NBA News: Warriors Not Feeling Any ‘Pressure’ To Trade This Year’s Top Pick, Bob Myers Says

Golden State Warriors president of basketball operations Bob Myers revealed that none of the organization’s leading stars have applied any pressure on him to trade its guaranteed top-five pick in the 2020 NBA Draft, ESPN reported on Monday.

“Those guys are great,” Myers said, in reference to multiple-time All-Stars Stephen Curry, Klay Thompson, and Draymond Green.

“They want to win, we want to win. I don’t feel any pressure from any of them to a certain thing. I know it’s been written that we need to win now and they need to get a proven player. They’ve not said that to me. Maybe they would at some point, I have no idea. But I think they know, and if they obviously want to talk about it, they can call me or I’ll call them and get their thoughts. I’ve already kind of joked with them and asked them what they like [about] certain players.”

As explained by ESPN, the Warriors will be entering this year’s draft with a 14 percent chance of getting the first overall selection but also facing a lot of uncertainty regarding the 2020 rookie class. Aside from the uncharacteristic lack of a clear-cut favorite for the top pick, Myers noted that it’s possible his team will be choosing a player that he has yet to watch in person, due to travel restrictions brought about by the coronavirus pandemic over the past several months.

While Myers admitted this could make for an “uncomfortable” situation, the executive added that at least one member of his staff has gotten to watch all of the top 15 to 20 prospects play at least once.

Regarding the talk of whether Golden State should hang on to this year’s first-round choice or include it in a trade package for a proven star who could contribute right away, Myers pointed out that there are several variables that could determine the organization’s course of action. But even with the pre-draft situation uncharacteristically fluid for the entire NBA, the executive stressed that this gives everyone an “even playing field” in the lead-up to this year’s draft.

So far, there has been a number of players that have been named in the past as potential first-round choices for the Warriors. As reported by The Inquisitr in June, the organization could go with Georgia Bulldogs guard Anthony Edwards if it ends up with the No. 1 pick, while prospects such as Tyrese Haliburton (Iowa State), Isaac Okoro (Auburn), and Deni Avdija (Maccabi Tel Aviv) were mentioned as options should the team select between No. 2 and No. 5. Bleacher Report also wrote that Memphis Tigers center James Wiseman could be a potential top choice who could give the Warriors a stronger inside presence.