Getty Washington Wizards shooting guard Bradley Beal and Golden State Warriors point guard Stephen Curry during a game in April.
The Golden State Warriors may be running low on time to make a blockbuster, NBA draft-day trade.
For weeks on end, trade rumors have been flying throughout the Bay Area and across the country, centered around the Warriors’ pair of lottery picks – No. 7 and No. 14. Young pieces already on their roster such as James Wiseman and Andrew Wiggins have been mentioned endless times in proposed deals as well, as Golden State – according to some fans and experts – should be focusing on adding another superstar to their starting five in hopes of winning another championship.
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The primary trio of stars involved in rumors have been Damian Lillard, Ben Simmons, and most recently, Bradley Beal. It was reported last week that a deal was seeming increasingly unlikely, and according to San Francisco Chronicle Warriors beat writer Connor Letourneau on late Wednesday night, that is still the case.
‘Warriors’ Decision-Makers Don’t Expect a Beal Trade’
GettyWashington Wizards shooting guard Bradley Beal during an April game against the Golden State Warriors.
Here’s some of what Letourneau said regarding the latest update on the Warriors’ courtship of Beal:
“The question is how long it’ll take Beal to figure out what he wants. Multiple reports have indicated that Beal could choose to stay with Washington or force his way out as soon as this week, which makes sense considering that potential trades for him likely would include draft picks, he wrote. “But the longer Beal goes without requesting a trade, the less likely the Wizards are to orchestrate a deal involving him by Thursday evening. A league source told The Chronicle on Wednesday morning that the Warriors’ decision-makers don’t expect a Beal trade – to them or anybody else – before they must make their two lottery picks.”
From what Letourneau is hearing and reporting, it seems not only unlikely, but a near-lock that Bob Myers and company wouldn’t be able to create a package suitable to trade for Beal on Thursday.
Could the Warriors Still Get Beal Later in the Summer?
GettyDraymond Green, Bradley Beal and Andrew Wiggins during a game between the Golden State Warriors and Washington Wizards in April.
To simply answer the question above, yes, but it’d likely be a lot more difficult if a trade isn’t done on Thursday.
“It’s entirely possible that Beal could demand a trade weeks, even months, after the draft. That’s why the Warriors must keep a potential trade package for Beal in mind when they’re on the clock Thursday,” Letourneau wrote. “If the Wizards deal Beal, they’ll likely go all-in on a rebuild. A high-upside prospect such as Jonathan Kuminga, Keon Johnson or Josh Giddey – all possibilities for the Warriors at No. 7 – would be more enticing to Washington than an older player like Davion Mitchell.”
If the trio of All-Star guards in Beal, Lillard and Simmons end up goin elsewhere – or staying put in their respective cities, the Warriors will still have options. They could use both of their lottery picks for solid bench depth in the upcoming season, or, go after some other names that have been on the trade market like Kevin Love, Myles Turner, or Pascal Siakam.
Whatever happens, the build up to Thursday’s event has been unlike many others in recent Dub Nation memory.
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Warriors Trade for Wizards 3x All-Star Unlikely Before NBA Draft