With the Golden State Warriors looking to building a championship contender around Stephen Curry, many believe they will look to trade young center James Wiseman just one year after making him the No. 2 pick in the 2020 NBA Draft. But as the 2021 NBA Draft Lottery approaches on Tuesday, the Warriors haven't had any “serious internal discussions” on dealing away Wiseman, according to Jake Fischer of Bleacher Report.
That doesn't mean there have been no discussions about trading the 20-year-old big man, whose rookie season ended early because of a torn meniscus. However, it seems they haven't really explored the option just yet. Warriors president Bob Myers said as much at his end-of-season press conference.
Perhaps this thinking would change depending on what happens at the lottery. The Warriors currently own two first-round picks, including their own, but the pick from the Minnesota Timberwolves is top-three protected. Would Golden State be more or less inclined to trade that Timberwolves pick if it conveys?
If the Warriors actually own both first-round picks, they could try to package them with Wiseman to make a truly blockbuster upgrade, especially if their own pick somehow moves up. If they only have their pick and it stays put at No. 14, a package with that pick and Wiseman isn't nearly as attractive, though the Dubs could still feel the pressure to deal the young center in order to get some kind of ready-made help for Curry and the other veteran stars, including a returning Klay Thompson.
There are a lot of ways this could go. For right now, it looks like the Warriors don't want to trade Wiseman. But this situation is fluid and could easily change after the lottery as we head into the offseason. This will be a key storyline to watch after Golden State missed the playoffs despite Curry's heroics.
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