After weeks of deliberation, the Golden State Warriors finally re-signed Steve Kerr to a two-year deal to return as the team’s head coach, as reported by ESPN’s Shams Charania on Saturday.
With Kerr back at the helm, the Warriors reportedly have a clear direction. According to ESPN, Golden State plans to aggressively rearrange its roster around Steph Curry as it looks to maximize the two-time MVP’s championship window.
According to a report from Danny Emerman of the San Francisco Standard, if the Warriors land a top-four pick in the upcoming draft, they will consider using it as a trade asset for acquiring a proven star.
“Golden State could also consider flipping the pick in a blockbuster trade for a proven star,” Emerman wrote. “A top-four pick would instantly become both the franchise’s juiciest trade asset and its best chance at bridging the end of this era with whatever comes next. Choose your own adventure.”
The NBA Draft Lottery will take place in Chicago on Sunday at 3 p.m. ET. The Warriors have a 2% chance of landing the No. 1 pick, a 9.4% chance of landing a top-four pick and a 77.6% chance of landing the 11th pick.
Golden State (37-45) finished with the 11th-worst record in the league in the 2025-26 season. They were eliminated from the play-in tournament after losing to the Phoenix Suns.
Who can the Warriors pursue if they land a top-four pick in the draft lottery?
The Golden State Warriors have repeatedly been linked to Giannis Antetokounmpo and Kawhi Leonard. Golden State made offers for both players at the 2025 trade deadline but could not land a deal.
With a top-four pick in hand, the Warriors would have a significantly better chance at acquiring either player. Although interest in Antetokounmpo may cool down after Eric Nehm of The Athletic reported that the Bucks forward would prefer to play for an Eastern Conference team.
Just a lottery pick might not be enough, as the Warriors will also need to match the salary of both players. Antetokounmpo is set to make $58 million next season, while Leonard will draw a salary of $50 million.
To land either star, the Warriors may have to part ways with either Draymond Green or Jimmy Butler to match Leonard and Antetokounmpo’s salary in a trade.
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