NBA confirms Golden State Warriors potential offseason trade asset
The Golden State Warriors will select 19th in the 2023 NBA Draft after a random draw broke the tiebreaker between the defending champions, the Miami Heat, and the Los Angeles Clippers.
Each of the three teams finished the regular season record with a 44-38 record, meaning the draw would determine draft positioning. The Heat won it and will select 18th, the Warriors 19th, and the Clippers 20th.
The 19th overall pick should be a trade asset for the Golden State Warriors given the young talent already on the roster.
Quite incredibly, this will be the first time in history (since 1947) that Golden State selects 19th in the NBA Draft. Whether they keep the pick is a different question altogether, particularly given the franchise’s recent focus on the draft.
The Warriors have been criticized this season for the raft of young, developing players on the roster. They pivoted slightly by dealing James Wiseman at February’s trade deadline, but they still have four players from the last two drafts — Jonathan Kuminga, Moses Moody, Patrick Baldwin Jr. and Ryan Rollins.
Do the Warriors need another developmental player for the future? Probably not, but perhaps they can identify a ready-made player through the draft with the 19th selection. Golden State may be wise to try and deal the pick for a more experienced player, though that would have to include a current player to match salaries.
Speaking of salaries, the 19th overall pick is estimated to make $3.3 million next season according to GSWCBA on Twitter. Part of the Warriors’ focus on the draft has come because of the need for minimum-level players on the roster, which will only be heightened with the new CBA restricting access to the taxpayer mid-level exception in free agency.
Golden State’s decision may come down to what they do with Rollins, the 44th pick from last year’s draft who had his season cut short due to foot surgery. The 20-year-old showed promise in the G League but looks a fair way from being an impactful rotation player.
Next. Golden State Warriors: Kerr won’t be tempted to increase Curry’s minutes. dark
The last five 19th overall picks include Jake LaRavia, Kai Jones, Saddiq Bey, Luka Samanic and Kevin Huerter. The 2023 NBA Draft will take place at Barclays Center in Brooklyn on June 22.