Dub Hub, Daily Warriors Links for 6/16/23: Will the Warriors make a draft day trade?

Good Morning Dub Nation,

Draft season is upon us which means trade rumors are running rampant across the league. The Golden State Warriors are no exception to this as ESPN’s draft expert Jonathan Givony reported on Wednesday that the team was exploring potential Jonathan Kuminga trades in order to move up in next week’s NBA Draft. He expanded on these thoughts during an appearance on the latest episode of The Lowe Post podcast.

Via The Lowe Post:

“I’m just really curious to see what Golden State does.” Givony said on The Lowe Post podcast. “You hear from teams that they’re being pretty aggressive making calls, seeing what they can get potentially in the lottery or in the mid-first. Kuminga’s name has been out there since the trade deadline as potentially being available.

“Then you see some of the workouts that they’re conducting, they seem to be targeting older players and telling people — agents and other teams — we overloaded our coaching staff with developmental type prospects the last few years. We’re done with that. We want guys that know how to play basketball that can come in and fit our style of play. That know how to pass, know how to cut, know how to guard off the ball, and are not going to complain about their roles or about their minutes. So, what they do here on draft night is going to set the tone I think for how their summer looks.”

It’s interesting to see the Warriors reportedly drifting away from their draft philosophy of the past several years. Given the foundation in place with their core of Stephen Curry, Klay Thompson, and Draymond Green, Golden State could previously afford to use picks on high ceiling young guys in hopes that they develop into future stars.

However, after last season saw their “two timelines” plan crumble, the front office has seemingly focused their attention on maximizing their current championship window instead. As Givony mentions, the Warriors are not only bringing in players who project to be contributors right away, but also those who are mentally mature enough to handle the sacrifices that come with winning at the pro level.

Having said that, it remains to be seen whether these rumors result in a draft day trade. Several stars — such as Bradley Beal, Zach Lavine, Zion Williamson, and others — have already heard their names mentioned in trade rumors over the past couple of days. These rumors could just be smokescreens as teams hide their true intentions before the draft, or they can be the smoke that sparks the next big move. Expect these rumors to only get louder as the draft approaches less than a week away on June 22.

Here are the rest of today’s stories:

In case you missed it from Golden State of Mind:

• Ekpe Udoh joins Hawks coaching staff
• Warriors assistant coach Jama Mahlalela hired by Raptors as top assistant coach
• The Ringer ranks Stephen Curry No. 2 on Top 125 Players list
• Warriors exploring a Jonathan Kuminga trade to move up in the draft
• Warriors given fifth-best odds to win next year’s NBA title

Other Warriors News:

• Should the Warriors trade Klay Thompson for Bradley Beal? (95.7 The Game)
• Warriors Trade Rumors: GSW ‘Looking to Move Back or Out of’ No. 19 Pick in NBA Draft (Bleacher Report)
• How Wiggins’ contract could influence Dray, Klay’s next deal (NBC Sports Bay Area)
• What options do Warriors have heading into NBA draft? (San Francisco Chronicle)
• Warriors’ Ryan Rollins provides optimistic update after season-ending foot surgery (Clutch Points)

NBA News:

• Best moments from Nuggets’ championship parade (NBA)
• NBA Mock Draft: Wembanyama to Spurs (obviously), but questions begin after that (The Athletic)
• What is the trade value for Beal, CP3 & Zion? (Yahoo Sports)
• Sources: Teresa Weatherspoon no longer on Pelicans staff (ESPN)
• Zach LaVine being shopped by Bulls, and return expected to exceed Bradley Beal trade (SB Nation)

A tweet to end the week:

Draft season is a reminder of how difficult it can be to identify real talent in the NBA. On the latest episode of The Shop, however, they tell a story about how the late legendary Kobe Bryant identified the greatness hidden within a young Stephen Curry. Have a good weekend Dub Nation!