The Warriors have officially entered full-blown mediocrity, and one would have to think that changes of some kind are on the horizon. Following the Warriors’ most recent loss—to the lowly 9-31 Raptors—the Warriors are now a game below .500. With each passing game, they are looking increasingly more like the team that missed the playoffs last year.
With Stephen Curry still playing at or near his peak during his age-36 season, and Draymond Green still showing himself to have some tread left on the tires during his age-34 season, it makes sense that the Warriors have long been regarded as a team closely monitoring the trade market. According to recent comments made by Green however, a win-now trade that could potentially mortgage the franchise’s future is not something he is in support of, and it appears that he is not alone in his thinking. Green said,
“The beautiful part about being in the space that we’re in is, Steve Kerr, Steph Curry and myself all disagree with mortgaging off the future of this organization, saying that we’re going for it right now.”
Regardless of all the outside noise, reports, and rumors, an earth-shattering blockbuster deal does not appear imminent for the Warriors. At least, not if we are to take Green’s comments at face value. Of course, ‘roster construction’ is not actually in the job description of any of Green, Curry, or Kerr, but I think it’s safe to say, Warriors’ GM Mike Dunleavy Jr. is unlikely to make any real consequential moves between now and the trade deadline without the go-ahead from Green, Curry, and Kerr.
Warriors’ Heart and Soul Rips the Idea of a ‘Win-Now’ Trade
Pros of the Warriors Making a Win-Now Trade
With the Warriors continuing to tumble down the standings, logic would have to suggest that the Warriors’ number one priority would be bringing a halt to this tumble by getting Curry some significant support. Curry has demonstrated time and time again throughout his Hall of Fame career, that he is capable of elevating even a decent supporting cast to a dangerous playoff contender. Very few players truly warrant the title of being ‘a generational talent’, but Curry is one of those rare exceptions.
The Warriors are in serious danger of missing the playoffs in back-to-back seasons—an unforgivable occurrence with a championship-caliber star player, head coach, and defensive anchor in-house. Barring something drastic happening, we have seen the ceiling of what the Warriors’ current roster is capable of. If the Warriors are able to execute the right trade however, the possibility remains that the Warriors could sneak into the playoffs. And with the right amount of momentum, and the right amount of Curry magic, anything is possible.
Cons of the Warriors Making a Win-Now Trade
Of course, if the execution of a win-now trade can only come at the cost of significantly mortgaging the future of the franchise, then there are certainly some obvious ‘cons’ worth discussing. First and foremost, a win-now trade does not automatically signify a guaranteed uptick in added wins. Of course that’s the goal, but any sort of mid-season acquisition comes with a whole host of risks, and has the potential to throw off things like overall team chemistry and synergy.
Additionally, the ideal right player may simply not be out there for the Warriors. And the worst thing the Warriors could do is act out of desperation and rush to exchange a significant collection of young players and picks for a player who isn’t even guaranteed to fit. There is a precariously long list of botched midseason trades that ultimately left the executing team significantly hamstrung for years to come. The last thing the Warriors want to do is join that list at the tail end of Curry’s career.
Last Word
There are two ways to look at the Warriors season thus far. Through an optimistic lens, the Warriors are undoubtedly struggling, but they’ve lost a ton of close games—5-6 in games decided by five points or less. With a bit more luck over the second half of the season, and with the right impact trade, the Warriors could and should be right back in the playoff mix come April. Through a pessimistic lens, the Warriors outlook looks much bleaker. Tim Bontemps of ESPN, is certainly someone who shares this viewpoint, recently making some not-so-flattering comments about the Warriors’ potential acquisition of Nikola Vucevic. He likened the oft-rumored transaction to “putting lipstick on a pig”. Essentially, if you share Bontempts’ perspective, the 2024-25 Warriors are a lost cause, and not even worth saving.
Unfortunately—or fortunately?—for the Warriors, they simply have too much at stake to punt on the season. Expect the Warriors to play it semi-safe at the deadline, holding on to the majority of their young players and picks, but not staying completely sidelined during trade season. For better or for worse, a trade of some kind is likely on the way for Golden State.
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