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Ahead of the 2020 NBA Draft, the Golden State Warriors find themselves in a rare position. Typically, they are selecting late in the first round, following a deep playoff, but the team dealt with several injuries and earned the second overall pick after posting the worst record in the NBA.
Armed with a high draft pick for the first time in years, the Warriors have quite a few options to consider when they are on the clock. The team has been rumored into wanting to trade down in order to acquire players that can help them win now but it remains to be seen if another team is willing to move up.
Of course, the Warriors could keep the pick and make a selection. According to Mike Schmitz of ESPN, citing agents and executives around the league, James Wiseman is considered to be the most likely pick for the Warriors if they hold onto the pick. He would help fill a need in the frontcourt and his athleticism makes him a good fit with the Warriors’ style of play.
Head coach Steve Kerr has said publicly that the Warriors need a jolt of athleticism, and Wiseman is one of the most physically impressive centers we’ve ever evaluated. While Wiseman is not the most NBA-ready prospect given his three-game college career and still-evolving feel, the Warriors will likely want to both fill a need at center and select a future building block here. Wiseman satisfies both.
While Wiseman appears to be the choice for the Warriors if they standpat, the prevailing thought is they would likely benefit more by trading down and adding players that can contribute immediately. Given that the Warriors are a likely title contender next season, they would benefit greatly by acquiring more help so it will be worth monitoring to see if they can find a trade partner and move down on Nov. 18.
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