The NBA announced Friday afternoon that the draft lottery and combine, both of which had been scheduled during the month of May, had been postponed indefinitely.
The Golden State Warriors, who have the worst record in the league, are tied with the Cleveland Cavaliers and Minnesota Timberwolves as the teams with the best odds to get the top pick in the NBA Draft.
Golden State has a 14% chance of getting the No. 1 pick, 13.4% chance of No. 2, 12.7% chance of No. 3 and a 12.0% chance of No. 4. There is a 52.1% chance the team remains in the top four and a 47.9% chance it gets the No. 5 pick in draft.
The Warriors will not receive lower than pick No. 5, assuming non-playoff contenders do not play another game of basketball this season.
“More information on each event will be shared at a later date as the NBA continues to closely monitor the coronavirus pandemic and consult with infectious disease specialists, public health experts and government officials,” the league said in a statement.
This postpones the time Golden State will be able to get a full scouting reports on players and ultimately decide what to do with the draft pick.
There is a wide range of prospects that the Warriors might have their eyes on. Guard Anthony Edwards is frequently seen as the likely No. 1 pick, though that is far from the consensus, and LaMelo Ball and Killian Hayes are considered by some to be the top guards in the draft.
The Warriors may choose to go wing or big and focus on a player like Deni Avdija, James Wiseman, Onyeka Okongwu or Obi Toppin near the top of the draft.
Additionally, the Warriors could decide to trade the pick and either trade down in the draft or use it to acquire a player who is already established in the league.
With the draft lottery and combine suspended indefinitely, Golden State will have to wait longer to know what’s in stock for the team.
