Edwards & Curry Together? How Close Was It?

[Romulus]

As I watch Edwards play with his Michael Jordan-like athletic ability, I think back to the draft and how close the Warriors came to picking him. I just saw a recent story that said the Wolves wanted to trade with the Warriors and give them the first pick so they could get their first round pick back (which I believe turned into Jonathan Kuminga?). Has anyone else heard that story? I seem to remember it at the time.

Also the Warriors had the worst record that year and could have easily had the first pick. Would they have selected Edwards? Maybe not as they seem fixated on James Wiseman.

But my god, if somehow, someway, it turned out that Edwards was selected by the Warriors can you imagine how lethal he would be with Steph Curry? I know at the time we had Klay and that was another reason they probably wouldn't have picked Edwards even if they could have picked him.

Guess it just wasn't meant to be. What a shame, though.

[DAWill1128]

Was just thinking about this the other day. How much the Warriors totally botched the assets they had. The Wolves wanted to swap picks, they didn't by reports absolutely love Edwards and wanted the Kuminga pick they gave us back. But imagine how many titles they could have rattled off. They would have overwhelmed everyone.

C Green
PF Wiggins
SF Thompson
SG Edwards
PG Curry
6th Poole
7th Looney
8th GP2

[Romulus]

Was just thinking about this the other day. How much the Warriors totally botched the assets they had. The Wolves wanted to swap picks, they didn't by reports absolutely love Edwards and wanted the Kuminga pick they gave us back. But imagine how many titles they could have rattled off. They would have overwhelmed everyone.

C Green
PF Wiggins
SF Thompson
SG Edwards
PG Curry
6th Poole
7th Looney
8th GP2

Wow. You're right. Having that group would have done a lot of damage. Even now it would do a lot of damage across the league. I suppose we wouldn't have made the Butler trade but that's ok.

And who knows how many potential trades the Warriors have turned down for Kuminga? We've heard so many teams that wanted JK and the Warriors have always said no. Imagine getting one of those big names (OG, Siakam, Cam Johnson, et al) to just go along with Curry and Butler. This FO really has botched so many of these Curry years. And of course, they'll never get them back.

[Old_Blue]

Minnesota is claimed to have offered the Dubs the 2020 #1 overall pick in exchange for the 2020 #2 overall pick PLUS the Wolves' previously traded 2021 first round pick (which turned out to be Kuminga - the #7 overall pick in that draft). At the time, this was an unreasonable ask. The 2021 draft was widely viewed as a strong one and the Wolves were guaranteed to be a lottery team. Hence the Dubs' refusal of the Wolves' offer. That said, what I have often wondered is this...What if the Dubs had countered by offering the Wolves the swap of 2020 first round picks along with a swap of the Wolves' 2021 pick for a different Wolves pick further out in the future (say 4 or 5 years out). My strong feeling is that the Wolves would have gone for such a deal - allowing them to punt on the consequences of their ill fated DLo trade for several years. The deal also would have made a tremendous amount of sense for the Dubs - since it would have reduced the possibility of a luxury tax hell that, inexplicably, nobody in the Dubs front office seems to have foreseen. Alas, we'll never know what could have been.

[B-King]

This draft was tough in that covid impacted the ability to get a much deeper look into the prospects. Dubs were willing to trade down with Charlotte and take what fell to them.

Edwards to me was the best athlete and had the highest ceiling. There were tons of rumors about his motivation to win and basketball IQ, which is now laughable. Ant has been so solid on all fronts.

[KevinMcreynolds]

I wouldn’t have traded a future top 10 pick to move up one spot either. That’s not good value.

[Onus]

This draft was tough in that covid impacted the ability to get a much deeper look into the prospects. Dubs were willing to trade down with Charlotte and take what fell to them.

Edwards to me was the best athlete and had the highest ceiling. There were tons of rumors about his motivation to win and basketball IQ, which is now laughable. Ant has been so solid on all fronts.

