Warriors' Biggest Needs at 2023 NBA Trade Deadline

The Golden State Warriors remain as hard as ever to figure out with only a month remaining before the 2022-23 NBA trade deadline.

Their Christmas Day victory over the Memphis Grizzlies keyed an impressive five-game winning streak that came with Stephen Curry sidelined.

Then, they lost to the rebuilding duo of the Detroit Pistons and Orlando Magic before falling to the undermanned Phoenix Suns at home Tuesday in Curry's return from an 11-game absence with a shoulder injury.

"I think with Steph and [Andrew Wiggins] back, we probably relaxed a bit more than we should have," Klay Thompson told reporters. "We thought with them showing up, we'd just get the dub."

Perhaps relaxation was to blame in that outing, but Golden State has encountered enough struggles during this season to know there are bigger issues at play.

The deadline offers an opportunity to perhaps correct some of those imbalances. If the Warriors are active this trade season, the following three areas are worth addressing.

Off-The-Dribble Scorers

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HOUSTON, TEXAS - NOVEMBER 20: Stephen Curry #30 and Andrew Wiggins #22 of the Golden State Warriors run down the court after a play during the game against the Houston Rockets at Toyota Center on November 20, 2022 in Houston, Texas. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this photograph, User is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. (Photo by Alex Bierens de Haan/Getty Images)

Watch any highlight reel of Curry or Jordan Poole, and you're bound to find a few jaw-dropping moments of off-the-dribble brilliance.

Throw on the Warriors' season-long highlight reel, though, and you won't find those actions coming from many other players on the roster.

Sure, Klay Thompson can free himself for a mid-range jumper, Andrew Wiggins can explode off of straight-line drives, and Jonathan Kuminga will tantalize fans with a hint of shot-creation every now and then, but they need more players (wings, specifically) who can win one-on-one matchups.

Despite some off-the-bounce wizardry from Curry and Poole, the Warriors only sit in the 58th percentile on isolation plays, per NBA.com. The good news is this motion offense rarely calls for players to create something out of nothing; only the San Antonio Spurs isolate less frequently than Golden State.

Still, there will be moments—maybe massive ones—in which no amount of screening or passing will break down opposing defenses. The Warriors should look to add another live-ball threat if they can.

Frontcourt Depth

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SAN FRANCISCO, CALIFORNIA - DECEMBER 27: James Wiseman #33 of the Golden State Warriors goes in for a layup over JT Thor #21 of the Charlotte Hornets during the third quarter at Chase Center on December 27, 2022 in San Francisco, California. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this photograph, User is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. (Photo by Thearon W. Henderson/Getty Images)

The Warriors are tiny—well, by NBA standards, at least.

Just three players on the roster stand 6'9" or taller: Kevon Looney, James Wiseman and Patrick Baldwin Jr. Of that trio, only Looney is guaranteed a regular rotation role.

Small-ball might be a part of this team's identity, but that doesn't make it any easier to handle the league's largest stars. It also leaves a part of this pick-and-roll attack out of the equation, since the Dubs don't really have a great rim-running lob finisher in the mix.

Wiseman, the No. 2 pick in 2020, was supposed to become that player and maybe he will...eventually. Of course, with Curry, Klay Thompson and Draymond Green all well into their 30s, the Warriors shouldn't be worried about eventually.

Prioritizing the present means finding a bouncy big with a level of polish and reliability that Wiseman can't offer at this stage of his career.

Support Shooting

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SAN FRANCISCO, CALIFORNIA - JANUARY 07: Anthony Lamb #40 of the Golden State Warriors shoots a three-point shot over Markelle Fultz #20 of the Orlando Magic in the third quarter at Chase Center on January 07, 2023 in San Francisco, California. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this photograph, User is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. (Photo by Thearon W. Henderson/Getty Images)

The Warriors have three legitimate three-point threats in their full-strength starting five: Curry, Thompson and Andrew Wiggins, who sports a 39.5 percent splash rate since the start of the 2020-21 season.

Switch to the second unit, though, and this shooting collection gets a little dicey. That's especially true if there are no major rotation plans for Anthony Lamb, who's on a two-way contract, or rookie Baldwin, who's always been regarded as a long-term project pick.

Donte DiVincenzo has perhaps exceeded expectations with a 37.7 three-point percentage. But Poole has disappointed to a greater degree, connecting on just 31 percent of his long-range looks. Ty Jerome, another two-way player, and JaMychal Green don't take enough threes to really matter. Moses Moody has yet to crack the code for consistent playing time.

So, yes, even though the Warriors average more three-point makes than anyone—they also pace the field in attempts, for what that's worth—they could still use more spacers to support their stars.