NBA Rumors: Golden State Warriors Should Have Pulled the Trigger on Chris Kaman

The Warriors made a blockbuster move in the week of the trade deadline by moving their electrifying combo guard Monta Ellis to the Bucks, alongside young forward Ekpe Udoh and the expiring deal of Kwame Brown, in exchange for injured big man Andrew Bogut and an aging Stephen Jackson (whom they flipped to San Antonio in exchange for Richard Jefferson, T.J. Ford and a first-round pick).

What might be the bigger story, however, were the moves the Warriors walked away from. ESPN’s Ric Bucher reported shortly after the deadline that the New Orleans Hornets had offered former All-Star center Chris Kaman to Golden State in exchange for Brown and reserve sharpshooter Brandon Rush.

Acquiring Kaman would have filled a longtime outstanding need for the Warriors at center. Kaman is an established NBA veteran, and has the defensive, rebounding and offensive efficiency to effectively fill the hole in the Warriors roster.

Instead, the team changed the direction of the franchise by moving their longtime star in Ellis in favor of Bogut, whose injury woes over the past few seasons have limited his production over the past few years. Bogut’s health going forward presents a substantial risk for the Warriors.

And while Kaman’s had an injury history of his own—appearing in just 32 games last season due to an ankle injury—he’s avoided maladies this year, and has been relatively productive for the struggling Hornets. He’s appeared in 32 games already in the lockout-shortened 2011-12, and this is in spite of Kaman being deactivated by New Orleans for several games, so the team could shop him around the league.

Kaman could have made the Warriors competitive, and would have given Golden State an opportunity to properly assess whether or not the Warriors could win with Ellis, David Lee and Stephen Curry as the team's nucleus. It was certainly a lower-risk deal, as both Brown and Rush are impending free agents, as is Kaman. Golden State would have kept their salary cap relatively flexible and could have retained Kaman if he proved to be a difference maker.

Golden State now has over $21 million dedicated to Jefferson and Bogut over the next three seasons, which could make it difficult for the team to retain their franchise point guard in Curry when his rookie deal expires in 2014.

While the Bogut deal drew headlines and indicated that the franchise was claiming a new identity, it simply wasn't the best move available to GM Larry Riley and the Warriors. Golden State could have had a healthy center with the defensive skill set they were looking for, at a much lower cost and significantly less risk in Kaman. It’s hard to imagine why Riley would go through with the Bogut deal when Kaman's offer was on the table.

Still, if Bogut and Jefferson work out and the franchise is able to retain Curry long-term (or his gimpy ankle continues to derail his career), the move will be regarded as one of the best for the Warriors in recent memory. However, should Bogut fail and the team stumble, Riley will likely find himself searching for a job.

Only time will tell what happens now.