I mean he was saying football was his favorite sport. Hell I think he's said if he wins a championship in the next 3-4 years he would quit basketball and try to play football.

https://talksport.com/nfl/2184170/anthony-edwards-michael-jordan-justin-jefferson-nfl-football/

[Twinkie defense]

Anthony Edwards has worked tirelessly toward becoming a rising young NBA star, but his work ethic previously was questioned by one of the greatest coaches in the league.

Before the 22-year-old was an All-Star guard with the Minnesota Timberwolves, Edwards met with Warriors coach Steve Kerr for a workout ahead of the 2020 NBA Draft. Kerr wasn't impressed, telling Edwards afterward that he "wasn't working hard enough."

"I thought I was working hard," Edwards said at Timberwolves media day on Thursday (h/t ESPN's Jamal Collier). "When he came, I was going through drills and he kept stopping them, like, 'That's all you got? That's all you got?' And I'm like, 'Bro, I'm going hard as you want me to go. What you want me to do? I'm sweating crazy.' "

Later that evening, Edwards joined Kerr and then-Warriors general manager Bob Myers for dinner where the two repeated the same message to him. But they wanted to make sure their point got across, telling Edwards that if they had the No. 1 pick that year, they would not have drafted him.

Edwards recalled being surprised by Kerr and Myers' comments, but also took a look in the mirror, realized Kerr was right and used the situation as motivation.

Over the summer, Edwards said he and Kerr talked about his pre-draft session, and Edwards thanked the Warriors' coach for calling out his work habits and eventually inspiring him to change them for the better.


"They played a huge role in where I am today because they pitched that to me early," Edwards said.

How Kerr's harsh criticism made Anthony Edwards ‘madman' on court

[Old_Blue]

Later that evening, Edwards joined Kerr and then-Warriors general manager Bob Myers for dinner where the two repeated the same message to him. But they wanted to make sure their point got across, telling Edwards that if they had the No. 1 pick that year, they would not have drafted him.

According to this quote, the Dubs would have still drafted Wiseman had they had the #1 pick. Really?

[floppymoose]

Maybe they just said that to motivate him? But aside from that possibility, do you really want to draft someone number 1 if they arent putting effort in? Kudos to Ant for changing, but that was not a sure thing at the time.

[statsman]

Many fans wanted to trade down in that draft. There were concerns with the three top picks.

Easier said than done most times, but there seemed to be a couple of solid rumors that it could have been possible for that #2 pick.

Looking back now, that would have been the smart move.

[vvoland]

I'd rather pick wiseman and win the title we won two years later than the alternate reality where we get the right draft picks but then have to navigate that narrow path to title #4. Would Ant have been ready to step up in year 2? Would Klay have pouted with Ant in the wings? Would Wigs and JP play the best basketball of their career if some of those minutes go to Ant? I don't know and, frankly, don't care to find out. We won a title, have a shot at #5, and Steph is solidifying himself as at top 5 player of ALL TIME.

I know it's easy to say just plug Ant into that 21-22 lineup and put us down for the title. I don't think it's quite that simple. EVERYTHING went right that year, especially in the playoffs. I know it's human nature but we gotta appreciate what we have. 4 wins and the easiest dynasty to root for, in my lifetime. You can either have your cake or eat it, not both.

[EvanZ]

We literally could have picked anyone else in that draft and it wouldn't have turned out any worse than it did. LITERALLY.

[Twinkie defense]

That was a crap draft. Even Ant was not that great over his first couple seasons. The 2021 Kuminga draft was much deeper.

Warriors always get a high pick when it's a Joe Smith, Mike Dunleavy, or James Wiseman draft, never when it's a Tim Duncan, Wemby, or LeBron draft.

[Romulus]

Check out the 2021 NBA draft. What would you change if you could if you were the Warriors? I'm picking either Franz Wagner, Trey Murphy, or even Alperen Sengun over Kuminga. Of course, the Warriors also picked Moody over Murphy. They had two shots at Murphy and blew it both times.

Bob Myers was really bad at drafting. Really bad.



