Warriors swing surprise trade in NBA Draft’s second round

SAN FRANCISCO — The Warriors entered Thursday’s draft with three picks to work with, but swung a trade to move up the board in the second round.

The Warriors acquired the 44th overall pick in a trade with the Atlanta Hawks and took Toledo’s Ryan Rollins, a 19-year-old guard. Golden State sent the Hawks their 51st pick, which turned into UConn guard Tyrese Martin.

Golden State is in the market for playmaking depth, and Rollins is a 6-foot-4 guard with an astounding 6-foot-10 wingspan. He shot 45% from the field and 32% from 3 in two years with the Rockets.

Rollins is the first player drafted out of Toledo since 1998, when the Philadelphia 76ers took Casey Shaw with the 37th overall pick.

The Warriors also have the No. 55 pick in the second round.

With the No. 28 overall pick, the Warriors selected Patrick Baldwin Jr., a freshman who played under his dad, Patrick Baldwin Sr., the head coach at Wisconisn-Milwaukee.

The Warriors have nine free agents heading into the offseason, and therefore the possibility of having a handful of open roster spots. The Baldwin and Toledo picks show they’re leaning toward taking flyers on high-upside players in this draft.

Draymond Green is the Warriors’ most successful second-round pick since they selected Monta Ellis 40th overall in the 2005 draft. Green was selected 35th overall in the 2012 draft out of Michigan State, and can famously name every player drafted before him.

The four-time champion tweeted after the Los Angeles Lakers selected Michigan State’s Max Christie, also 35th overall: “Another 35th pick from Michigan State. History says he’s going to be an All-Star.”

Another 35th pick from Michigan State. History says he’s going to be an All-Star

— Draymond Green (@Money23Green) June 24, 2022