The Golden State Warriors finished up at the 2026 NBA Draft Wednesday night, selecting Lajae Jones (Florida State) to supplement their first-round selection of former Michigan forward Yaxel Lendeborg in round one.
However, according to the New York Times, Lendeborg wasn’t the team’s true target with their selection. After Brayden Burries (Arizona) went unselected at No. 9, it appeared as though the Warriors would be able to get their man, with the Milwaukee Bucks having been linked to Nate Ament. But, after the Bucks received another first-round pick as part of the Giannis Antetokounmpo deal, Milwaukee was able to draft the best player on the board at the time (Burries) while still being able to grab Ament at No. 13.
For that reason, Golden State settled on Lendeborg, who will still be a valuable piece heading into the 2026-27 season.
This article originally appeared on Warriors Wire: Report: Milwaukee snagged Golden State’s true draft target with No. 11 pick
Reporting by Mack Baltes, Warriors Wire / Warriors Wire
USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect
By Mack Baltes, Warriors Wire | USA TODAY Network
