After their loss to the LA Lakers, the Golden State Warriors have officially retained their 2020 first-round pick that was initially dealt to the Brooklyn Nets.
While ever since the fourth game of the season it really wasn’t up for question, the Golden State Warriors have now made it official. Their loss to the Lakers marked the team’s 47 of the season and solidified their 2020 first-round pick.
One of the trade pieces in the Warriors dealing of Kevin Durant to Brooklyn was the Warriors’ 2020 first-round pick. Well, that pick was top-20 protected, and it certainly makes the Warriors’ front office look smart.
At the time, securing a first-round pick and Durant for Russell felt like a great deal for the Nets, and the Warriors, even knowing that Klay Thompson was likely to miss most of the season, were still projected to be a top-10 team.
However, due to Stephen Curry’s lengthy injury and a flurry of injuries to D’Angelo Russell, the Warriors’ season has quickly gone downhill.
Having traded Russell and likely not being a top-ten team, the Warriors basically traded Durant, who was already leaving, for a 2021 first-round pick and Andrew Wiggins as they’ll retain that traded pick as well.
They are just 12-47 and are the worst team in the Western Conference by a long shot. Along with the Knicks and Hawks, the Warriors will be looking at the highest possible odds at the No. 1 pick in the 2020 Draft Lottery.
LaMelo Ball, Anthony Edwards, and James Wiseman are the top prospects in this upcoming draft. The Warriors should be looking more closely at Wiseman and Edwards, two players that’d likely fit well with the Warriors’ current mold.
It was a wise move by the team’s front office to protect that pick, and they’ll reap the benefits as the team is set for another huge offseason.