The Golden State Warriors hold two lottery picks in the upcoming NBA Draft, but an insider believes the team could trade them – along with one of their brightest young stars – for the chance to move up. at the top of the selection table.

The Warriors hold their own picks at No.14 and No.7 for the Minnesota Timberwolves, one of the top three protected picks from last year’s D’Angelo Russell trade who transferred to Golden State. But some believe the Warriors, who are set to enter the 2021-22 season in a win-win mode – now with the return of Klay Thompson, may not have the time or patience to develop more young players and could instead do a gesture to grab someone who could have a more immediate impact.

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Warriors in Draft Blockbuster

There had been ongoing speculation over the past season about the Warriors’ commitment to developing rookie center James Wiseman. The big man showed flashes of strong play, but struggled at times to fit into the team’s movement offense and had some difficulty adjusting to life in the NBA. This has led many to speculate that Golden State might trade Wiseman for a player better suited to help immediate plans. Project expert Jonathan Givony believes there is a possibility that this will happen – along with a few other perks.

Appearing on the “The Lowe Post” with Zach Lowe from ESPN, Givony was asked about a hypothetical deal that the Warriors would send Wiseman and the No.7 and 14 picks to the Detroit Pistons in exchange for the No.1 overall pick in this year’s draft. While Lowe said it was hard to imagine the Pistons wanting to part ways with the pick, Givony admitted the proposal seemed intriguing for the Warriors.

“The Warriors are one of the great stories we’re going to be following for sure. Not just because they move the needle, but because their situation is so interesting. What is Steph going to do in a year? Wiseman basically? As you may remember, I was not a James Wiseman guy and I was not shocked by the year he was in. I do not subscribe to the theory that what DeAndre Ayton is doing now should make them feel better DeAndre Ayton was a prospect 10 times better than James Wiseman.

“And yes, I think Detroit would definitely look into that. They were among the teams who would have loved Wiseman a year ago. So it could be an interesting initiative for them. But their fans would be disappointed with that, I think.

Warriors Committed to Wiseman

It’s unclear just how willing the Warriors may be to part ways with Wiseman. While there have been rumors that the young center could be dealt with at the deadline, the team not only kept him out of the trading bloc, but also publicly pledged to keep him in. starting training until the last part of the season. While Wiseman’s season was ultimately cut short with injury, he retained an important role in the rotation until then and then gained public approval from his coach and the team owner.

“He’s so promising and so talented, and we are devastated for him with this injury,” said head coach Steve Kerr after Wiseman underwent end-of-season surgery, via NBC Sports Bay Area. “It’s shameful. He’s had such a bad patch between being out of training camp, then the wrist injury and now this.

“But he’s a really promising talent and a great young man.”

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