The Golden State Warriors hold the No. 11 pick in the 2026 NBA Draft after missing the playoffs, and a familiar name keeps popping up in their orbit: former Michigan big man Yaxel Lendeborg. But here’s the thing — there’s a growing sense around league circles that Lendeborg might not actually go in the lottery at all.
According to ClutchPoints NBA insider Brett Siegel, the Warriors have been linked to Lendeborg for a while, but they’re also reportedly high on former Arizona guard Brayden Burries. If Burries is still on the board at No. 11, Siegel says the expectation is that Golden State takes him. That would leave Lendeborg sliding.
The Charlotte Hornets hold the No. 14 pick and have shown interest in Lendeborg too. But again, they might not feel the need to grab him there. Siegel reports that Charlotte could wait until No. 18 and still get their guy. “Lendeborg is another player that Charlotte holds interest in,” Siegel said. “But they can potentially wait and get him with the 18th pick since he is expected to fall out of the lottery.”
Why Lendeborg Might Slip
Part of it is age. Lendeborg spent three years in junior college before three more at the Division 1 level. He’s one of the older prospects in this draft class, and teams that prioritize upside often shy away from guys who are already 23 or 24. But the talent is real.
This past season at Michigan, Lendeborg started 39 of 40 games and averaged 30 minutes a night. He put up 15.1 points, 6.8 rebounds, 3.2 assists, 1.1 steals and 1.2 blocks. His shooting splits were solid too: 51.5 percent from the field, 37.2 percent from three and 82.4 percent from the free-throw line. For a big man who can stretch the floor and pass a little, that’s a valuable combo.
If he does fall out of the lottery, Siegel notes that a handful of teams would be trying to trade up to snag him. There’s still real demand here, even if the market isn’t treating him like a surefire top-14 pick.
What This Means for the Warriors
Golden State has some decisions to make. They’re not exactly in rebuild mode — Steph Curry is still playing at an All-NBA level — but they need to add young talent that can contribute now. Burries fits that mold as a scoring guard. Lendeborg fits it too, but as a bigger body who could back up or eventually replace some of their frontcourt depth.
Neither pick is a sure thing, obviously. But the fact that the Warriors might let Lendeborg slip past them says a lot about how this draft is shaking out. Teams seem to like him. They just don’t love him enough to reach.
And that’s the kind of thing that can turn a projected lottery pick into a late-first-round steal for someone else.
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