SAN FRANCISCO – The lights are dimming at Chase Center. The roar of the playoff crowds has been replaced by the murmur of a fan base staring at the harsh reality of a play-in tournament ceiling. The Golden State Warriors, sitting at 32-34 and riding a four-game losing streak, are firmly entrenched in the Western Conference’s mushy middle—good enough to be dangerous, but not good enough to be contenders .
Yet, in the fog of a lost season, a silver lining glimmers. As of mid-March, the Warriors are positioned to land a lottery pick in what scouts are calling a loaded 2026 NBA Draft. And if the mock drafts are any indication, general manager Mike Dunleavy Jr. might have his eyes on a sharpshooting freshman out of Connecticut who fits the Warriors’ offensive DNA like a glove.
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The State of the Warriors: Assets and Agility
Before diving into prospects, it’s worth understanding the flexibility Dunleavy has at his disposal. Despite the team’s on-court struggles, the front office has quietly stockpiled assets that could shape the next era of Warriors basketball.
According to ESPN’s front office insiders, Golden State controls four first-round picks and multiple pick swaps over the next seven years . This war chest is typically discussed in the context of a potential blockbuster trade—with Milwaukee Bucks superstar Giannis Antetokounmpo looming as the ultimate prize this summer .
But there’s another path. The Warriors also possess several mid-sized contracts that could facilitate trades, including the combined $18 million salaries of Moses Moody and Brandin Podziemski . Kristaps Porzingis, depending on his willingness to agree to a sign-and-trade, could also be part of offseason maneuvering .
However, if the Giannis sweepstakes don’t materialize—or if the front office decides the price is too steep—adding young, cost-controlled talent through the draft becomes the most logical path forward. And few prospects in the late lottery range offer the combination of skill and system fit as UConn’s Braylon Mullins.
The Prospect: Braylon Mullins Shining on the Big Stage
In ESPN analyst Jeremy Woo’s latest mock draft, the Warriors are projected to select Mullins with the 13th overall pick . It’s a projection that has gained traction across the draft community, with Bleacher Report’s Jonathan Wasserman also frequently linking the freshman guard to Golden State .
So, who is Braylon Mullins?
The 6-foot-6 freshman out of Greenfield, Indiana, arrived at UConn as a five-star recruit, ranked No. 15 nationally and the No. 5 shooting guard in the 2025 class . He was the best player in Indiana as a high school senior, earning MVP honors in the Indiana-Kentucky All-Star game after posting 20 points, nine rebounds, and seven assists .
At UConn, Mullins has been a key contributor on one of the nation’s deepest and most experienced teams. Through 26 games, he’s averaging 12.2 points, 3.4 rebounds, 1.4 assists, and 1.0 steal while shooting 44.2% from the field and 34.9% from three-point range on 6.5 attempts per game .
Those numbers, while solid, don’t fully capture his potential. As Jeremy Woo noted, Mullins is playing a supporting role on a veteran-laden UConn team, and some evaluators believe he’s “capable of much more than he’s shown this season” .
The Breakout: March Arrives, Mullins Rises
The beauty of college basketball’s calendar is that players can change their draft stock in a single weekend. For Mullins, that weekend arrived at the Big East Tournament at Madison Square Garden.
In UConn’s 67-51 semifinal win over Georgetown, Mullins delivered a performance that had scouts scribbling furiously in their notebooks. He finished with a game-high 21 points, five rebounds, two assists, and a block in 33 minutes, becoming the first freshman in UConn history to post 20 points and five rebounds in a conference tournament game .
The efficiency was notable: Mullins shot 8-of-16 from the field and knocked down two three-pointers, showing the combination of shot-making and composure that translates to the next level . It was the third time this season he had surpassed the 20-point mark, joining a 25-point outburst against Creighton in February and a 24-point effort against Providence in January .
For a UConn team eyeing another deep NCAA Tournament run, Mullins’ emergence could be the X-factor. And for NBA scouts, it’s validation of what they saw in high school: a complete wing who impacts the game in multiple ways.
The Scouting Report: Why Mullins Fits Golden State
The archetype is unmistakable. Mullins is precisely the kind of perimeter player the Warriors have historically coveted: a guard with positional size (6-6), elite shooting mechanics, and the basketball IQ to thrive in a motion offense.
Sam Vecenie of The Athletic, one of the most respected draft analysts in the business, has been particularly bullish on Mullins. In a recent evaluation, Vecenie compared Mullins to 2024 lottery pick Kon Knueppel, describing him as “a complete wing who profiles incredibly well toward the NBA” .
Vecenie emphasized Mullins’ shooting prowess, noting that he hit 42% of his threes on the AAU circuit on high volume . “If you leave him in transition, you’re dead. If you struggle to chase around screens, you’re in deep trouble,” Vecenie wrote .
Defensively, Mullins grades out as a plus. Vecenie called him “one of the best defensive guards I saw in the class,” highlighting his aggression and awareness . NBA Draft Room describes him as having a “lightning quick release” and “deadly accuracy from downtown,” projecting him as a “high level NBA two-guard” .
For a Warriors offense that predicates itself on movement, spacing, and quick decision-making, Mullins’ game is tailor-made. He’s not a ball-dominant creator, but a connective piece who makes the right pass, cuts with purpose, and spaces the floor with range that demands defensive attention.
The Bigger Picture: Win Now, Prepare for Later
The presence of a prospect like Mullins in the late lottery creates an interesting tension for the Warriors. Do they use their draft capital as currency to acquire a veteran difference-maker, potentially accelerating another title run while Stephen Curry is still playing at an elite level? Or do they prioritize the future, adding a cost-controlled young player who can develop alongside Jonathan Kuminga, Moses Moody, and Brandin Podziemski?
The answer, as it often is, probably lies somewhere in the middle. The Warriors have shown a willingness to both compete and develop, trusting their system to accelerate the growth of young players. Moody and Kuminga, both lottery picks in the 2021 draft, are evidence of that approach
Mullins fits that mold. He’s not a project in the traditional sense—his feel for the game and shooting ability should translate immediately. But he also has the upside to be a long-term piece, potentially thriving in the post-Curry era as a high-level complementary scorer.
The Competition: Other Names to Watch
Mullins isn’t the only prospect linked to Golden State. Jonathan Wasserman of Bleacher Report has also connected the Warriors to Alabama guard Labaron Philon, a 6-foot-4 point guard averaging 21.3 points, 5 assists, and 3.3 rebounds for the Crimson Tide . Philon is more of a traditional point guard, capable of running an offense and creating his own shot, which could appeal to a team needing backcourt depth.
But Mullins’ blend of size, shooting, and defensive versatility feels more aligned with the Warriors’ historical preferences. In a draft class that Draymond Green recently described as “insane,” the Warriors are well-positioned to add a difference-maker .
The Bottom Line
As the Warriors limp toward the finish line of a grueling regular season, the temptation is to focus on what’s going wrong. The injuries to Stephen Curry and Jimmy Butler. The four-game losing streak. The play-in tournament uncertainty.
But for a franchise that has mastered the art of threading the needle between contention and sustainability, the draft represents opportunity. Braylon Mullins, with his shooting stroke, defensive instincts, and winning pedigree at UConn, could be the latest example of the Warriors finding a gem in the lottery.
Whether they keep the pick or use it as trade bait for a superstar, the assets are in place. And in the high-stakes poker game of NBA roster building, Mike Dunleavy Jr. is holding a very interesting hand.