When the Golden State Warriors selected Jacob Evans III with the 28th overall pick in the 2018 NBA Draft, the message was clear. General Manager Bob Myers was hoping to find a player who could contribute to the team immediately, and help them win the 2019 title, in addition to playing a long-term role.
There was a clear precedent. Jordan Bell averaged 14.2 minutes per game as a rookie in 2017-18, and chipped in 10.2 minutes per game in the postseason. The year before, rookie Patrick McCaw averaged 15.