The Warriors are in a pretty good position for a team who finished 15-50. They get their MVP back in Steph Curry, along with their second all-star level talent in Klay Thompson. Not to mention they have the 2nd overall pick in this years’ draft. Obviously a team like the Warriors is in a dilemma where they could use their draft pick or they could trade to help retool the team to make another championship run. Let’s discuss.
Warriors Should Use The Pick
There are a few options they can do depending on how they feel about their chances in free agency.
Their biggest need with everyone healthy would be a center. As it stands their centers are Marquese Chriss and Kevon Looney. Then Draymond Green if they want to go small. So if they want to try to fill a need then I would say they should strongly consider James Wiseman from Memphis. He’s an old school big man where he is big rebounder and shot blocker and he dominates down low. He only played three games at Memphis but averaged 20 points, 11 rebounds, and three blocks. This option allows them to run a traditional lineup, but with Kerr’s background and philosophy, that isn’t necessarily what he may want. Which brings us to the next option.
Obi Toppin. With Toppin, the Warriors can try to recreate their “death lineup” back in the “Strength in Numbers” Warrior days. He’s definitely a more versatile scorer as he can score in the paint and shoot it from distance as well. They can also just address the center position in free agency if they want prioritize the strength of their smaller lineup.
Warriors Should Trade The Pick
During the lottery, our main man Woj dropped an unexpected bomb that was they are looking to trade the pick for a person who more fits the timeline with Curry, Thompson, Wiggins, and Green. So there are a few options to consider. It will be tough because the Warriors seem content with holding on to Wiggins, so it will be tough to find players that they match salary wise that would be worth the second overall pick. So most of the names I will list will more than likely have to include Andrew Wiggins and possibly a third team for salary purposes.
Names to consider:
- Myles Turner, PF/C, Pacers
- Danillo Gallinari, SF/PF, Thunder (Sign-and-trade)
- Caris LeVert, SF/SG, Nets
- Paul Millsap, PF, Nuggets (Sign-and-trade)
- Kevin Love, PF/C, Cavaliers
The list is mostly to get either a versatile big man, or versatile wing who can stretch the floor. I know a lot of people have thrown up names like Bradley Beal and Zach LaVine, but I don’t see how adding more offensive firepower in the backcourt helps when Curry and Thompson are healthy. These names do provide some pretty good scoring, just in positions that need more attention in the off-season.
It’ll be interesting nonetheless. Because the last time a team was in the Warriors’ position of having a contender, but also having a high lottery pick due to injuries, was the Spurs and they drafted Tim Duncan. Maybe that’s a good omen for the Warriors and that they need to draft Wiseman or Toppin. Or maybe they try to write their own history by pulling off a blockbuster trade and go for their fourth championship in seven years.
