The Golden State Warriors are going to be a difficult team to read heading into the 2012 NBA Draft. This isn't a team with any glaring weaknesses on the roster and they're certainly capable of making a playoff run if they're healthy, but that has eluded the team in recent seasons.
They could elect to go with a big man such as Andre Drummond, but he will take at least a few years to develop into a reliable post player (if he ever does). The same goes for a forward such as John Henson or Perry Jones III. Waiting around for a young player to possibly blossom into a starter doesn't exactly seem appealing to the W's.
Golden State could also go with a guard to help improve their backcourt, and that's exactly what the latest mock draft from Draft Express projects them to do.
This has been one of the toughest picks to lock down over the last few weeks. As of late, Jerry West appears to have pushed this front office (and ownership) in the direction of Dion Waiters, despite the fact that he has refused to work out for the team and has not conducted a physical or even an interview with the Warriors. Surely this will set a bad precedent in coming years for how agents should conduct themselves during the draft process, which could cause some push-back from the league office, but for now, it looks fairly likely that Waiters is the pick here.
Waiters was a very good player in college, although he appears to be a bit of a tweener at the NBA level. There is no denying his talent though, and he could become a very reliable asset for the Warriors down the road if he finds himself a niche in the rotation.
To discuss the Warriors' plans at the 2012 Draft with other fans head over to Golden State of Mind.