The Golden State Warriors are still trying to salvage what is left of their dynasty, and it appears that they are willing to part ways with some young assets to get it done.
According to The Athletic’s John Hollinger, Golden State is willing to part with one of its first-round picks in the 2021 NBA Draft (No. 7 or No. 14) as well as last year’s No. 2 overall pick, James Wiseman, in order to acquire an immediate upgrade to the roster.
“Golden State assured itself of an additional first-round pick when Minnesota failed to land in the top three on lottery night,” Hollinger wrote. “The Warriors now have the seventh and 14th picks plus last year’s second overall pick, James Wiseman, and there is a widespread expectation that the Warriors will use No. 7 and Wiseman, in particular, to seek more immediate upgrades to the roster.”
With Klay Thompson expected to return from a torn Achilles at some point in the 2021-22 season, Golden State certainly wants to maximize the rest of Steph Curry’s prime by getting him and Thompson players that will allow them to find that championship form once again.
According to WynnBET’s odds for the top draft picks in this class, the Warriors would be passing up a chance at Franz Wagner, Davion Mitchell, Keon Johnson and Moses Moody at the No. 7 overall pick.
However, with Cade Cunningham and Evan Mobley out of reach, it does make more sense for Golden State to acquire an established talent.
Here are three players the Warriors could make a move for prior to this year’s NBA draft.
Pascal Siakam, Forward, Toronto Raptors
One name that Hollinger floated as a potential target was Toronto Raptors forward Pascal Siakam, and he could make sense for the Warriors alongside Curry and Thompson.
Siakam would give Golden State a proven inside presence, something Wiseman was unable to provide in his rookie season, and he would allow Draymond Green to truly focus on being a playmaker.
A solid defender, Siakam could play perfectly in a small-ball lineup for Golden State as well, but his price would likely deplete some of the supporting cast.
Siakam was an All-Star and All-NBA selection during the 2019-20 season, and last year he averaged 21.4 points per game. Toronto may be entering a rebuild, but it will likely want Wiseman and the No. 7 pick for it’s best player.
In addition, the Warriors would need to match salaries in order to acquire Siakam, which could mean that Andrew Wiggins would be included in the deal. If Golden State could find a way to keep Wiggins, a sign-and-trade involving Kelly Oubre Jr. and potentially Kevon Looney could also help match the salaries.
Siakam is a solid player, but he took a step back as a 3-point shooter (29.7 percent in 2020-21) and may not be worth the price tag if Golden State has to rip down it’s supporting cast to get him.
Ben Simmons, Guard, Philadelphia 76ers
One thing that the Warriors would love to do is to be able to play Curry off the ball from time to time in order to get him more looks as a shooter.
Obviously, Steph is a great player off the dribble, but the attention he draws running off screens can also open up easy baskets for his teammates.
Enter: Ben Simmons.
Simmons’ scoring struggles this postseason were well-documented, but he is an above average playmaker and elite defender. Simmons would allow Curry and Thompson to play off the ball at times, and it would give Golden State another ball-handler on the roster.
The only drawback is Simmons’ lack of scoring, as he and Green, while great defensively, would be hard to pair on the floor on the offensive end.
Again, Golden State would likely have to deal Wiggins to match salaries, but maybe the Warriors can keep Wiseman and just trade the No. 7 pick with Simmons’ value looking like it’s nearing an all-time low.
Jerami Grant, Forward, Detroit Pistons
Grant went to the Pistons last offseason to prove he could be a top option in an offense and he delivered.
Grant averaged 22.3 points per game while shooting 42.9 percent from the field and 35.0 percent from beyond the arc. The Pistons are miles away from competing for a title, so it may make sense to unload Grant for young assets like Wiseman and the No. 7 pick to jump start the rebuild.
For the Warriors, Grant gives them another scoring option that is a plus defender. A sign-and-trade involving Oubre would be ideal, as it would allow the Warriors to keep Wiggins and Grant as a wing pair next season.
Thompson’s return will help the Warriors offensively, but they struggled mightily without Curry on the floor in the 2020-21 season, registering a 115.2 offensive rating with Steph in the game and a 104.9 offensive rating without him.
Grant would give the Warriors another proven scoring option while also making them dynamic on defense. Giving up Wiseman stings, but he may not develop quickly enough for him to help the Warriors maximize Curry and Thompson while they are still in their primes.