As the 2020 NBA Draft finally and mercifully draws nears, the Warriors have been connected to just about every prospect on the planet. From James Wiseman to the kid who lights up the local Y, you bet the Warriors reportedly are interested.
There also has been a lot of chatter about the Warriors trading the No. 2 pick and moving down in order to recoup assets and still get a player they covet in the mid-lottery. Perhaps that's the smart choice for Steve Kerr and Bob Myers in a draft with no generational talent.
While that might be the case, the Warriors are eager to make a selection at No. 2, The Athletic's Anthony Slater reported Tuesday.
Stay in the game with the latest updates on your beloved Bay Area and California sports teams! Sign up here for our All Access Daily newsletter.
"Team sources continue to indicate an expectation and even an eagerness to use the second pick and infuse the roster with a young talent that title contenders so rarely get a chance to draft. But the right offer in the next three weeks could certainly pivot them in another direction," Slater wrote.
The Warriors do have an opportunity that is not normally afforded to teams of their status.
After five straight trips to the NBA Finals, the Warriors bottomed out last year after injuries and exhaustion ended their run in the 2019 NBA Finals. With Klay Thompson out for the season and Steph Curry breaking his hand four games into the year, the Warriors took the 2019-20 season to rest and reboot the dynasty, mapping a course forward.
That course included, obviously, a healthy Curry and Thompson, the integration of Andrew Wiggins, the resurrection of Draymond Green and the addition of a new, young talent who could help their title quest immediately before taking over as the face of the franchise when Curry is phasing out.
Golden State Warriors
James Wiseman, Anthony Edwards, LaMelo Ball and Deni Avdija all are talented prospects with the potential to grow into NBA stars. If drafted by the Warriors, they would fit into a role immediately and not have the weight of expectations thrust on them as so many young prospects do who are anointed as the savior of losing franchises.
RELATED: Why Penny thinks Wiseman would be 'spectacular' for Warriors
It's an ideal situation to be in, and one that is rarely given to teams still in the middle of a dynastic run.
A trade might end up being the prudent choice, especially if a player like Obi Toppin, Saddiq Bey, Tyrese Haliburton or Isaac Okoro is at the top of the Warriors' board. But if it's one of the now Big Four, with Avdija joining the mix, the Warriors should be excited to add their next superstar while still being in Curry, Thompson and Green's prime.
It simultaneously sets them up to return to the top of the NBA next season and charts a clear path for life post-Curry.