11 pitchers’ duel after 9 becomes 93 Giants rout in the 13th.
After learning that he’ll pick seventh and 14th in July’s NBA draft, Warriors general manager Bob Myers offered some variation of the same answer to a wide range of questions about draft possibilities: “I don’t know.”
Who can blame him? With five weeks until decision day, Myers is still in the informationgathering stage. Here is a breakdown of the Warriors’ options with the seventh and 14th selections:
Option 1: Trade picks for a proven player
The Warriors are probably at least one big differencemaker away from title contention next season. Unfortunately for them, Minnesota’s topthreeprotected 2021 pick conveyed to them at No. 7 — not in the top five.
It’ll be tough for the Warriors to put together an offer for an AllStarlevel player, given that there is a major dropoff in the market value for prospects after the first five or six picks. That hardly means that Golden State can’t get a proven rotation player.
If the Warriors pair the Nos. 7 and 14 picks with someone such as Damion Lee or Eric Paschall, they could give themselves a chance at someone the caliber of Utah’s Joe Ingles or Jordan Clarkson. Such a possibility would fit Golden State’s winnow timeline and give it an unquestioned sixth man.
But if that’s not feasible, the Warriors might try to acquire a slightly lowerlevel player such as Cleveland’s Larry Nance Jr., Toronto’s Rodney Hood or Memphis’ Kyle Anderson. It would be a calculated risk. Though players are sure to be taken in the mid to late lottery who will have better careers than Nance, Hood and Anderson, the Warriors might prefer to have more of a proven commodity.
As this past season illustrated, they can’t afford to waste much more time. Stephen Curry is 33; Klay Thompson — fresh off two years lost to injury — and Draymond Green are 31. At least players like Nance, Hood and Anderson could slide into a clear rotation role. Even if the Warriors take an older prospect at seven or 14, they’d have to deal with some rookie mistakes.
Option 2: Move up in the draft
The Warriors, like every other team, would love to have a topfive pick in this draft. Oklahoma State’s Cade Cunningham, USC’s Evan Mobley, Gonzaga’s Jalen Suggs, and G League Ignite’s Jalen Green and Jonathan Kuminga are all considered potential franchise cornerstones.
But given how prized those prospects are, it’ll be tricky for the Warriors to trade into the top five. Packaging the seventh and 14th picks might not even be enough to move up to No. 5. To get a team in the top five to answer the phone, the Warriors might have to offer a package that includes an established rotation player — as well as their two lottery picks.
The franchise that might be most willing to talk is Cleveland, which owns the No. 3 pick. The Cavaliers have centered their rebuild on guards Collin Sexton and Darius Garland, but the two players who make the most sense at No. 3 — Suggs and Green — are also guards.
Perhaps the Warriors could entice Cleveland into giving up that pick for No. 7, No. 14 and someone like Jordan Poole. That would be a lot to offer, but Golden State might be willing if it meant bringing in a prospect the caliber of Suggs or Green.
The Warriors are quite high on both of those players, and the reasons are obvious. Suggs is a savvy point guard who could be a solid sixth man for Golden State next season, with the potential to blossom into a perennial AllStar. Green — a Fresno native who attended prep school in Napa — boasts a rare blend of athleticism and skill that has earned him comparisons to Kobe Bryant.
Option 3: Keep both picks
Warriors majority owner Joe Lacob has said he’d be fine if Golden State takes two players in the lottery, which might be his way of tempering fans’ expectations. Speculation has been rampant in recent weeks about trade packages the Warriors could put together for an AllStarcaliber player. But with the seventh and 14th picks, they might have a hard time finding a deal that makes sense.
Golden State could have worse options than using two lottery picks in a loaded draft. Though most experts believe there is a significant dropoff in the quality of prospect after the top six players, the Warriors should have no problem finding players in the 714 range who could help them next season.
Baylor point guard Davion Mitchell, widely expected to go in the midlottery, is a readymade prospect whose onball defense and efficient scoring would give him a chance at the top eight of the Warriors’ rotation. Other players such as Michigan forward Franz Wagner, Gonzaga forward Corey Kispert and Oregon guard Chris Duarte could thrive in floorspacing roles with Golden State.
But if the Warriors keep both picks, they might want to use one on a highupside project who’d need time to develop. Players who fit that bill include Stanford forward Ziaire Williams, Tennessee guard Keon Johnson, Texas center Kai Jones, Australian point guard Josh Giddey and Spanish big man Usman Garuba.
Though the Warriors don’t necessarily want to get much younger, their top priority is to vault back into contention next season while still setting themselves up for longterm relevance. The Nos. 7 and 14 picks could help them accomplish both those objectives.
Bottom line: The Warriors are likelier to keep both picks than many might realize, but plenty can change between now and the July 29 draft.