The Golden State Warriors’ fall from grace since their 12-3 start to the season has been well-documented. They have gone a shocking 4-13 since then to fall to .500 at 16-16. As we know, this is a proud franchise that has done little else than dominate over the past decade. Mediocrity shouldn’t be accepted. As long as Stephen Curry is around and still playing at a high level, winning will be the expectation.
Warriors’ Loss to Cavs Shows How Far From Elite They Are
In an 18-point drubbing at the hands of the Cavaliers, Golden State was dealt its latest reminder that it is far from elite. The Warriors have been lapped by a lot of teams in the NBA since their 2022 championship. They now sit squarely in the middle of the league. GS has plummeted to the 10th seed in the West, 17th-best record in basketball, and a net rating of just +0.9 after such a great start.
Cleveland provided a blueprint for how a great team should operate. They have two elite guards who can play on or off the ball, a pair of bigs who are excellent on both ends, and endless role players who do their jobs well. The difference in shooting, defense, and secondary shot creation for the Cavs jumped off the screen. Unfortunately, this is the reality for Golden State anytime they matchup with a championship contender.
How Can GS Get Back To Their Former Dominance?
Obviously, most of the remnants of the 2010s dynasty team are gone. Only Curry, Draymond Green, and head coach Steve Kerr remaining. Curry, while still great, is not quite the same player as past, and the same goes for Green. Several key cogs from the 2022 championship have walked out the door, such as Klay Thompson, Jordan Poole, and Otto Porter Jr. While losing these players has taken a toll on the Dubs, they still have more than enough talent to build a contender even within this season.
One main issue holding the Warriors back from rejoining the ranks atop the league with squads like Cleveland is their lack of a backup shot creator behind Curry. Fortunately for Golden State, they have more than enough depth and assets to make multiple moves before the trade deadline. Acquiring Dennis Schroder was the first step and should help them tread water in the standings, and he is also a tradable contract if they need to flip him again.
The new CBA makes it more difficult to find a trade midseason, but luckily, the Dubs have several desirable players with good contracts to move. Schroder, Andrew Wiggins, Jonathan Kuminga, Brandin Podziemski, and Moses Moody all have trade value. Furthermore, GS has a plethora of draft picks to use in trades.
The Warriors are likely two roster upgrades away from sitting at the Cleveland Cavaliers’ table in the league. Firstly, the aforementioned secondary scorer and playmaker, as well as a legitimate big man who can stretch the floor a little bit. Currently, their true center options are Kevon Looney and Trayce Jackson-Davis. Both are solid players, but provide no shooting threat. It makes their terrible spacing untenable when Green is also on the floor.
Possible Trade Targets
Golden State’s path to relevance probably includes a trade centered around Kuminga, another young player, and draft picks. That could help them land a star such as Zach LaVine, Brandon Ingram, or Jimmy Butler. Their unwillingness to pull the trigger on a Lauri Markkanen trade in the summer has proved costly.
Additionally, GM Mike Dunleavy Jr. should look at traditional centers who provide a spacing threat. Possible targets include Jonas Valanciunas, Nikola Vucevic and Isaiah Stewart.
If Golden State is able to make these two moves, they can run a lineup of Curry, Schroder, Green, a second star, and a true big man. With all of their bench depth even after hypothetical trades, they would have a rotation capable of competing deep into the playoffs. Curry is still a superstar player, and they owe it to him to give the team a chance to win again.
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