The Golden State Warriors’ are set to do battle with the Minnesota Timberwolves in the next round of the NBA Playoffs.
The Game 7 victory for the Golden State Warriors has set up an exciting Western Conference semi-finals match-up against the Minnesota Timberwolves.
This pits the Warriors up against the unstoppable Anthony Edwards, high in confidence after eliminating LeBron James and the LA Lakers, keen to add another high profile playoff victim to his resume.
For Anthony Edwards, the situation has a personal element too. Perhaps none more so than within the Golden State Warriors front office, as they reflect on a staggering missed opportunity.
Photo by Ezra Shaw/Getty ImagesHow the Golden State Warriors could have drafted Anthony Edwards
Anthony Edwards was the top overall pick in the 2020 NBA Draft, and was selected by the Minnesota Timberwolves.
The Golden State Warriors had the number two overall pick and selected James Wiseman, passing on LaMelo Ball, who went at three to the Charlotte Hornets.
But amid questions over Edwards, Brian Windhorst revealed in 2024 how the Minnesota Timberwolves tried to trade away their number one pick to Golden State – who declined amid their focus on Wiseman.
Windhorst told the Hoop Collective podcast in 2021: “To go back to draft night, the Wolves were very interested in trading out of this pick.
“They were trying up until they were on the clock, from what I have been told, to get the Warriors interested in moving up.”
He pointed out that the Warriors owned the Timberwolves draft pick in 2021 and were interested in acquiring it back as part of a deal.
“The Warriors were really locked in on James Wiseman,” he added.
Unable to trade out of their number one selection, the Timberwolves took the top prospect off the board, concerns or not – and their selection has paid off.
Edwards is being tipped as the ‘face of the NBA’, whether he likes it or not, and can take this another step forward if he leads his team past Golden State in the NBA Playoffs.
In the past 2024-25 regular season, Edwards averaged 26.0 points per game in four matches against the Warriors, a constant threat even though his team only won one of them.
Data provided via Sofa Score shows how he has added an efficient three-point shooting element to his game, scoring at a rate of 43.6 per cent, on the way to scoring more than any player in the league.
.Where is James Wiseman now, and the Timberwolves 2021 pick
The Golden State Warriors viewed James Wiseman as an instantly ready prospect who could make an impact and quick-start their rebuild.
Now in 2025 while the Warriors prepare to take on Edwards and the Timberwolves, James Wiseman is currently out of the NBA.
Wiseman played only 39 games in his rookie season before suffering a knee injury that required surgery.
In 2023 he was traded away to the Detroit Pistons, later traded to the Indiana Pacers. Wiseman suffered an Achilles injury at the start of this season, and was salary dumped to the Toronto Raptors before being waived.
Wiseman’s career is not over, but has not turned into the player Golden State wanted him to be, and declined the opportunity to trade up for.
Amid their desire to keep hold of the pick the following year, in the 2021 draft the Warriors had the number seven overall pick via Minnesota, and used it to select Jonathan Kuminga, taking him one pick ahead of Franz Wagner.
Kuminga’s future in Golden State is now in doubt after failing to win over Steve Kerr, and in the playoff series with the Rockets he played in only three of seven games.