© Patrick Gorski | 2019 May 14
The 2020 season was rough for the Golden State Warriors. On Thursday we saw the light at the end of the tunnel.
The Warriors, whose 15-50 record was the worst in the NBA this season, will pick second in October’s NBA Draft. The Minnesota Timberwolves, who the Warriors traded D’Angelo Russell to in exchange for Andrew Wiggins just a few months ago, will pick first.
The Warriors had a 14 percent chance of picking first, 13.4 percent to pick second, 12.7 percent to pick third, 12 percent to pick fourth and 47.9 percent to pick fifth. Considering those odds, Golden State is likely quite satisfied with how the ping pong balls landed.
Now comes the hard part. There is no consensus number one player in this year’s draft, with most analysts pegging center James Wiseman, guard Anthony Edwards and guard LaMelo Ball as the top three players. According to Adrian Wojanrowski, Bob Myers is going to aggressively shop the pick, likely in a package with other assets, before the draft in the hope of landing another star player to extend Golden State’s championship window.
For what it’s worth if the Warriors keep the pick, ESPN is mocking Edwards as their selection at No. 2. Here’s who the top 15 picks shook out:
14. Celtics
13. Pelicans
12. Kings
11. Spurs
10. Suns
9. Wizards
8. Knicks
7. Pistons
6. Hawks
5. Cavaliers
4. Bulls
3. Hornets
2. Warriors
1. Timberwolves