Warriors Mailbag: Trading down, or out, of the NBA Draft

Thanks as always to everyone who asked questions. You can send questions for future mailbags to wgoldberg@bayareanewsgroup.com or on Twitter to @wcgoldberg.

Why draft a ball-dominant guard when the D’Angelo Russell experiment failed?

— @pekod1971

It’s probably unfair to say the D’Angelo Russell experiment “failed,” given that the main reason for the move was to maintain the ability to acquire a max-level salary on a capped-out roster after Kevin Durant left. Still, point taken. Because of his methodical pace and shortcomings on defense, Russell’s fit with Stephen Curry in the backcourt was never going to be a smooth one.

However, the Warriors are still in need of ball-handling. If they can draft a high-upside player who can not only backup Curry, but also play next to him, and make an impact on defense, the fit will be a better one. Don’t forget that the Warriors will always seek ways to play Curry off the ball, and Draymond Green can’t be the only player who Steve Kerr trusts to run offense.

Our title teams had a bevy of passers, the current team does not. What’s a bigger need for the Dubs next season? Passing or shooting? Jordan Poole appears to be the third-best passer on the team behind Draymond and Steph.

— @elpeezey

It’s jarring to watch the ball ping around the court during these replays of the Warriors in the NBA Finals. After losing players like Andre Iguodala, Shaun Livingston, Andrew Bogut, Zaza Pachulia and David West over the years, the Warriors have yet to replace that collection of basketball IQ.

Though Jordan Poole’s emergence as a passer is a nice development, it’s far from the solution. Plus, while guys like Andrew Wiggins and Eric Paschall provide a steady dose of scoring, the Warriors are better off when they don’t have the ball in their hands for long stretches.

The Warriors know they need to add playmaking in a big way. With Curry and Klay Thompson, they will have enough shooting. Adding more high-level passers who can help get them the ball in the flow of the offense will solve a lot of problems.

Get LaMarcus Aldridge in a package centered around our first? What do you think?

— @DdaGOAT_19

Though I like the Aldridge fit in a vacuum (smart player with size, good defender, rebounder and playmaker at the center spot) he’s also 34 years old and set to make $24 million in the final year of his contract with San Antonio next season. Trading a top-five pick that could be used to acquire a talented 19-year-old on a rookie-scale deal isn’t the best allocation of resources, even for a team in the midst of a championship window.

However, the Spurs are facing a pivotal offseason. If they decide to rebuild and reduce payroll, the Warriors’ $17.2 million traded-player exception could come into play. By using the TPE to acquire an expiring contract, then flipping that contract and more filler to San Antonio, the Warriors could match salary. Golden State also has its own future first-round pick to sweeten the deal, should it be motivated to do so.

Who are a few players outside the general top eight (Edwards, Ball, Wiseman, Avdija, Toppin, Okoro, Okongwu, Hayes) that the Warriors might value higher than all the other teams?

— @KyeMoffat

People I talk to with the Warriors like Iowa State guard Tyrese Haliburton, comparing him favorably to Livingston because of his long, 6-foot-5 frame and ability to pass and defend. Haliburton is a better shooter than Livingston was, but lacks the top-end athleticism that would put him in consideration for a top-three selection. If Golden State falls to the fifth pick, he could be in play.

Any chance the Warriors flip Wiggins and the first-round pick for a guy like Kevin Love, Lauri Markkanen or Otto Porter? Love being the more realistic option here. Would match salaries in both. Markkanen and Porter are on expiring deals, which could give Dubs a chance at big names in free agency.

— @ChanceLiebau

Though the Love fit is intriguing, I don’t see it. He’s 31 now, and while he’s improved defensively, he doesn’t provide enough on that end to warrant his salary, especially if he’s going to be a third or fourth option on offense. Wiggins isn’t as good a player as Love, but he’s younger and more versatile. Markkanen isn’t worth giving up a top-five pick for, and Porter isn’t enough of an upgrade over Wiggins to justify parting with that pick.

All the talk about Warriors possibly trading down, why exactly is that? Do they just not like the top guys that much? Salary cap issue?  With this year’s draft class, they’re not going to get a king’s ransom for the pick, so why so anxious to trade down?

— @LitoTrillz

The closer we get to the draft (whenever it ends up being held), the less likely I think it is the Warriors will trade down. They’ve been preparing to select in the top-five since December, and the organization owes it to their scouting department to take someone near the top of this draft. It may still be possible to move back a couple of spots, should the value present itself in a trade package, but I don’t see them moving to the end of the lottery, or out of it completely.

What is the possibility of drafting Obi Toppin in order to play as a small-ball center? And how would Anthony Edwards fit with the team?

— @emiliobouonk

The Warriors like Toppin, but my sense is other players who are stronger defensively have moved ahead of him on their draft board. While Toppin is an explosive and productive offensive talent, the defensive concerns are real. At 6-foot-9, 220 pounds, he has the size, but not the polish, to play big minutes at center.

As far as Edwards, his fit is a natural one. He is a developing ball handler who flashed playmaking skills at Georgia, but you can think of his fit as similar to that of Wiggins: someone who can cut off the ball, handle a bit and provide versatility on defense.

Devin Vassell or Saddiq Bey? Who is the better 3-and-D player the Warriors might trade down for?

— @karlmatyu

Vassell, the 6-foot-7 wing from Florida State, has been rising up mock drafts. With comparisons to Robert Covington and Khris Middleton, he’s considered one of the better perimeter defenders in this draft. However, there are questions about his top-end athleticism and ability to make an impact on offense without the ball in his hands. Bey has almost all of the same concerns, but is a worse ball-handler who may be relegated to shooting 3-pointers from the corner in the NBA.

These aren’t bad players to have, but the Warriors have an opportunity to significantly improve the athleticism of their roster with a top-five pick. If they want to add limited 3-and-D players, they can do so with the mid-level exception or traded-player exception.

If the Warriors choose to trade their pick, are there any teams out there who you think will be in the market to move up to a top-five (let’s hope for the No. 1) pick? If so, who do you think that team (or teams) could be looking to trade for that pick?

— @WarriorsBraves

I spoke recently with NBA draft expert Chad Ford, and he seems to believe there would be one team in the market to trade up should the ping-pong balls not fall their way: the New York Knicks. Specifically, Ford said, for LaMelo Ball. Ball, a genius playmaker with star potential, would provide the Knicks with a much-needed identity on offense.

Should the Warriors end up with the first or second pick and Ball is on the board, the Knicks — with their own pick this year and first rounders from both the Clippers and the Mavericks in 2021 — have ammunition to move up. Depending on how far back it would move the Warriors, it’s certainly a possibility.