Warriors could still get their hands on mountainous college phenom in NBA Draft

Zach Edey presents as one of the most fascinating prospects in this year's NBA draft, with opinion divided on where the Purdue big man will end up. The 22-year-old is expected to go in the first-round, well above the Golden State Warriors only current selection that sits at 52nd overall.

The Canadian became a phenom at the college level over recent seasons, having won Player of the Year in back-to-back years among a series of other individual awards. Yet while he led Purdue to the NCAA championship game this season, serious doubts remain on Edey's ability to translate his old-school style to the modern NBA.

The Golden State Warriors could orchestrate a trade that results in them getting one of the most fascinating draft prospects in Zach Edey

The Warriors may have ushered in the modern game thanks to the devastating backcourt of Stephen Curry and Klay Thompson, yet as they aim to retool their roster and reignite championship hopes this offseason, there's an argument to be made that they need a dominant scoring center to complement the defensive styles of Trayce Jackson-Davis and Kevon Looney.

Pairing a dominant low post presence like Edey with Curry, Thompson and company would certainly be a major risk. However, at the very least it would give Golden State a big body to utilize in certain matchups, with Edey's 7'4" frame towering over any player currently on the Warrior roster.

So, how could Golden State get their hands on Edey, or another first-round draft prospect for that matter? Well, in a recent article looking at one trade for every NBA team, Bleacher Report's Zach Buckley proposed that the Philadelphia 76ers trade their 16th overall pick for Warrior wing Moses Moody.

This deal would actually make some sense for Golden State who have notoriously failed to provide Moody with enough opportunity over his first three seasons. If the franchise is still unsure on the 21-year-old's role going forward, then perhaps they may be motivated to try their chances on another prospect who could prove more impactful.

It's also a trade that would save the Warriors millions in luxury tax, with Moody projected to make nearly $2.5 million more than the 16th pick would next season. With that selection, the Warriors could well get their hands on Edey who is currently projected to go 15th in ESPN's latest mock draft, while Bleacher Report and The Ringer have him going 19th and 25th respectively.

Given the Warriors success at last year's draft, maybe this is the sort of under-the-radar trade that could prove important were Edey (or another prospect) to blossom into a star despite the pessimistic view on this year's class.