Warriors Rumors: Odds of Meaningful NBA Trade Deadline Deal Have 'Steadily Decreased'

The Golden State Warriors look like anything but title contenders with a 19-24 record past the halfway point of the 2023-24 NBA season, and there is reportedly little optimism that a team-altering trade is on the way.

Anthony Slater of The Athletic reported the Warriors seem to be in "trade deadline trap of circumstance without a clear path for upward or downward mobility."

Given that reality, "the odds and internal expectations of a trade that meaningfully moves the needle has steadily decreased over the last month."

As long as Stephen Curry, Klay Thompson, Draymond Green and head coach Steve Kerr are with the team, the expectation is going to be title-or-bust for Golden State.

After all, that combination has been in six of the last nine NBA Finals and won four championships during that span. They surely aren't looking for a rebuild, especially at this stage of their careers.

That makes things particularly difficult for the front office, though, as a team that is in 12th place in the Western Conference might normally be looking to move some assets at the trade deadline with an eye on draft picks or younger players.

But Golden State is still theoretically in a win-now window with those veterans leading the way, so it likely won't make such a rebuilding move.

Slater noted Andrew Wiggins "profiles as the most likely Warrior to be dealt" since the team has received player-for-player offers and wouldn't have to attach a draft pick to move off his contract given he is in the first year of a four-year, $109 million extension.

Perhaps the right Wiggins trade could help Golden State finally make a move in the Western Conference standings.

It is 2.5 games behind the Utah Jazz for the final play-in spot and six games behind the Phoenix Suns for the No. 6 seed, which is where it would need to climb to avoid the play-in tournament.

At this point, the Warriors would likely love to settle for the play-in given their start and difficult position ahead of the trade deadline.