The Golden State Warriors selected the perfect replacement for Klay Thompson (who the Warriors traded to the Dallas Mavericks in 2024 after 13 successful seasons) with the No. 41 overall pick.
While there’s no denying that Buddy Hield played well in spurts with the Dubs this past season, Kentucky sharpshooter Kobe Brea could have provided Stephen Curry with a more dependable three-point shooting threat.
However, because the Warriors elected to trade the pick to the Phoenix Suns for the No. 52 and No. 59 overall picks less than two hours before the second round started, the world will never know what a Curry and Brea backcourt partnership could have looked like in the Bay.
Brea was as consistent as it gets from beyond the arc during his collegiate career. The 6-foot-7 guard showcased his fluid one-motion release every time he graced the hardwood, allowing him to shoot 41.1% from deep during the first four years of his career at Dayton.
At Kentucky, Brea’s long-range production was expectedly spectacular, as the catch-and-shoot extraordinaire finished the 2024-25 season with a 43.5% three-point shooting percentage.
It doesn’t take a genius to point out that the NBA is a different ball game, but there’s a good chance that Brea will continue to light it up from downtown as he embarks on a new journey.
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The Warriors could still set themselves up for success by drafting a high-upside big man and a perimeter-oriented asset with a similar skill set to Brea’s.
However, with the 22-year-old being linked to the Warriors well before the start of the draft (for reasons that have already been explained), it appears the franchise made a brutal mistake that will likely come back to haunt them.
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