Report: Warriors ownership to push for LaMelo if Wiseman gone

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For months, we've heard countless rumors and tidbits about what the Warriors plan to do with the No. 2 pick in the 2020 NBA Draft. Each one has contradicted the last, and with the draft nine days away we still don't have a clear idea of what the Warriors plan to do.

They reportedly like James Wiseman, Anthony Edwards and Deni Avdija. The smart money seems to be on them drafting Wiseman if he's still available. The Minnesota Timberwolves, who own the No. 1 pick, reportedly really like Wiseman and the Charlotte Hornets, who sit at No. 3, reportedly are trying to move up to No. 1 to take Wiseman.

So, if Wiseman is off the board, where would the Warriors go? The logical choice is either Edwards or Avdija, but don't count out LaMelo Ball.

Bleacher Report's Jonathan Wasserman reported that a source told him there is a rumor going around the NBA that Warriors ownership could force the front office to take Ball if Wiseman is off the board. Another source close to the Warriors told Wasserman that there are "both pro-Ball and anti-Ball voices in the front office."

So, what do we make of this?

It seems like just another bit of disinformation the Warriors are letting leak out to further muddy the waters. It's hard for me to believe that ownership would force Bob Myers to draft a player he doesn't believe in at the No. 2 pick. That's something that losing franchises like the New York Knicks do. The ownership trusts Myers and coach Steve Kerr, as they should, to select the player they think will help the current core contend for an NBA title and grow into the next face of the franchise.

Now, could that player actually be Ball? It remains a possibility, although not a likely one. Ball is a talented but inefficient scorer. He's a tremendous passer with troubling turnover numbers. His shot mechanics are not ideal and his effort on defense is lacking.

There's no doubt the Warriors would be a good situation for Ball to land in. He wouldn't have to bear a ton of pressure and could flourish in the Warriors' system as a secondary ball-handler and catch-and-shoot threat as he develops and hones his game.

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If Wiseman goes at No. 1, it feels like the Warriors will have to make a tough decision. Will they take Edwards, Avdija or Ball at No. 2 and live with it, or will they try and move down the board a few spots to draft a player like Tyrese Haliburton who they reportedly are high on?

The Warriors no doubt have a plan, but it could all change depending on what the Minnesota Timberwolves do at No. 1. That's what makes the draft so much fun.

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