Warriors looking to use James Wiseman, lottery picks as trade bait for big move?

The Golden State Warriors find themselves in the intriguing position of having a strong core and two lottery picks, and it sounds like there’s a chance that the team might use those picks as pieces to get back in contention quickly.

According to John Hollinger of The Athletic, talk at the NBA Combine was that the Warriors would like to use their lottery picks, as well as center James Wiseman, to acquire more immediate help. The No. 7 pick would be the biggest chip, while Wiseman, the second overall selection in the 2020 draft, would also intrigue many teams.

One name Hollinger mentions as a possible target for the Warriors is Toronto Raptors forward Pascal Siakam.

The Warriors’ stance does make a lot of sense. They are not like most other lottery teams in that they are built to contend now. Stephen Curry is 33, while Draymond Green and Klay Thompson are both 31. The goal for the Warriors is to have those three core players healthy in 2021-22, and there will be a sense of urgency to try to win again while they’re theoretically still in their primes. Wiseman and lottery picks aren’t likely to be of much help in achieving that goal.

Golden State has been linked to other big names via trade already this offseason. The Warriors are going to be a team to watch as the draft approaches.