The Golden State Warriors find themselves in an interesting, if not advantageous, position as they move full-steam ahead toward the NBA Draft next month. Klay Thompson, Stephen Curry and Draymond Green return to form a core group that could contend for the NBA title next season. And on top of that, they hold the No. 2 overall pick in this year's draft.
What Warriors general manager Bob Myers does with that pick -- whether it's flipping it, trading down or using it -- has been the topic of conversation for months. He's come out and said the team will "consider" trading the pick, but he's not committed to anything. But if the organization stands pat, it's looking increasingly likely that, if James Wiseman is available, they'll be passing. Here's what The San Francisco Chronicle's Connor Letourneau reported on that front this week:
"Everyone I've talked to in the organization doesn't feel comfortable spending the kind of money associated with an early lottery pick on a center when Golden State prefers to play a position-less, up-tempo style. Odds are that the Warriors will round out their center rotation in free agency."
If this holds true, it would almost certainly rule out Wiseman, the 7-foot-1 center from Memphis who is widely viewed as a consensus top-five prospect. It could also rule out the possibility of the Warriors trading down to address the position with USC one-and-done center Onyeka Okongwu looming as a clear lottery prospect as well.
It's still pretty difficult to determine what is news and noise with respect to any NBA Draft buzz, however, because even a month out, teams have not yet been able to interview or work out prospects in person.
Nonetheless, this falls in line not only with how the NBA is moving -- where the value of centers and power forwards are slightly devalued, particularly on teams like Golden State -- but also with recent reports coming out of Golden State. Just six months ago, you might remember, a report came out indicating the Warriors weren't high on LaMelo Ball or Wiseman, considered two of the top five players in this class, because they had their eyes on Israeli forward Deni Avdija.
Should the Warriors plan to address the center position via free agency and hang on to their pick, it could set them up to select Georgia wing Anthony Edwards, Iowa State guard Tyrese Haliburton or even the aforementioned Ball, who are all likely in play at the No. 2 spot.
