Warriors' Hypothetical Blockbuster Trades to Shake up NBA Offseason
The Golden State Warriors could be losing the grip on their NBA dynasty.
It's perhaps premature to pen their obituary, since they just added to their championship collection, but they clearly need more juice if they're going to get this back on track.
Since they don't have cap space to add notable free agents, they'll have to look to the trade market to find that juice. While they aren't overloaded with trade assets, they could piece together a formidable offer for a true difference-maker.
If they opt for the blockbuster route, the following three trades are worth considering.
Warriors Bulk Up Their Wings with O.G. Anunoby
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The Trade: Jordan Poole and Jonathan Kuminga to the Toronto Raptors for O.G. Anunoby and Chris Boucher
In both of Golden State's playoff series, its lack of length and athleticism on the wings was glaring. The Warriors could address both voids and shore up their suddenly leaky defense (14th in efficiency, down from second, per NBA.com) by making a major move for O.G. Anunoby.
If he isn't the best on-ball defender in the Association, he's at least in the conversation. He has enough length to bother bigs and enough quickness to keep in front of guards. He could handle Golden State's toughest defensive assignment more often than not.
He has too big of an offensive arsenal to be labeled a defensive specialist, though. This was the first time in his six-year career that he didn't set a new personal best in points per game, and he only narrowly missed that mark (16.8, was 17.1 the previous season). He also splashed better than 38 percent of his long-range looks for the third time in four seasons.
Chris Boucher, who broke into the NBA with the Warriors, could return to Golden State to give this group the frontcourt depth it lacked this season. He is most interesting when his outside shot is falling (38.3 percent in 2020-21, 31.1 percent since), but even when it isn't, he is a steady supplier of length and activity.
Would the Raptors bite on this package, though? That's debatable, but it seems feasible, provided Toronto wants to rebuild around Scottie Barnes and views both Jordan Poole and Jonathan Kuminga as long-term keepers.
Cashing in Their Trade Chips for Pascal Siakam
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The Trade: Jordan Poole, Kevon Looney, Jonathan Kuminga and No. 19 pick (can't be traded until after the draft) to the Toronto Raptors for Pascal Siakam and Thaddeus Young
In previous seasons, any flaws within the Warriors' supporting cast were deftly hidden by their stars. While Stephen Curry still seems capable of that magic, the same can't be said of Klay Thompson, who had a really rough playoff run. And as dynamic as Draymond Green is on defense, his offensive impact hinges heavily on the talent around him.
That's a long-winded way of saying the Warriors could go searching for stars, and they might find an available one north of the border. While Toronto hasn't expressly made Pascal Siakam available, this could be the right time to pivot forward with Fred VanVleet, Gary Trent Jr. and Jakob Poeltl all likely headed to free agency.
If the Dubs can get Siakam, he makes sense at any realistic cost. He is a versatile defender who touches about as many stat categories as anyone. This season, he was one of five players to average 24 points, seven rebounds and five assists; the others were Nikola Jokić, Luka Dončić, Giannis Antetokounmpo and LeBron James, per Stathead Basketball.
Toronto, in turn, would likely have the most interest in Jonathan Kuminga and the draft pick, but Jordan Poole is hardly a throw-in. Sure, he had a brutal postseason, but before that, he spent the season tallying 20.4 points and 4.5 assists per night as a 23-year-old. To seal the deal, the Raptors would unload Thaddeus Young, who couldn't lock down a regular rotation role, and bring back Kevon Looney to either man the middle or serve as a trade chip in a different deal.
Going All-In for Karl-Anthony Towns
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The Trade: Jordan Poole, Jonathan Kuminga, Patrick Baldwin Jr. and No. 19 pick (can't be traded until after the draft) to the Minnesota Timberwolves for Karl-Anthony Towns
No, this isn't an attempt to turn the Warriors into the Pacific Coast Timberwolves, but they could certainly think they could squeeze more out of Karl-Anthony Towns, much the same way they previously (and correctly) placed that same wager on Andrew Wiggins.
Towns had a tough season, losing nearly four months to a calf strain and sliding over from center to power forward to accommodate Rudy Gobert. It speaks to Towns' talent level that he handled all of that and still found his way to 20.8 points, 8.1 rebounds and 4.8 assists. Oh, and those were the fewest boards and second-fewest points he'd ever averaged.
Adding him to Golden State's motion offense might send it into overdrive. He's a really good shooter (career 39.5 percent from three), but maybe history's best shooting big man. He can also keep things moving as a passer or toy with smaller defenders in the post. There wouldn't be a right way for defenses to handle a Towns-Curry pick-and-roll, and those Curry-Green pick-and-rolls would become exponentially more challenging when having to account for the shooting threats of both Towns and Thompson.
As for the Wolves, they might already accept that the Towns-Gobert tandem isn't the right approach in the modern Association. They could brighten their present by adding Poole's creation and shot-making, and they could really be in business down the line if Kuminga maxes out his potential and one or both of Patrick Baldwin Jr. and the incoming draft pick hit.
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