After ruling the Western Conference for five consecutive years, the Golden State Warriors are set to suffer a huge disappointment in the 2019-20 NBA season. Before the NBA suspension due to the spread of coronavirus, the Warriors became the first NBA team to be officially eliminated in the playoff race. However, though they no longer have any chance of reclaiming the NBA championship title this season, the Warriors are expected to receive a prize for being one of the worst teams in the league.
If they finish the current season with the worst record, the Warriors would be in a strong position to land a lottery pick in the 2020 NBA Draft. In a recent appearance on The TK Show podcast with Tim Kawakami of The Athletic , Warriors Head Coach Steve Kerr revealed that while the NBA is suspended, he is watching college games and taking notes of draft prospects. Kerr said that they are “excited” having a “high pick” and added that some of the guys he watched are “very talented.”
However, Kerr admitted that as of now, Warriors General Manager Bob Myers and their front office still haven’t made up their mind regarding what they are planning to do with their own first-round pick in the draft. Kerr revealed that the Warriors have three options if they get the lottery pick.
“But what we have to weigh is — are we looking for a player who is gonna help immediately because we feel like we’ve got this window the next few years? Are we gonna use the pick in a trade to try to trade for a vet who is ready to help us win right away? Or do you look at it long term — because you know you want to be good for the next decade — and you take a young player with a lot of potential who’s maybe not ready to help us win yet but you feel like could be a great player down the road? Those are all options and that’s what we have to figure out as an organization,” Kerr said, as quoted by NBC Sports .
Using their 2020 first-round pick to acquire a young and promising talent who could potentially be the next face of the franchise would undeniably be an intriguing option for the Warriors, especially considering that their core of Stephen Curry, Klay Thompson, and Draymond Green aren’t getting any younger. However, with the goal to return to title contention next season, it is more likely that the Warriors would be using the lottery pick to acquire a player who could immediately contribute and complement the three All-Stars on the roster.
By exploring a trade package including their own 2020 first-round pick and Andrew Wiggins, the Warriors could not only acquire an established veteran, but they also have a realistic chance of adding a fourth superstar this summer. In the past few months, the Warriors have been linked to several NBA superstars who are expected to be available on the trade market in the 2020 NBA offseason. These players include Giannis Antetokounmpo of the Milwaukee Bucks and Bradley Beal of the Washington Wizards.