Golden State Warriors will consider trading down in 2020 NBA Draft
By Tony Pesta
Make no mistake, if the correct deal is pitched to the Golden State Warriors, they will consider trading down in the 2020 NBA Draft.
All sources are pointing towards the Golden State Warriors using the No. 2 overall pick in the 2020 NBA Draft for themselves. The franchise is making an honest effort to examine the upcoming prospects and find a player that suits both their longterm and short term needs.
However, as Wes Goldberg of The Mercury News points out, the front office will be listening to calls for their pick. One potential option the Warriors could take is trading down in the draft.
"“Of course. The Warriors will listen to pitches for the No. 2 pick… …,teams like the Cavaliers at No. 5, the Pistons at No. 7 or the Knicks at No. 8 could be inclined to move up for one of the draft’s consensus top three (Edwards, former Memphis center James Wiseman and the NBL’s LaMelo Ball) and offer the Warriors an offer too rich to pass up.”"
In a draft where few players appear to have star power in the future – the need for a top-three pick is heightened. The chance to draft either Anthony Edwards, LaMelo Ball or James Wiseman could be enough to encourage a bottom-tier team to swap picks with the Warriors.
What could the Warriors receive in return? We have heard rumors of the team being interested in Frank Ntilikin of the New York Knicks but it would take much more than just the unproven guard to warrant a pick-swap. Could other players like Reggie Bullock and Maurice Harkless help make this trade happen?
What about Cleveland, would the Warriors want to throw in Andrew Wiggins’ contract for a chance at Kevin Love or Andre Drummond? Or would the Cavaliers be willing to deal one of their younger players like Darius Garland or Kevin Porter Jr. to satisfy both sides?
The Pistons don’t have much to offer outside of Blake Griffin and Derrick Rose but much like Love/Drummond, the price of matching salary for these players would likely push the Warriors away from completing either of these deals.
Is there a reasonable package the Warriors could haul in for their No. 2 pick? Sure there is. A potential firesale in Indiana, Philadelphia and Utah is all the reason for the Warriors to keep their eyes open. However, if they choose to be passive and let the trades come to them, the options above may be the only ones they hear from other teams.