Powered by Roundtable

The Warriors could use pick No. 11 to in a potential trade for Giannis Antetokounmpo

This past weekend brought a flurry of good news for the Golden State Warriors. First, on Saturday evening, news broke that Steve Kerr had agreed to a new two-year contract, keeping him the highest-paid coach in the NBA and bringing the 12-year coach back to the team he's helped lead to four championships.

Less than 24 hours later, the Warriors secured the No. 11 pick in the NBA draft at the draft lottery. Though they couldn't cash in on their 9.4% chance to jump into the top four, it was still a good landing spot, considering they had a chance to fall to 12th.

Now, rumors and reports have begun to fly as these two previous uncertainties slot into place, and with roster construction the primary topic for the foreseeable future, some of these reports may indicate the direction the Warriors are heading.

Warriors Could Use Pick No. 11 In Major Trade

Right now, the Warriors are faced with two potential ways to use their 11th pick. First, they could obviously just select a player. With an aging core, it may be wise to select a young prospect from this year's deep draft class who could help in the present while also becoming a centerpiece moving forward.

Players like Yaxel Lendeborg, Labaron Philon Jr., Aday Mara, or Brayden Burries could be on the board, depending on how the top 10 plays out, and provide their own unique additions to this team.

On the other hand, the Warriors can maximize the final few years of Steph Curry's career and look to package the pick as part of a trade for a proven star. Of course, that means reports will indicate the Warriors want to shoot for the moon.

This summer, that means a potential blockbuster trade for Giannis Antetokounmpo. The Bucks' superstar has reportedly been made available for trade by the Bucks' front office, and it seems like the Warriors are all over it.

Reports from NBC Sports' Monte Poole say that the Warriors are "hyperventilating" over the possibility of trading for the Greek Freak. A potential trade would have to at least involve the 11th pick, Jimmy Butler for salary purposes, and at least a few more assets, whether that means future first-round picks or young players such as Brandin Podziemski.

If the Antetokounmpo trade doesn't work out, NBA reporter Jake Weinbach also reported that the Warriors could target Kawhi Leonard, Trey Murphy III, or Michael Porter Jr. All three forwards were names floated as possibilities around this year's trade deadline when Jonathan Kuminga was being shopped, so it's not surprising that these names have come back around.

For these players that are significantly less valuable than Antetokounmpo, though perhaps not by an incredible amount in Leonard's case, the haul might not have to be as large, mostly just centering around the 11th pick and Butler.

Ultimately, it's going to have to be a call from the Warriors' front office on what direction they want to take. Do they want to continue trying to merge young talent with their veterans, or do they want to go all-in on the next couple of years by trading for a proven, but older, star player?

Reports have indicated that pursuing a trade for a big-name star is extremely relevant to owner Joe Lacob, so it seems likely that, at a minimum, they'll try to explore swinging some sort of trade as a potential first option.

1