2021 NBA Draft: What should the Golden State Warriors do with the No. 7 pick?

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The Golden State Warriors will have two lottery picks in the 2021 NBA Draft.

In addition to their own pick, the Warriors received the Minnesota Timberwolves' first-round pick as it fell outside of the top three in the 2021 NBA Draft Lottery. So not only will the Warriors pick No. 14 in the upcoming draft, they will pick No. 7.

The Warriors aren't your typical lottery team. Not only do they already have an established core, they're looking to compete for a title next season.

With that in mind, how should the Warriors approach the draft? Our NBA.com Staff weighs in.

Gilbert McGregor (@GMcGregor21): Work the phones. Try to make a deal.

Stephen Curry is 33, while Draymond Green and Klay Thompson each turned 31 this past season. There is no denying that Golden State is getting older and its championship window isn't as wide as it once was. That being said, the Warriors brass can either prepare for the end of the run or look to extend it.

I'm of the belief that they should extend it.

I get it, Father Time is undefeated, but the fact of the matter is that a core like Curry, Green and Thompson is once-in-a-generation and Curry is one of the greatest players to ever pick up a basketball. So you do whatever you can to figure that out now and let the rest sort itself out later.

Golden State made a move with the future in mind last season in drafting James Wiseman, and while he has plenty of promise, there is still a lot of growth to be made before he is that guy for the franchise. Drafting two more young players would only complicate things.

In addition to the 20-year-old Wiseman, they also have a few intriguing younger players in 22-year-old Jordan Poole, 24-year-old Eric Paschall, 25-year-old Kevon Looney, 26-year-old Andrew Wiggins and 28-year-old Juan Toscano-Anderson.

It might not spell championships, but the above group is good enough to smooth over the transition once the Curry-Green-Thompson run is over, especially once you factor in the calibre of player the team could net by trading the No. 7 pick or by packaging both of its lottery picks.

Will it be a superstar? Maybe not. But it's time for the Warriors to do what they can to try to make a couple more runs with the type of core we'll never see again.

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Kyle Irving (@KyleIrv_): I'm with Gil here, I think the Warriors should trade the No. 7 overall pick for a player who can make an immediate impact.

With two lottery picks, the No. 7 pick obviously has much more trade value. They can still take a swing at a young player to groom for the future at No. 14 while moving the No. 7 pick could land them a player who better fits the near-expiring championship timeline of veterans Curry, Thompson and Green.

If packaging both picks is necessary to get the right deal done, I don't think Golden State should hesitate to do that, either. That title window is closing and two rookies won't necessarily be ceiling raisers in that aspect.

With that being said, if they do decide to keep the No. 7 pick, I'm a big fan of Baylor junior guard Davion Mitchell for the Warriors there. Mitchell is one of the older prospects in the draft, and his tenacious on-ball defence and offensive initiating skills could be helpful to Golden State's thin second unit. He could play alongside Curry, Thompson or Wiggins as a true combo guard or run the bench lineup on his own.

Trading the pick is the right move to contend immediately, but if they stand pat, look for the Warriors to try and add another playmaker at No. 7.

Benyam Kidane (@BenyamKidane): Let's make a deal!

Despite this draft being as loaded as any in recent memory, especially in the lottery, the Warriors have to be in win-now mode.

Curry forced his way into the MVP conversation this season, flat out balling, but it all amounted to nothing as the Warriors missed the playoffs for the second-straight season. Injuries have robbed their chances of postseason action, but with Klay Thompson back next season, they can ill-afford another year not capitalising on Curry's prime. 

Armed with two lottery selections at No. 7 and No. 14, the front office has to be considering finding a package for an established player to complement their current roster, be it another key starter or some serious bench depth, which was a glaring issue last season.

That being said, if they can't find a suitable package for their picks that helps them right now, I like the idea of Duke forward Jalen Johnson, who can push the pace, facilitate and handle the ball. He's not a great shooter, but he's an effective cutter and can do a lot of "Draymond-like" things, while adding size and athleticism on the defensive end.

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