Hindsight is 20/20: Warriors passed on trade offer that would have given them Anthony Edwards

Back in 2020, the Golden State Warriors barely missed out on drafting Anthony Edwards and ended up with James Wiseman instead with the No. 2 pick.

Wiseman was their top target at the time, but they almost missed out on him, which ultimately would have worked out in their favor.

The Minnesota Timberwolves had pick No. 1 and took Edwards, but according to Brian Windhorst (h/t NBC Sports Bay Area) they almost traded picks with the Warriors and give them the No. 1 pick.

"To go back to draft night -- the Wolves were very interested in trading out of this pick. They were trying up until they were on the clock, from what I have been told, to get the Warriors interested in moving up. The Warriors have their [Timberwolves] draft pick this year depending on where it falls, and I think they wanted it back quite frankly. They were saber-rattling, according to the stories, that they were gonna take James Wiseman. The Warriors were really locked in on James Wiseman."

On Reddit, a fan recalled this moment from the 2020 NBA Draft and how it altered the courses of both the Warriors and Timberwolves.

Warriors missed a chance to trade for Edwards

In the end, this worked out quite well for the Timberwolves, and the Warriors ultimately passed on a golden opportunity to land somebody who could have been the next franchise icon.

Wiseman only appeared in 39 games in his rookie season and missed all of the 2021-22 NBA season as he recovered from a knee injury. The following season, he was traded to the Detroit Pistons.

Meanwhile, the Timberwolves continue their playoff run with Edwards leading the charge. The 22-year-old is a two-time All-Star and was also an All-Rookie team selection in 2021. He averaged 25.9 points, 5.2 rebounds, and 4.1 assists during the regular season.

It's safe to say that this would-be trade ended up working out much better for the Timberwolves, as the Warriors no longer even have Wiseman and are sitting at home this postseason while the Timberwolves fight for an NBA title with one of the game's best up-and-coming stars.

The Warriors could have been a strong team with Edwards, Stephen Curry, and Klay Thompson in their starting lineup. And while they still have a solid team, Edwards would have altered the course of the franchise for the better.