Warriors Draft Rumors: Ownership may push for LaMelo Ball to be drafted #2 overall

LaMelo Ball, younger brother of Pelicans’ guard Lonzo Ball, is expected to be one of the top picks in the 2020 NBA Draft, but will he end up in the Bay Area?

From Chino Hills, California, to Lithuania, to Australia, NBA Draft prospect LaMelo Ball has put together quite the playing resume after de-committing from UCLA, in which he was ranked as the #21 best prospect in the ESPN Top 100 that year. Now, LaMelo Ball finds himself as a Top-5 prospect in the 2020 NBA Draft and a potential target of the Golden State Warriors.

James Wiseman has been the name that has popped up a lot when talking about the Warriors will do with the No. 2 pick and it seems likely that the Warriors will take the Memphis big man if he is still available. If the Timberwolves take Wiseman with the first pick, Anthony Edwards and Deni Avdija would be the likely targets for the Warriors, but LaMelo Ball could also be in play for the Warriors.

Bleacher Report’s Jonathan Wasserman reported that a source told him about a rumor circulating around the league that the Warriors’ ownership could force Bob Myers and the front office to take LaMelo Ball if Wiseman is indeed off the board.

Some reports circulating are saying that LaMelo Ball will be the No. 1 pick either by the Timberwolves or a team will trade up to draft him No. 1 overall.

Other reports, like the one from ESPN’s Brian Windhorst, say that LaMelo Ball could drastically fall in the 2020 NBA Draft.

The whole “LaMelo Ball to the Bay Area” script seems like they are just rumors at this point with not much momentum behind it. Drafting LaMelo Ball just would not make sense right now for the Warriors as they have both Steph and Klay still in their primes in the backcourt, along with 2019 First-Round pick Jordan Poole and 28-year old Damion Lee. The Warriors are still very high on the potential Poole has in their system and Lee is coming off the best season of his career so it is unlikely the Warriors would want to throw LaMelo Ball into this mix.

If James Wiseman is the No. 1 pick in the 2020 NBA Draft by the Minnesota Timberwolves, the Warriors would likely take a long look at future NBA All-Star Anthony Edwards and international prospect Deni Avdija, who the Warriors reportedly are very high on, but they could also trade down in the draft with a team who is looking to move up and select LaMelo Ball.

The Warriors draft plan solely revolves around what the Minnesota Timberwolves do with the No. 1 overall pick, but either way, if the Warriors are targeting James Wiseman or Anthony Edwards, they really can’t lose. Both Wiseman and Edwards would be great fits for Steve Kerr’s system and would help elevate the Warriors back to the championship contenders they were before the 2019-20 season.