While a group of teams are battling for playoff position in the Orlando Bubble, it’s officially shifted to draft season in the Bay Area. With the league’s worst record, the Golden State Warriors will have the opportunity to land a pick in the top-five of the NBA Draft.
The 2020 edition of the draft will be the first time the Warriors make a top-five selection since 2002 when they added Mike Dunleavy Jr. out of Duke.
After waiting through the start of their extended offseason, the Warriors will get some clarity on their draft outlook when the NBA Lottery kicks into action on Aug. 20.
According to Shams Charania of The Athletic, 14 teams will have the chance to send a virtual representative to the draft lottery.
Via @ShamsCharania on Twitter:
The NBA plans to hold the Aug. 20 Draft Lottery virtually, with 14 team representatives appearing via virtual display, sources tell @TheAthleticNBA @Stadium.
— Shams Charania (@ShamsCharania) August 10, 2020
With the lottery approaching, the Warriors are still deciding on who they should send as a representative according to Connor Letourneau of the San Francisco Chronicle. Letourneau noted the Warriors have been “encouraged” to send a well-known player as their representative.
Via The San Francisco Chronicle:
According to a league source, the Warriors have yet to decide on a representative, but they’ve been encouraged by the NBA to send a well-known player.
According to Tankathon.com, Golden State has a 14% chance of landing the top pick, a 13.4% for No. 2, a 12.7% for No. 3, a 12.0% chance for No. 4 and a 47.9% shot of securing the No. 5 pick.
While every pick in the top-five holds power, the difference from one through five can swing the outcome of a draft. Where the Warriors draft clock begins can play a significant factor in prospect caliber and trade value.
With a star-studded cast filling the Warriors’ roster, Joe Lacob and Peter Guber will have options like Steph Curry, Klay Thompson, Draymond Green and former top-pick Andrew Wiggins to chose from for representatives. Whoever the Warriors land on will need to bring their virtual good luck charm to help Golden State’s draft position.
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