NBA Rumors: Trading for Joe Johnson Would Be a Train Wreck for Warriors

With the NBA trade deadline looming large, the idea of the Golden State Warriors trading for Joe Johnson is a good place to start, unless it means trading Monta Ellis to get him.

If that’s the case, it would be an absolute trainwreck.

Ellis can be troublesome on the defensive end of the court, but his knack for finding the basket is better than anything Johnson can offer. Plus, Johnson makes far more money ($18 million) than Ellis ($11 million).

While Johnson is the more versatile of the two players, with a much better defensive game, his streaky scoring is enough to halt this deal before it ever really gets started.

Warriors insider Rusty Simmons is reporting to San Francisco Chronicle about a possible deal between Atlanta and Golden State:

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The Warriors think they could get Joe Johnson but feel he's a more expensive and possibly inferior player to Monta Ellis. They'd like Josh Smith, but they haven't found the Hawks willing to part with the forward.

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While a trade for Josh Smith would most likely involve a combination of David Lee and Monta Ellis, it would at least be a solid step for the future of the team. Going after Johnson does nothing but add more salary to the payroll.

Johnson averages five less points per game than Ellis while also contributing less assists per game. It’s obvious that Johnson has the defensive edge, though not enough to outweigh the loss in scoring the team would face.

Golden State has a good young team, but they need to start adding defensive-minded players through free agency that will help make up for the inefficiencies of the team’s top scorers.

If Stephen Curry and Monta Ellis are the future, then the Warriors have to build around them like the Philadelphia 76ers built around Allen Iverson.

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