Golden State Warriors co-owner Joe Lacob acknowledged the possibility for the Western Conference franchise to trade down at the 2020 NBA Draft.
While the draft itself is in a bit of limbo — with ESPN reporting owners have lobbied the league to push back the date to no sooner than Aug. 1 — the Warriors could make a smart move by trading down in what is widely considered a star-less draft class.
The NBA's Draft Lottery has yet to occur, too, so the Warriors' exact first-round pick is not determined at the moment. However, if anything, should Golden State win the lottery and earn the first overall pick, they should move even stronger towards trading down and gaining a player and/or pick(s) in return.
With the worst record in the NBA, at 15-50, the Warriors have just a 14.0 percent chance to win the lottery — the same as the second- and third-worst teams in the league. They won't fall out of the top five and could leverage other franchises seeking best bets at star potential in prospects to gain assets, like a future draft pick.
The reality of the draft is most teams never find a player who, in his rookie season, plays at the level of a true impact performer on the hardwood. The exception to this rule are the rookie phenoms, of which there are much fewer examples than players who still turn out good but can't make an immediate impact. Provided that, the 2019-20 Warriors do not want a repeat season in 2020-21: they want to win after injuries derailed the same campaign for All-Star guards Klay Thompson and Stephen Curry.
Who would the Warriors be passing up should they trade out of the top five? Probably Georgia swingman Anthony Edwards, Memphis Tigers (brief) big man James Wiseman, and New Orleans Pelicans point guard Lonzo Ball's young brother, LaMelo Ball, who had played overseas in the NBL. All three of these players (and more) could very well be stars or busts or somewhere in between.
Given the trajectory of Golden State's title contention window, it would behoove them to give up that pick instead for a lower pick. In a relatively weak draft class, there is still a good chance the Warriors could land a contributor in a prospect their scouting department favors (maybe 19-year-old Kentucky Wildcat shooting guard Tyrese Maxey or Duke big man Vernon Carey Jr., just as examples).
The bottom line for the Warriors is they do not need a top pick in a weak draft to plug into their lineup next season to be competitive again. With Curry and Thompson healthy, the team will be competitive again.
The best course for Lacob and the Bay Area club is to try for a diamond in the rough lower in the draft along with collecting another pick (they have Minnesota's top-three protected first-round pick in 2021, too). Passing on Wiseman — should he turn out to be a star down the road for example — will hurt much less with more chances in the draft in the future, and less money tied to a top selected rookie contract.
Also, there's another opportunity to go to the playoffs with the Splash Bros.
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