The New Guys: 3 Things to Know About Jones & McCaw

Three things to know about each of the Warriors' 2016 draft picks.

There are several ways to go about constructing a team, but historically, the most effective method for sustained, long-term success is by building through the Draft. If you look at the most successful teams over the last decade, one commonality shared amongst them is that they’ve used the Draft to either establish or replenish the foundation of their cores, and the Warriors are no exception. Stephen Curry, Klay Thompson, Harrison Barnes, Draymond Green and Festus Ezeli have all been Golden State Warriors from the moment their NBA careers began, and it is through the Warriors’ success in the Draft that they’ve been able to compile such a talented roster. Golden State is hoping that pattern of success extends to their most recent roster additions after selecting Damian Jones and Patrick McCaw in last week’s 2016 NBA Draft. Here are a few insights to help familiarize you with the two newest Warriors:

To put it simply, there just aren’t many people in the world that are as big and tall, yet simultaneously as athletic as Jones, a 7’0” center taken with the 30th pick out of Vanderbilt University. Jones, whose athleticism has been compared to the likes of DeAndre Jordan, has tremendous length, including a 7’4” wingspan, and uses every bit of it to his advantage. The high-flying big man has been known to throw down an authoritative dunk when given the opportunity, and he puts his verticality to good use on the defensive end as well, where he has developed a reputation as an above-average shot blocker. Jones compiled the second-most blocks in Vanderbilt school history, behind only Festus Ezeli, who was also selected by the Warriors with the 30th pick back in 2012.

Jones isn’t just a pogo stick, however. While he certainly likes to leap, Jones possesses tremendous lateral quickness for a big man, posting the best lateral quickness drill time of anyone taller than 6’10” in the history of the NBA Combine. Considering the switch-heavy way NBA defenses are trending, a big man’s ability to get out and hedge on a high screen and then recover back to the interior has never been more important, and this is an area where Jones excels. Occasionally at Vanderbilt, his coaches felt comfortable leaving him on opposing point guards.

Jones’s introductory press conference was delayed over an hour while the Louisiana native got his first taste of Bay Area traffic, and it will be a bit longer before Warriors fans get to see what their most recent first round pick can do on the court. Jones, who injured his pectoral muscle in a pre-draft workout, had surgery earlier in June and is expected to be sidelined for several months. Unfortunately, that will prevent Jones from taking part in the upcoming Las Vegas Summer League, but Golden State hopes to get him back early in the 2016-17 season. Aside from the pectoral injury, however, Jones lacks any other considerable medical concerns, with Bob Myers going as far as to say, “He was one of the best rated players we looked at in the entire Draft, as far as his health.” Given that Jones was one of the youngest juniors selected in the Draft and doesn’t turn 21 until Thursday, the Warriors can afford to take it slow with their new big man and give him all the time he needs to come back fully healthy.

Next time you pass Patrick McCaw in the hallway, make sure you have all your valuables. That’s not a knock against the Warriors’ second round pick’s character – he’s a great kid – he’s just that good when it comes to picking opposing players’ pockets. During his two years at UNLV, McCaw developed a reputation as one of the top defensive guards in the nation, and as a sophomore, he ranked sixth in the entire country with an average of 2.5 steals per game.

McCaw, who won’t turn 21 until October, has tremendous size and length for his position, measuring in at 6’7” with a 6’10” wingspan. That length, combined with his quickness, allows him to match up defensively with several positions, and he uses his physical gifts to convert on the opportunities he creates with his steals. He averaged a superb 1.45 points per possession in transition while in college, and there are YouTube compilations entirely dedicated to his ability to strip-and-score. While McCaw has plenty of room to improve, his staunch 1-on-1 defense gives him the best chance at carving out some playing time early in his career.

McCaw has a reputation as a defensive stopper, but he found plenty of other ways to contribute to his team’s success in college. In his second and final season at UNLV, McCaw led the Rebels in points, assists, steals, three-pointers and minutes, earning Second Team All-Mountain West Conference honors, as well as being named to the All-Defensive Team. He’s a more-than-capable passer, averaging 4.2 assists per 40 minutes, and he’ll have an opportunity to put his court vision on display when playing on the Dubs’ Summer League squad in Las Vegas next month. Golden State didn’t possess a second round pick until purchasing the one used to select McCaw from the Milwaukee Bucks, but the Warriors’ brass had already done their homework. McCaw met with Warriors’ Executive Board member Jerry West at the Draft Combine, and the meeting apparently left a positive impression on both parties involved.

"It was crazy. To sit next to Jerry West – you know, the NBA logo, and him just expressing himself to me, and how much he loved my game, and just instilling his knowledge into me – it was amazing," said McCaw. "The experience itself was surreal, and I appreciate it."