The Warriors' season flashed before their eyes Wednesday night when Steph Curry broke his left hand during a loss to the Phoenix Suns.
Golden State fell to 1-3 with the loss and could fall into a deeper hole in the extended absence of the two-time MVP. A worse record normally would lead to a higher draft position, but the Warriors traded their 2020 first-round pick as part of the D'Angelo Russell sign-and-trade for Kevin Durant.
But, the Brooklyn Nets won't necessarily own the Warriors' pick.
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As ESPN's Marcus Spears reminded his followers on Twitter on Wednesday, the Warriors' first-round pick is top-20 protected.
If the Warriors' draft pick falls in the top 20 this spring, they ultimately would owe the Nets a 2025 second-round pick. For reference, Golden State doesn't currently have any players under contract beyond 2024.
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Golden State Warriors
Curry's recovery timeline is unknown. Warriors general manager Bob Myers told NBC Sports Bay Area's Kerith Burke that Curry next will undergo a CT scan.