Warriors Rumors: Latest Buzz on LaMelo Ball, Anthony Edwards, More

Due almost exclusively to injuries, the Golden State Warriors have had a forgettable 2019-20 NBA season. The Warriors own a league-worst 15-50 record, and it appears they won't have an opportunity to improve it.

Under the recently-approved return-to-play plan, only the top 22 teams will be back in action. This means that Golden State can focus entirely on the upcoming draft and free agency. For the draft, Golden State may finally be zeroing in on its top draft prospects. This appears to be a relatively recent development, as The Athletic's Anthony Slater reported last month that the Warriors had not yet set a draft board.

Now, the Warriors appear to have somewhat of a concrete plan in place, according to Connor Letourneau of the San Francisco Chronicle:

"Sources have indicated to The Chronicle that if the Warriors land the No. 1 pick and decide not to trade down, they'll likely take Georgia guard Anthony Edwards. If Golden State lands anywhere between Nos. 2 and No. 5, they'll strongly consider Iowa State's Tyrese Haliburton, Auburn's Isaac Okoro and Israel's Deni Avdija, among others."

The idea that Edwards is a top potential choice isn't surprising. While he is not a complete or "safe" prospect, he could come off the bench for Golden State, give a boost to the second-team offense and provide insurance for the recovering Klay Thompson.

What might be surprising is the fact that NBL star LaMelo Ball isn't mentioned among Golden State's top choices. Ball is one of the most intriguing options in this draft class and its biggest personality. However, he isn't the Warriors' top point guard prospect, according to Letourneau.

"I’ve been told that [Tyrese Haliburton] has emerged as the No. 1 point guard on the Warriors’ board — yes, above LaMelo Ball and Killian Hayes," Letourneau wrote.

It's worth noting that the Warriors have met with Ball via Zoom but have not yet staged an in-person interview.

Meeting in person with Ball could potentially change how the Warriors view their draft board. For now, though, it seems that they are higher than Haliburton and Edwards than Ball.

In terms of free agency, the Warriors appear likely to spend big to keep their core intact and to potentially upgrade it—even if the salary cap dips next offseason, per Letourneau:

"According to a league source, Golden State is unlikely to let a drop in the cap change how it approaches roster-building. [majority owner Joe] Lacob realizes that with Stephen Curry, Klay Thompson and Draymond Green all in their early 30s, the Warriors might have only a three- or four-year window to win another title."

in the short-term, this could suggest that Golden State will pay to bring back Draymond Green, who is in the final year of his contract. In the long-term, it means Golden State could pay to keep Green, Thompson and Curry for that three- or four-year window. 

This will likely push the Warriors deep into luxury-tax territory.

Golden State probably doesn't have many opportunities left to win with its current core, though. Curry is 32 and only under contract for two more seasons. There's absolutely no guarantee both of those seasons won't be marred by injuries as these past two have been.

While players like Andrew Wiggins and this year's draft choice can potentially extend the window a bit, Golden State is right to bring a win-now mentality into the offseason.