Warriors Trade Predictions Ahead of Thursday's Deadline
With Thursday's NBA trade deadline fast approaching, the Golden State Warriors need roster reinforcements in the worst kind of way.
That's been true for a while now, but when Stephen Curry injured his leg Saturday—an ailment expected to sideline him through the All-Star break, per ESPN's Adrian Wojnarowski—it drove that point home with a sledgehammer.
Simply put, if the Dubs do nothing between now and Thursday, they're either supremely confident in their chances of capturing the consistency that has eluded them all season or they don't feel good enough about their championship odds to part with future assets.
Which direction will Golden State head? We'll answer that question and more with a batch of three Dubs-related deadline predictions.
Jonathan Kuminga Will Stay Put
1 of 3
Golden State's attempt to manage two timelines—a strategy that, in a perfect world, would allow them to contend right now and down the road—is growing increasingly untenable.
The Warriors need a level of reliability from the back-half of their roster that some of their young players aren't able to provide.
It's easy, then, for trade-machine enthusiasts to broker a lot of future-for-present swaps that have the team turning its prospects into plug-and-play veterans. That exact kind of swap is very much in the cards for Golden State.
It just won't involve Jonathan Kuminga.
If his flashes of stardom hadn't already convinced this club to make him off-limits, then his present contributions should have sealed the deal. His point-of-attack defense, explosive athleticism and above-the-rim finishing all allow him to fill a critical role right now.
If anything, the 20-year-old seems capable of handling more than the 19.3 minutes per night being thrown his way.
Kuminga may not be totally untouchable, but the quality of player needed to convince Golden State to give him up is not on the market.
One, If Not Both, of James Wiseman and Moses Moody Will Be Moved
2 of 3
A week ago, I might not have been ready to call for a trade involving one (or both) of James Wiseman and Moses Moody. I'm ready now.
Curry's injury has changed the deadline calculus for this club. Their rotation was thin already, but without their MVP candidate, they could soon be running on fumes. They don't have enough wiggle room to afford a rough couple of weeks.
And look what's happening around them in the West. The Dallas Mavericks, who played the Warriors in last year's Western Conference Finals, just added Kyrie Irving. The Los Angeles Lakers, Phoenix Suns and Los Angeles Clippers were all "serious suitors" for Irving, too, per Shams Charania of The Athletic.
That's a ton of direct competitors mulling (or, in the Mavericks' case, making) major moves in hopes of capturing the Western Conference crown. The Warriors can't afford to be left behind.
With Wiseman and Moody giving this group next to nothing, it's time to put at least one in a trade to land someone who can at least hold down a regular rotation spot.
Golden State Snags a Stopper
3 of 3
Thoughts of the Dubs' dynasty might initially conjure up images of the Splash Brothers dropping cannon-balls, but their swarming, switch-everything defense was just as critical to that success.
The Warriors, who rank 15th in defensive efficiency, per NBA.com, need to add more competent stoppers to get their mojo back on the game's less glamorous end.
This market may not be flush with sellers, but it will offer up someone who can increase the Dubs' defensive resistance.
Maybe that's an interior anchor like Jakob Poeltl. Perhaps it's an off-ball disruptor such as Matisse Thybulle or an on-ball pest like Josh Richardson. Maybe they could even pry loose an all-purpose stopper like Jarred Vanderbilt.
It's too early to tell which defender will be en route to Golden State, but a stopper is coming.
