Getty Golden State Warriors general manager Bob Myers, left, and Warriors head coach Steve Kerr stand on stage during a news conference at the Warriors headquarters.
The Golden State Warriors will have the option to select two rookies in this year’s NBA Draft, both of which will fall inside the lottery.
The league released its draft order on Tuesday, June 22. The Warriors will pick 14th based on the team’s performance over the course of the regular season. However, Golden State will also select a player at No. 7 following a pick conveyed from the Minnesota Timberwolves via a trade made last year that sent Andrew Wiggins to the Bay Area and D’Angelo Russell to the T-Wolves.
Warriors to Select Again at Lucky No. 7 Spot in NBA Draft
GettyGolden State Warriors guard Steph Curry.
The Warriors have somewhat of a storied history picking seventh in the NBA draft.
According to reporter Monte Poole, of NBCS, since the era of the draft lottery began, only one pick at No. 7 has ended up a Hall of Fame player. That was Chris Mullin, who was selected by the Warriors in 1985.
Golden State has also had the seventh pick on two other occasions. In 2009, they used it to select Steph Curry — already arguably the best player in franchise history. Three years later, they picked up Harrison Barnes at No. 7 — an eventual starter on a championship team.
Warriors 1st pick in the 2021 NBA Draft is at No. 7
-Only 7 pick in the lotto era in the Hall of Fame: Mullin
-Only 7 pick in the lotto era a lock for the Hall: Curry
-Mullin drafted 2 dozen years before Curry
-Curry drafted 1 dozen years before 2021
Do u believe in luck?
Will Warriors Actually Make Both Picks in Draft Lottery?
GettyGolden State Warriors forward Draymond Green and head coach Steve Kerr during Game Two of the 2019 NBA Finals.
Bob Myers, Warriors president of basketball operations, spoke to media members following the NBA’s draft announcement Tuesday, indicating that the team does not yet know how it will utilize the new cache of first-round selections just added to its arsenal.
Golden State is in a unique position, with three aging superstars under contract and a treasure trove of young assets not likely to pan out entirely on the same timeline.
Warriors owner Joe Lacob on Monday spoke to the likelihood of trading last year’s No. 2 overall pick, James Wiseman, saying the prospect is “very unlikely” and citing the league’s luxury and repeater taxes as economic realities that make trading Wiseman for a hefty contract largely unfeasible.
Putting aside for the moment how honest, or dishonest, Lacob was being during his conversation on The TK Show podcast with Tim Kawakami of The Athletic, the Warriors have a “win now” roster that they can continue to improve by packaging their youthful assets for more established pieces. Myers spoke to the situation in an interview Tuesday.
Bob Myers, post lottery, expressing a willingness to add two more rookies at 7th and 14th to a Warriors roster that should be in win-now mode: “Harrison (Barnes), the seventh pick, helped us as a rookie.”
Full soundbite from Myers
“That depends. If that’s the best thing to do, that’s what we’ll do,” Myers said of adding two rookies to the roster in one year. “We’ll see who they are, who’s there, how much we like them.”
“There’s some guys that are older that can help you more, there’s young guys that can help you, but then you weigh it against what you can do with those picks,” Myers continued. “I have no idea right now what we can do with (picks) 14 or 7, or them together, and I’m sure we’ll find out and make the best decision we can.”
Myers said that Curry, Klay Thompson and Draymond Green will all be involved in discussions about what the Warriors should do with either or both of their lottery picks. Precisely what value those picks hold is not likely to become clear until a week or two before the draft actually begins. Draft night is set for July 29.
“I don’t think it will be a situation where we’re trying to develop players at the risk of losing,” Myers said.