The outcome of the 2021 NBA Draft Lottery is going to have rippling impacts across the association. No team has the potential to swing up or down more than the Golden State Warriors.
In addition to their own first round pick, the Dubs have a chance to obtain the Minnesota Timberwolves’ selection due to their trade involving D’Angelo Russell and Andrew Wiggins. The fate of these picks will be decided on June 22 with the actual draft taking place on July 29.
The 2021 NBA Draft Lottery is slotted for June 22 and the outcome will have an immense impact on the future of the Golden State Warriors.
We’ll start with the Warriors’ own pick, which they will hold onto as long as it doesn’t land in the bottom-10 of the first round. If the Dubs reach the playoffs and their draft pick ends up being in the 20-30 range, it will transfer to the Oklahoma City Thunder as part of their swap for Kelly Oubre.
The 2021 NBA Draft will be on July 29, sources tell @TheAthletic @Stadium. NBA Draft Lottery will be on June 22. Draft Combine scheduled for June 21-27.
— Shams Charania (@ShamsCharania) March 29, 2021
With the Dubs quickly stumbling out of the postseason picture, it seems they will keep this pick for themselves. This is a good scenario for the Warriors as they currently have a 92 percent chance of taking the 13th spot in the draft. Less likely, there is a very small four percent chance of this pick landing in the top-four. What a miracle that would be.
As for the Wolves pick, this one is roughly 50/50. Minnesota has been the worst team in the league up to this point, earning them the best odds to win the lottery. Along with them are the Detroit Pistons and Houston Rockets who will all be praying for the chance to select the consensus No. 1 overall pick, Cade Cunningham.
The Warriors won’t stress too much over Cunningham. After all, their only chance will be the one-percent likelihood of their own first round pick climbing to the top spot. If Minnesota wins the lottery, they keep the pick and Cunningham for themselves.
Instead, the Dubs are hoping for the 59.9 percent chance that Minnesota drops out of the top three. This is the only scenario in which the pick transfers to Golden State as the Wolves ensured to place a top-three protection on the pick before trading with the Warriors.
Either way, the lowest the Wolves pick can drop is fifth in the order. The Dubs will be more than happy to take the fourth or fifth spot and target names like Jalen Suggs, Jalen Green, Jonathan Kuminga and Evan Mobley.
A bit of luck (and tanking) could see the Warriors with two lottery picks. An insane amount of luck could watch them win two picks in the top five. Or, they could strike out altogether and end up with nothing. The 2021 NBA Draft Lottery and the remainder of the season will be pivotal for the Dubs.