With Stephen Curry coming off an MVP-caliber 2020-21 campaign, Klay Thompson hopefully coming back healthy, and Draymond Green anchoring the defense, the Golden State Warriors eye a return to championship contention in the 2021-22 NBA season. The Warriors are in the midst of a critical offseason as they look to build a championship-ready cast around their renowned Big Three.
Bob Myers and the rest of the Warriors' front office have their work cut out for them, with several important decisions to make. The dice should start rolling in the upcoming NBA Draft, where the Warriors hold the No. 7 and 14 overall picks. A lot of eyes are definitely on Golden State to see what it will do with these two lottery picks. Are they going to package them to land another star? Will they try to trade up in the draft?
A lot of trades are being thrown out there, but some of them are pretty unrealistic, such as those suggesting a Warriors package centered on James Wiseman and the two lottery picks for the Detroit Pistons' No. 1 overall selection. Nonetheless, the Dubs should at least try to make a call to the Pistons to see if they will actually budge.
This seems highly unlikely to happen, considering both sides would probably not be willing to do this deal. For the Pistons, the chance to draft a possible generational talent in Cade Cunningham is already in the palm of their hands. Being in full rebuild mode, Detroit would probably not turn down that opportunity and use the next few years to focus on building a squad around the Oklahoma State star.
Nevertheless, Golden State's package is still pretty enticing for Detroit to just throw on the side. They are still getting a promising young stud in James Wiseman, who, though he did have an injury-riddled rookie campaign, showed flashes of just what he would look like in the future. In addition to the 7-foot-1 big man, they would also get two lottery picks in a loaded 2021 draft class and possibly another future pick or two.
On the Warriors' side, it's not a guarantee if they are sold on this deal, too. They need to be really high on Cunningham and consider him as a franchise piece who could help them win as soon as this upcoming season and in the future. That's a pretty hefty price to pay from the Warriors' perspective, considering they are reportedly still very high on James Wiseman. In addition, they give up two young players who could be a part of Golden State's future as the trio of Curry, Thompson, and Green get older.
Furthermore, doing this deal means they are pretty much going all in on Cunningham. They forgo trying to land another star such as a Damian Lillard or a Bradley Beal, who could significantly boost their chances of winning a title next season. Instead, they cash in all their juicy draft assets for someone who could still help them win a championship in the current window of their Big Three, though to a lesser degree, and also take the reins from Stephen Curry as the next face of the franchise.
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