to become an All-Star-caliber player.
Though he is only 19, Edwards already excels at using dribble-drives and a quick first step to get downhill and finish with either hand. His body control and hang time for his size are exceptional.
A solid ballhandler, Edwards reads double-teams well and knows when to kick out to open shooters. When he does shoot, he has a quick release, only needing a tiny bit of space to get it off.
Edwards hardly lacks for confidence, which helps him make the game look easy at times. His rebounding and shot-blocking are above-average for his position. Though he still has plenty to learn defensively, Edwards has the length, lateral quickness and instincts to become an elite one-on-one stopper.
Weaknesses: Edwards is quite flawed for a potential No. 1 pick. Despite his considerable talent, he didn’t win at a high level in high school or college.
Playing out of position much of his freshman year at Georgia, Edwards shot 40.2% from the field (29.4% from 3-point range) while averaging nearly as many turnovers (2.7) as assists (2.8) for a Bulldogs team that went 5-13 in conference play. His shot selection was questionable. At times, Edwards seemed bored on the court.
On defense, he tended to jog back in transition, not crossing half court until well after his teammates. The question is how much of Edwards’ issues were the product of a tough situation at Georgia.
Though his athleticism gives him a relatively high floor, he might not develop into more than an adequate starter at the next level unless he’s put in a stable environment. This isn’t a generational prospect such as Zion Williamson or Tim Duncan. To tap into his immense potential, Edwards must learn on the fly — a tough task for any top pick.
Fit with Warriors: If Golden State drafts Edwards at No. 2, it will do so hoping that he can spend the next couple years learning from Stephen Curry, Klay Thompson and Draymond Green before becoming a face of the franchise by the time those three near retirement.
In many ways, Edwards is actually similar to Andrew Wiggins. His length and speed allow him to defend multiple positions. Though his shooting mechanics are fine, Edwards is best offensively when working off screens and cutting toward the rim.
As a rookie, he could probably be the sixth or seventh man on a Warriors team trying to vault back into contention. This would ease the pressure of being a top pick and give him time to blossom into a go-to option.
Scout’s take: “In a draft with so much uncertainty, Edwards might be the surest thing available. I’m not saying he’s definitely going to be an All-Star, but I feel confident saying that — barring a major injury — he’ll be a very good player in this league for a long, long time. That’s more than you can say about almost any other player in this draft.”
Bottom line: The Warriors recently watched Edwards work out. According to a league source, they were “super impressed” with his athleticism.
But will that be enough for Golden State to overlook his shortcomings and take him at No. 2 if he’s available? With the draft little more than a week away, league sources indicate that the Warriors would have a tough time passing on him.
— Connor Letourneau
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November 06, 2020 at 07:00PM
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NBA draft: Analyzing how Anthony Edwards would fit with Warriors at No. 2 - San Francisco Chronicle
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