Warriors' Joe Lacob Wants to Keep Top Draft Pick, Will Entertain Trading Down

The Golden State Warriors have not been in position to select a highly regarded prospect near the top of an NBA draft for some time after reaching five straight NBA Finals, but that will change this year.

They plan on exploring their options. 

"We're gonna look at all scenarios," owner Joe Lacob said on The TK Show podcast with Tim Kawakami of The Athletic (h/t Drew Shiller of NBC Sports Bay Area). "Honestly. I'm not gonna hide this—we're gonna look at drafting someone at our position. Maybe we trade down—that's a possibility. I'm not saying it's preferred or not preferred. I'm just saying it's something we have to look at."

This is an unfamiliar situation for the current iteration of the Warriors, but the season largely went downhill before it even started.

Kevin Durant, Andre Iguodala, DeMarcus Cousins and Shaun Livingston were among those no longer on the roster. Klay Thompson has been sidelined all season with a torn ACL, and Stephen Curry has played a mere five games because of his own injuries.

As a result, they have the worst record in the league at 15-50 and are projected to land the top pick in the draft by Tankathon. The last time the Warriors had a lottery pick, they drafted Harrison Barnes seventh overall in 2012.

That Lacob, who has owned the team since 2010, could make a trade isn't that surprising after Connor Letourneau of the San Francisco Chronicle reported Golden State isn't particularly high on top prospects LaMelo Ball and James Wiseman and would "only take one of those two if they were trading down in the draft and taking them for another team."

Golden State is not in the same position like most teams that pick No. 1, as it is not in the middle of a rebuild. In fact, it is not difficult to imagine the team battling deep into the playoffs next season with a healthy Curry and Thompson joining Draymond Green, Andrew Wiggins and whoever they draft.

Bleacher Report's Jonathan Wasserman projected the Warriors to take Georgia's Anthony Edwards with the No. 1 pick in a March mock draft, noting "he should also fit coach Steve Kerr's system, given his shot-making and interchangeability between positions."

Edwards may be the pick, but Lacob is apparently open to moving around in the draft as well.