Warriors Rumors: Latest Buzz on Anthony Edwards, NBA Draft, More

Typically in early June, the Golden State Warriors are playing in the NBA Finals and trying to win a championship. That's where they were five straight years from 2015-19. This year is different, though, and not just because the Warriors had the worst record in the NBA this season.

Not only did Golden State miss the playoffs for the first time since the 2011-12 season, but it now has a longer wait for the offseason to arrive. The NBA is preparing to resume the 2019-20 season later this summer after it was suspended because of the coronavirus pandemic in mid-March, which could push the start of the offseason into October.

Despite the Warriors' season being over and a long wait ahead, there's still plenty to discuss when it comes to the former NBA champions. Here's some of the latest buzz surrounding the team as it prepares for the upcoming draft and offseason.

Latest on Warriors' plans for NBA draft

The Warriors are one of three teams (along with the Cleveland Cavaliers and Minnesota Timberwolves) that will have a 14 percent chance (the best odds) of landing the No. 1 overall pick at the NBA draft lottery. And if Golden State is the fortunate team to secure the selection, it may be clear what it's going to do.

According to Connor Letourneau of the San Francisco Chronicle, the Warriors will likely take Georgia shooting guard Anthony Edwards at No. 1, if they land the selection and decide not to trade down. It's not a given that they wouldn't move down, though, as president of basketball operations Bob Myers previously said the team would "consider" trading its top pick, per Monte Poole of NBC Sports.

While Edwards isn't a clear-cut choice to be the first player drafted (like Zion Williamson was last year), the 6'5" wing player is the favorite to be taken with the top pick. In his lone season at Georgia, Edwards averaged 19.1 points and 5.2 rebounds in 32 games.

There's always a chance the Warriors' draft plans will greatly change prior to the event, especially if they're unlucky at the lottery, as they could fall as low as the No. 5 pick.

According to Anthony Slater of The Athletic, Golden State has had Zoom interviews with "various draft prospects," including center James Wiseman and point guard LaMelo Ball, so there could be other prospects that the team could consider drafting in the top five.

The Warriors haven't had the No. 1 pick in the draft since 1995, when they selected Maryland forward Joe Smith. Even if they don't get that lucky, they're guaranteed to have their first top-five pick since 2002, when they drafted Duke forward Mike Dunleavy Jr.—who now serves as the team's assistant general manager.

With the draft likely not happening until October, after the conclusion of the 2019-20 NBA season, Golden State will have plenty of time to keep considering its options and perhaps change its mind on what its plans are for its first-round pick.

Is Golden State likely to be quiet in free agency?

There's likely to be plenty of financial uncertainty for teams ahead of the upcoming NBA offseason. The coronavirus pandemic could have a negative impact on the league's salary cap, making it more difficult for teams to hand out sizable deals to free agents.

The Warriors could be among the teams affected by this. As Slater recently pointed out for The Athletic, Golden State has $130.1 million committed to four players for next season: Stephen Curry, Klay Thompson, Andrew Wiggins and Draymond Green.

However, the Warriors have been effective with little financial flexibility in the past. In 2018, they used their $5.3 million taxpayer mid-level exception to sign DeMarcus Cousins. And if Myers and owner Joe Lacob find a deal like that again, Slater thinks they could make a move.

"This is similar to 2018. If Myers can uncover a can't-miss opportunity, Lacob's likely to grant it, as he did with Cousins," Slater wrote. "But in this unknown financial climate, the bar to clear to get approval for a full spending spree has been bumped up a few notches."

Golden State may not be that fortunate again, and its lineup may not have any big additions next season unless it brings in one of the top prospects in the draft. Of course, if Curry and Thompson are healthy in 2020-21, the Warriors will be in a much better position than this past season, when they finished an NBA-worst 15-50.

Until it's clear what the salary cap for next season will be, though, Golden State can't be sure that it won't be able to make an impact free-agent signing. It's just shaping up that a move like that could be unlikely for the team this offseason.