Should the Golden State Warriors trade the No. 2 pick in the NBA Draft or hold it for themselves? Let’s weigh the pros and cons.
November 18. That is the day the 2020 NBA Draft will finally take place after being delayed for months. What the Golden State Warriors elect to do on this day will be pivotal in determining the future of this franchise.
The media is split on whether or not the Dubs should trade this pick or not. In reality, the Warriors front office is probably split too. Today, we are going to take a deeper look at the pros and cons of shipping this pick.
Pro – Could land another star
The first and most obvious benefit of trading the pick is the potential of adding another star to their big three of Stephen Curry, Klay Thompson and Draymond Green. According to Zach Lowe, the belief is that the Dubs will look for a home run in return for the No. 2 pick. This is the easiest way to stack the deck and put themselves in position for another title.
Con – Sacrificing future
Gaining another star is great, but what if that plan doesn’t pan out? It could be decades before the Warriors get a top-two pick again with the new lottery system. Punting this pick for a chance on a star could backfire if they aren’t able to win another championship, which would be their ultimate goal if they trade for a star.
Pro – Gain more assets
The Warriors don’t have to trade for an All-Star caliber player. Instead, they could look for a package full of role players and future picks to stockpile assets. This is good for two reasons: One, having extra talent will help them create depth and widen their rotation. Two, more assets will allow the franchise to build a bigger trade package for the future.
Con – Market could be bad
The league is still recovering from the effect of a shortened season. The circumstances in which we are entering the offseason could leave every team reluctant to trade away any key players. It’s tough to judge how the season would have ended had COVID-10 not derailed everything in March. For some teams, the randomness of recent events could cause them to cling tight to their assets for now. This could result in an underwhelming trade market for the Warriors.
Conclusion
There are clear positives and negatives to trading this pick. The best option could be swapping with a team further in the lottery to gain assets without sacrificing their future altogether. Still, the Warriors have a tough decision on their hand.