1. Pistons draft Cade Cunningham

2. Rockets draft Jalen Green

3. Cavaliers draft Evan Mobley

4. Raptors draft Scottie Barnes

5. Magic draft Jalen Suggs

6. Thunder draft Josh Giddey

7. Warriors draft Jonathan Kuminga

8. Magic draft Franz Wagner

9. Kings draft Davion Mitchell

10. Pelicans draft Ziaire Williams (officially traded to Grizzlies)

11. Hornets draft James Bouknight

12. Spurs draft Joshua Primo

13. Pacers draft Chris Duarte

14. Warriors draft Moses Moody

15. Wizards draft Corey Kispert

16. Thunder draft Alperen Sengun (officially traded to Rockets)

17. Grizzlies draft Trey Murphy (officially traded to Pelicans)

18. Thunder draft Tre Mann

19. Knicks draft Kai Jones (officially traded to Hornets)

20. Hawks draft Jalen Johnson

21. Knicks draft Keon Johnson (officially traded to Clippers)

22. Lakers draft Isaiah Jackson (officially traded to Pacers via Wizards)

23. Rockets draft Usman Garuba

24. Rockets draft Josh Christopher

25. Clippers draft Quentin Grimes (officially traded to Knicks)

26. Nuggets draft Nah’Shon Hyland

27. Nets draft Cameron Thomas

28. 76ers draft Jaden Springer

29. Suns draft Day’Ron Sharpe (officially traded to Nets)

30. Jazz draft Santi Aldama (officially traded to Grizzlies)

[Romulus]

And now, let's look back at 2020 draft and the Warriors selection of James Wiseman. I often wonder what veteran player they could have gotten for Wiseman. That's something we'll never know as the Warriors had no interest in trading the pick. But look at all the players taken after Wiseman who could have potentially helped this team:

2020 NBA Draft

First Round
1. Timberwolves draft Anthony Edwards

2. Warriors draft James Wiseman

3. Hornets draft LaMelo Ball

4. Bulls draft Patrick Williams

5. Cavaliers draft Isaac Okoro

6. Hawks draft Onyeka Okongwu

7. Pistons draft Killian Hayes

8. Knicks draft Obi Toppin

9. Wizards draft Deni Avdija

10. Suns draft Jalen Smith

11. Spurs draft Devin Vassell

12. Kings draft Tyrese Haliburton

13. Pelicans draft Kira Lewis Jr.

14. Celtics draft Aaron Nesmith

15. Magic draft Cole Anthony

16. Trail Blazers draft Isaiah Stewart >> officially traded to the Pistons, after first being dealt to the Rockets

17. Timberwolves draft Aleksej Pokusevski >> officially traded to the Thunder

18. Mavericks draft Josh Green

19. Nets draft Saddiq Bey >> officially traded to the Pistons, after first being dealt to the Clippers

20. Heat draft Precious Achiuwa

21. 76ers draft Tyrese Maxey

22. Nuggets draft Zeke Nnaji

23. Knicks draft Leandro Bolmaro >> officially traded to the Timberwolves

24. Bucks draft RJ Hampton >> officially traded to the Nuggets, after first being dealt to the Pelicans

25. Thunder draft Immanuel Quickley >> officially traded to the Knicks, after first being dealt to the Timberwolves

26. Celtics draft Payton Pritchard

27. Jazz draft Udoka Azubuike

28. Lakers draft Jaden McDaniels >> officially traded to the Timberwolves, after first being dealt to the Thunder

29. Raptors draft Malachi Flynn

30. Celtics draft Desmond Bane >> officially traded to the Grizzlies

[Jester_]

I wouldn’t have traded a future top 10 pick to move up one spot either. That’s not good value.

It is from 1st to 2nd... drop off in 1st to 2nd by average outcomes is enormous

[Onus]

Bob Myers was really bad at drafting. Really bad.

Bob was a basketball terrorist with these draft picks.

[marthafokker]

Didn't Kerr kick out Edwards in his interview? Said he was lazy and unmotivated. Doubt Kerr would have wanted him.

Mostly likely a JK treatment if Myers could have drafted him.

[510TWSS]

I just remember the pre-draft reports on Ant were so so bad lol. Like they questioned his love for basketball they were that bad lol