When the Warriors selected Yaxel Lendeborg with the 11th pick, the organization signaled that their future is very much on their minds. Holding on to the draft pick (suggesting they will keep him) rather than packaging him in a deal indicates he could be a player who sticks around after the Stephen Curry era.
By choosing the 23-year-old, the Warriors gain an experienced player, the kind of player Steve Kerr is more prone to trust early on.
Yaxel Lendeborg Has a Versatile Skill Set
As a star of the 2025-26 NCAA champions, the University of Michigan, Lendeborg’s three-point shooting peaked during that title run. His 37.2% from beyond the arc makes him a respectable shooter that opponents have to at least account for. Alongside Curry, the floor will open up more than ever for him to take three-pointers.
The big question now: Will his shooting translate to the professional level?
With a 7-foot-3 wingspan, Lendeborg provides size and length that irks opponents. The Warriors are in dire need of a forward who can guard multiple positions, given the injuries to Jimmy Butler and Moses Moody.
Much of the defensive burden has fallen on 36-year-old Draymond Green in recent years. Playing next to Lendeborg affords him the luxury of having another tough, smart defender to work in tandem with. Regardless of whether Green remains with the Warriors long-term, having Lendeborg ensures that defense remains part of the team’s identity.
Though the young forward isn’t great at facilitating the offense or making plays for others, he can still add a boost by utilizing his other skill sets. Green and Curry will both facilitate, but the Warriors’ motion offense may be a learning curve for Lendeborg at the beginning.
His versatility and defensive mindset embody the kind of player Butler wished to play with when Jonathan Kuminga was there. Lendeborg could become what everyone hoped Kuminga would be.
If the Warriors decide to keep Butler at least for the upcoming season, his fit alongside Lendeborg will be intriguing.
Lendeborg Will Be Important
The Warriors’ biggest mission for years was balancing competing for a title while developing talent for the post-Curry era.
The two-timeline plan was already decimated after Kuminga, Jordan Poole, and James Wiseman were all traded after a few years.
For Yaxel Lendeborg, the Warriors don’t need him to be a franchise savior. But if he can help Curry play meaningful basketball while being a mainstay for the future, he will be worth everything.
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