Report: Warriors ‘working to trade’ No. 28 pick in NBA draft originally appeared on NBC Sports Bayarea
Wait, the NBA draft is this week?
That’s what many Warriors fans certainly are thinking to themselves after the Dubs won their fourth championship in the last eight years last Thursday and then celebrated with a championship parade on Monday. But yes, the draft is already here and the Warriors have the No. 28 pick in the first round, along with the No. 51 and No. 57 picks in the second round.
Even though the Warriors have had success with picking late in the first round before – Jordan Poole was taken 28th in 2019 and Kevon Looney was drafted 30th in 2015 – could Bob Myers and Co. decide to trade out of the pick this year?
Sports Illustrated’s Jeremy Woo reported Monday, citing sources, that the Warriors are “working to trade” the No. 28 pick given their sizable payroll and the “need to integrate James Wiseman, Jonathan Kuminga and Moses Moody into the rotation next season.”
Woo’s reporting comes within his mock draft, where he pegs Milwaukee forward James Baldwin to the Dubs at No. 28 if they keep the selection.
“Baldwin remains an acquired taste due to his injury history and frustrating year in college, but continues to draw first-round interest based on his size and potentially elite three-point shooting,” Woo writes.
Trading the pick for a future asset would not be a surprise. As Woo notes, the Warriors already have a record payroll and want to integrate their recent lottery picks into a veteran rotation who will be champing at the bit to defend their title.
The Warriors know with 100 percent certainty that Steph Curry, Klay Thompson, and Draymond Green will be back. While key pieces Jordan Poole and Andrew Wiggins are eligible for extensions, both are under contract for next season regardless. They’ll be back as well.
Golden State reportedly will try to bring back free agents Kevon Looney and Gary Payton II, while Wiseman, Moody and Kuminga all will be given the opportunity to show what they can do with increased minutes.
That’s 10 roster spots already accounted for, not to mention any free-agent additions or the returns of incumbents Andre Iguodala, Otto Porter Jr., Nemanja Bjelica, Juan Toscano-Anderson and Damion Lee, some of whom certainly could return.
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While adding a young asset to a veteran core has worked for the Warriors in the past, they might decide that it might not be worth it for this season given their roster compilation.
Regardless, we will find out soon, with the 2022 NBA Draft set for 5 p.m. on Thursday from Barclays Center in Brooklyn, N.Y.