- Editor's note: A previous version of this story incorrectly stated that the Warriors definitively would keep their first-round pick. As of this writing, it's still possible Golden State finishes with a top-10 record in the NBA. NBC Sports Bay Area regrets the error, and an updated version of the story is as follows.
The Warriors likely will keep their 2021 first-round draft pick, which was sent with protection to the Oklahoma City Thunder as part of the Kelly Oubre trade.
The selection was protected if it fell within the first 20 draft picks, and the Warriors on Tuesday inched closer to not finishing with a top-10 record.
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The Los Angeles Lakers' overtime win over the New York Knicks at Staples Center made it a near certainty the Warriors won't finish with one of the NBA's 10 best records this season. LA can finish with no fewer than 39 wins, while Golden State can finish with no more than 39.
The Lakers would have to lose each of their three remaining games and a tiebreaker conducted by the league for the Warriors to finish above them in the draft order. Nine teams already have 40 wins this season, and as many as three more aside from the Lakers could, too.
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In the aftermath of Klay Thompson's season-ending injury, the Warriors traded that conditional first-round pick along with a 2021 second-round draft pick to the Thunder for Oubre.
Golden State Warriors
If the Warriors retain their first-rounder, Oklahoma City instead will get the Minnesota Timberwolves' second-round selection the Warriors got in the Andrew Wiggins-D'Angelo Russell trade.
It potentially could be the Warriors' only pick in the 2021 NBA Draft's first round, depending on the results from the draft lottery. Minnesota also sent Golden State its 2021 first-round pick in the Wiggins trade, but it is top-three protected.