The Golden State Warriors have been one of the few reported teams to scout LaMelo Ball during his time in the NBL. After being rumored to be one of the franchises planning to go take a scouting trip to Australia, general manager Bob Myers still took a fact-finding trip to Wollongong after Ball’s injury.
However, despite the scouting, Golden State may not be all that enamored with Ball. According to Connor Letourneau of the San Francisco Chronicle, if the Warriors land a top pick, drafting Ball may be far down the list.
According to league sources, the Warriors would probably try to trade down or out of the draft if they landed the top selection. The problem is that the market value for that pick won’t be nearly as high as it is in stronger drafts.
While the Warriors have scouted Ball, there have also been multiple reports suggesting that Golden State may not view prospects at the top of the draft as good fits. First, there was a report that the Warriors weren’t “infatuated” with the top prospects. There have also been reports that teams are wary of drafting Ball.
It makes sense for the Warriors to be hesitant to draft Ball considering their current roster makeup. Even after trading D’Angelo Russell, the Warriors still have Steph Curry and Klay Thompson. The trade of Russell would seem to indicate the team does not like the idea having another lead guard on the roster.
Whether it’s the fit that turns them off or the idea of forcing another guard into the rotation, Ball figures to be a lead guard that will need the ball in his hands. That’s far from the Warriors’ egalitarian style of offense.
And Golden State is a team focused on winning now that also holds a Traded Player Exception of $17 million that could be paired with the top pick to land an immediate impact player as opposed to a long-term prospect.
As great as the franchise’s track record is, Ball landing in San Francisco appears unlikely.