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At this point, it’s pretty much a given that the Golden State Warriors will attempt to buy a second round pick in the NBA Draft for the third consecutive year.
However, after grabbing Jordan Bell and Patrick McCaw in the past two drafts — not to mention Draymond Green back in 2012 — people are starting to wonder whether anybody will actually participate in a trade with the Warriors if they come calling. As Marcus Thompson of The Athletic tweeted, “If you’re an NBA GM and the Warriors come calling with $3.5 million to buy your second-round pick, do you answer?”
If you’re an NBA GM and the Warriors come calling with $3.5 million to buy your second-round pick, do you answer?
— Marcus Thompson (@ThompsonScribe) June 19, 2018
One NBA exec told me the @warriors will be in position to buy another 2nd-round pick this year, as they did last year (Jordan Bell). He joked, "Once that first round is over, everyone needs to just not pick up the phone if Myers is calling."https://t.co/NfFEKEWqNH
— Sean Deveney (@SeanDeveney) June 20, 2018
Well, Marc Stein of New York Times reported that one avenue that Warriors owner Joe Lacob is willing to take is to increase the amount of money he’s willing to exchange for a pick — whereas he paid $3.5 million for the pick that was used to select Bell, this year he could spend the full $5.1 million allotted.
The maximum amount Lacob can offer for a second-rounder this week has been raised to $5.1 million for the salary-cap year that ends June 30. The Warriors, of course, have more incentive than most teams to spend so extravagantly on a second-round pick because bringing in a player they like who commands the league’s lowest possible salary eases Golden State’s luxury tax burden next season ever so slightly.
Every dollar counts to ownership on that front.
Jeremy Woo of Sports Illustrated reiterated that point on Twitter tonight, noting that the Warriors are targeting a pick in the 30’s.
The Warriors continue to actively explore buying in for a pick in the 30s, per league sources. Golden State can offer the max $5.1 million, and worked out a group today that included Jacob Evans, Devon Hall, Gary Trent and Hamidou Diallo. Warriors also have pick No. 28.
— Jeremy Woo (@JeremyWoo) June 21, 2018
And with $5.1 million and some teams just knowing that they aren’t going to put a competitive roster together this season, the question is probably not whether the Warriors will find a taker for their money but who it might be.
I was just thinking this and my guess: Somebody will take the cash, just like somebody has taken it the last two years. https://t.co/brEyzHtnxm
— Tim Kawakami (@timkawakami) June 19, 2018
Legit think this is the cost for the Warriors to buy a second round pick in the 30s. My bet is that it happens. https://t.co/WxV5i1vaqA
— Sam Vecenie (@Sam_Vecenie) June 19, 2018
Adam Mares, manager of SB Nation’s Denver Stiffs speculated that the Denver Nuggets might be in that perfect situation to trade a second round pick: no roster spots available, no D-League team, and an interest in money to offset expenses.
Denver almost certainly won't have a roster spot available, they don't have a G-league team, they might need/want $ to help ease a luxury tax burden. I don't see them keeping that pick.
— Adam Mares (@Adam_Mares) June 19, 2018
In any event, while everyone is talking about the trade activity that could be happening at the top of the draft, there’s a very good chance that the Warriors could be making things interesting in the second round.
Warriors have the No. 28 pick, but it sounds like the Warriors are going to try to buy more picks for the third consecutive year. Bob Myers: "We want three or four."
— Mark Medina (@MarkG_Medina) June 19, 2018