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Brayden Burries #5 of the Arizona Wildcats is among the Golden State Warriors' choices in the 2026 NBA draft.

The Warriors are leaving no stone unturned as they proceed with their prep ahead of the NBA draft next week, bringing in a host of potential prospects they could pluck at No. 11 on Tuesday night. But there has been chatter that the Warriors could look to upend the apple cart a bit with that pick, and trade it off elsewhere.

Anything is possible, of course. But it’s just not likely that, given the Warriors’ current payroll situation, they will be in a position to cough up on a pick that should be able to produce a cost-controlled player who can contribute right away.

Whether that is current NCAA champs Yaxel Lendeborg and Morez Johnson, mature guard Brayden Burries, high-scoring wing Cameron Carr, point guards Bennett Stirtz and Labaron Philbon or big man Hannes Steinbach–all of whom worked out for Golden State–remains to be seen. But among that group, the Warriors almost certainly can find a player who can help them while still on his rookie contract.

Warriors Can Secure Cheap Labor in NBA Draft

That is ultimately what will drive the Warriors’ decision. They want a player who can contribute, quickly, and fit into what coach Steve Kerr wants to do. With the 11th pick, the team can lock up a player scheduled to make $6.2 million next year, and there’s a lot more value in keeping the pick than trading it and trying to get a player in at that salary number.

Warriors GM Mike Dunleavy met with the media and said he is likely to use his No. 11 overall pick.

“I think everything is on the table,” he said. “We’ll look at it all, but I feel pretty confident that we will draft a player. Does that mean we move back, we move up? Something like that, sure. I just feel like, as strong as this draft is, we should come out of this draft with a player, unless something falls into our lap with a veteran guy we think could make a difference.”

Trade Down a Possibility

The Warriors have been most closely connected to trades for stars Kawhi Leonard of the Clippers and Trey Murphy of the Pelicans. But if the Warriors do make a trade, they’d rather wait until after the NBA draft, when their new pick is in place. Then, the team will know where it stands on some of the player option decisions ahead–Al Horford and De’Anthony Melton–and will have a sense of what it will take to keep Kristaps Porzingis.

If the Warriors pursue Leonard, for example, after the draft, they could package three future picks with injured Jimmy Butler’s expiring contract  and still hold on to whomever they take this year.

One other wild-card, though: The Warriors could look to trade down from No. 11 if it means adding a future asset. If they could move back to No. 17, where Oklahoma City is picking, and take the Thunder’s No. 37 overall second-rounder, plus a future asset, the Warriors would have to consider that. There are expected to be a handful of NBA-ready older players, especially big men, early in the second round.