NBA Draft Lottery 2012: Warriors Must Find Way to Protect First-Round Pick

The Golden State Warriors find themselves in a pickle—the team's first-round pick is protected if it lands in the top seven of the lottery, but belongs to the Utah Jazz if it is No. 8 or lower.

And for a Warriors team with a lot of holes, losing that pick could be devastating.

That is why it would be smart for Golden State to find a way to keep that pick, and why—according to Marc Stein of ESPN—they are currently in talks with Utah to do just that:

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The Warriors, sources said, are attempting to complete a deal with the Jazz that ensures Golden State's lottery pick in June will stay in the Bay Area under any circumstances.

After an April coin flip, Golden State has a 72 percent chance of seeing its first-round pick fall within the top seven of Wednesday's lottery, which would allow the Warriors to keep the pick.

But the Warriors, sources say, are prepared to sacrifice a trade asset or two before Wednesday's lottery to make a deal with Utah that would wipe out the stipulations in place for the 28 percent possibility that the pick falls outside of the top seven.

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Obviously, the Warriors would love for that pick to fall in the top seven, where they could look to add shooting guards like Bradley Beal and Jeremy Lamb or a small forward like Harrison Barnes.

But this draft is pretty deep after you get past the four elite players at the top—Anthony Davis, Michael Kidd-Gilchrist, Thomas Robinson and Beal—and there is plenty of talent to be had throughout the lottery and through the top 20 or so picks.

There might be gems to be had even after the seventh pick, and this Warriors team sure could use a diamond in the rough to add to the roster. That diamond likely won't fall to them when they pick again in the first round with the 30th overall pick they hold, however.

According to Stein, the Warriors are said to prefer making the deal without involving any current players, which means either cash or another draft pick will exchange hands, possibly the No. 30 pick this year or future considerations going forward.

For Utah, it seems a no-brainer—since the Warriors have a 72 percent chance of landing a top seven pick, the Jazz would likely get something without having to give up a thing. The odds make it a pretty logical move.

Then again, in a deeper draft this year they might be willing to roll the dice.

One way or another, the Warriors need to do what they can to protect themselves from losing the top pick they own. Steph Curry, Andrew Bogut and David Lee could use the help.

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