The NBA Draft Lottery is the evening which makes Knicks fans, Bulls fans, and Wizards fans tremble in their boots. Lottery night is also the night where a few select teams get lucky and get the chance to alter the course of their franchise. For the Golden State Warriors, Thursday night may have just been the evening to alter the course of their franchise and extend their dynasty.
Going into the night with equal odds at the No. 1 pick in the 2020 NBA Draft, the Warriors were able to stay in the top five and landed the second selection. The Timberwolves jumped up to No. 1 and the Hornets and Bulls went from seventh and eighth to third and fourth.
For Golden State, they now have a top pick to pair with their core of All-Stars that includes Stephen Curry, Klay Thompson, Andrew Wiggins, and Draymond Green. Although Green and Wiggins may not be in the long-term plans for the franchise, their assets have been revamped in recent months.
So what do the Warriors do with the second pick? They could trade the pick altogether, trade down, or use the selection and hope they can select the franchise-changing player to slide into a lineup which includes two of the best shooters to ever play in the NBA.
Here is one trade scenario:
Who says no?
— MJ Hurley (@Mjhurley47) August 21, 2020
Milwaukee Bucks receive:
Andrew Wiggins, GSW 2020 first-round pick (#2), MIN 2021 first-round pick (top-three-protected), GSW 2021 first-round pick, GSW 2022 first-round pick.
Golden State Warriors receive: Giannis Antetokounmpo. pic.twitter.com/cJN3UBc8SJ
This trade matches with salary. Wiggins would be a solid wing to pair with Khris Middleton and the overwhelming amount of picks they would receive allows for them to retool in the event that they cannot re-sign Giannis Antetokounmpo. Is it likely that Antetokounmpo will leave Milwaukee? No. Is it possible? Yes. The star forward has stated his intention to stay in Milwaukee. If their 2020 playoff run ends prematurely, there may be rumblings of trouble in paradise for the Bucks and the Greek Freak.
Many experts have looked at former Memphis big man James Wiesman as a candidate to be selected by the Warriors. Although his size would be an excellent addition to the dangerous Golden State lineup, Steve Kerr runs a very different system that favors a smaller lineup more similar to the Houston Rockets.
LaMelo Ball would be a guy whose three-point shooting affections may link him to Golden State. However, his inefficiency, his family situation, and the guards he would play behind all make him an unlikely choice. No. 2 overall picks are drafted to start, play, and make a difference now. A second overall pick is not drafted to be the sixth man. Unfortunately, this would apply to every single player in the 2020 NBA Draft other than Wiesman.
With all of this in mind, there is little telling what the Warriors will do. Bob Myers and the Golden State front office have proven with moves like signing Kevin Durant that it is extremely difficult to predict their actions. So, for Warriors fans, enjoy the thought of having Curry and Thompson back healthy. Know that whatever kind of roster surrounds them next season, the Splash Brothers will be back in business with a dangerous cast in the Chase Center.
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