NBA Rumors: Warriors Should Trade 2020 First-Round Pick For ‘Veteran Who Can Come In And Contribute’

The Golden State Warriors may have finished the 2019-20 NBA season as one of the worst teams in the Western Conference, but they don’t intend to rot at the bottom of the league for long. Aside from making sure that their championship core of Stephen Curry, Klay Thompson, and Draymond Green will be in perfect shape next year, the Warriors are also expected to find ways to improve their current roster. Using their own 2020 first-round pick, Golden State will be given the opportunity to add another young and promising talent that they could develop into a legitimate superstar.

However, with the absence of a generational talent in the upcoming draft, former Warriors coach PJ Carlesimo believes that team is better off using their precious draft asset to acquire a player that could immediately make an impact. In a recent appearance on KNBR 680, Carlesimo said that the Warriors should strongly consider trading their 2020 first-round pick for a “veteran who can come in and contribute.”

“There’s not a Zion (Williamson). There’s not somebody that’s really gonna impact the Western Conference race,” Carlesimo said, as quoted by Drew Shiller of NBC Sports Bay Area. “If they’re able to get a veteran who can come in and contribute — yeah, I think that’s the way to go. They’re gonna know what’s available there (in a trade). I still think they’re looking more now. If those two guys (Steph Curry and Klay Thompson) are healthy, what’s the piece that’s gonna make the team a little bit better? That’s all anybody is gonna be able to do. The nucleus is still there, they’re gonna be in the hunt.”

It may not be as talented as the previous year, but there’s still plenty of intriguing prospects in the 2020 NBA Draft like Anthony Edwards, LaMelo Ball, and James Wiseman. However, Edwards and Ball would only create a logjam to the Warriors’ backcourt that already has the Splash Brothers of Curry and Thompson. Meanwhile, though Wiseman could somewhat address their much-needed upgrade at the center position, it would be too risky for the Warriors to trust their future on a 19-year-old big man.

As of now, it might really be the best option for the Warriors to trade their 2020 first-round pick for a quality veteran that could complement their core. Though the season is still far from over, Golden State has already been linked to some players expected to be available on the trading block this fall. These include Giannis Antetokounmpo of the Milwaukee Bucks, John Collins of the Atlanta Hawks, Kelly Oubre Jr. of the Phoenix Suns, and Marcus Smart of the Boston Celtics.