Golden State Warriors' 2015 Trade Deadline Shopping List

The Golden State Warriors are moving toward the 2015 NBA Trade Deadline with no major holes to fix. The team has two full lineups that can compete and win games.

But what do the Warriors really need with the development of Justin Holiday and the return of Andrew Bogut and David Lee from injuries?

With the best record in the NBA, the Warriors really need to see what pieces would fit this tight squad and not overpay for spare parts. Chemistry is a monumental key here, and the last thing that the team wants to do is start rocking the boat.

With that being said, do not expect a major trade involving David Lee.

However, in order to have the best squad ready in anticipation of an injury, general manager Bob Myers might have to do a little bit of tweaking to the current arsenal.

Center

Andrew Bogut is lifeblood of the Warriors’ defense when he is healthy. He is a great rim protector, deters opponents and facilitates the dynamic offense.

His biggest problem is that he continues to get injured. His backup, Festus Ezeli, is in the same boat after spraining his ankle in the 115-105 loss to the Los Angeles Lakers on December 23 and sitting out last season with a knee injury.

The third center is Ognjen Kuzmic, and he has not had enough quality minutes to develop into a reliable option off the bench. He spends a lot of time with the D-League team in Santa Cruz to get necessary minutes.

Coach Kerr has relied heavily on his power forwards to fill the void while Bogut was out for a month waiting for his knee to recover. Ezeli has not played since December 23.

So what are the Warriors options with a big man?

The Warriors can go with the old proven standby that is past his prime, or they can take a gamble on an underdeveloped player looking for a legitimate shot.

Since the Warriors lead the league in pace (number of possessions per 48 minutes) per NBA.com, Myers will most likely lean toward a younger, faster option.

In that case, the Warriors will have to offer competitive pieces that are either expiring contracts, draft choices or developing players.  Leandro Barbosa or Brandon Rush satisfies the contract portion, the Warriors have flexibility with draft choices and possibly Kuzmic fits as someone in development.

The two targets that the Warriors should keep an eye on are Bismack Biyombo of the Charlotte Hornets and Kosta Koufos of the Memphis Grizzlies.

Biyombo is a very raw player, who was the seventh overall selection in the 2011 NBA draft by the Sacramento Kings and traded to the Hornets on draft night. He currently backs up center Al Jefferson, but he is a guy who can block shots and score.

He is still raw on the offensive end after three-plus years in the Association, but he is shooting 57.3 percent this season. His line is currently 3.9 PPG, 5.7 RPG and 1.3 BPG in a little over 16 minutes. 

He is in the final year of his rookie contract that pays him $3,873,898, and he will be a restricted free agent next season.

Kosta Koufos would be a great fit as a backup center, but the Memphis Grizzlies might not want to upgrade an already dangerous Warriors' roster that they possibly could see in the conference semifinals or finals. However, the Grizzlies are in desperate need of outside shooters, and the Warriors could part with Barbosa or Rush to start.

Koufos is a seasoned veteran while playing in his seventh season with stops on the Utah Jazz and Denver Nuggets as part of his resume. He can play solid defense, knows how to position himself in the up-tempo offense and is a reliable option.

If GM Myers goes this route, he will need to bargain effectively, since Memphis might be losing its frontline next season. Zach Randolph, Marc Gasol and Koufos are all free agents, and the Grizz might want a bankable player they can develop going forward.

Koufos is getting nearly 16 minutes per game, because Marc Gasol is soaking up most of the time, but Koufos averages 4.8 PPG, 4.5 RPG and 1 BPG. He only makes $3 million per year.

Shooting Guard

The shooting guard problem has been shored up with the arrival and promotion of Holiday into the rotation. He brings athleticism and a unique body to the 2 position, while he continues to build his confidence.

As a result of Holiday’s jump, Barbosa had recently been pushed aside until Coach Kerr decided to bench Shaun Livingston.

With so much talent on the roster, it is a difficult situation for Coach Kerr in doling out the minutes.

Per Al Saracevic of the San Francisco Chronicle, “It’s going to be interesting,” Kerr said. “We have a lot of guys who can play. And only a set amount of minutes to go around. ... I told the guys, 'Each night somebody’s going to have to sit. Sometimes, you’ll have to pay the price.’

The Warriors have some interesting possibilities out there at the shooting guard position. Since the team has been silent about potential trades, everyone within reason should be considered.

Arron Afflalo is one of the more popular names in the rumor mill since Denver became active on the NBA trade circuit. The Warriors could make a preemptive strike for the right price.

Afflalo would have to join the line of players who transferred from starters to bench players in order to successfully be part of the roster.

Since he will be a free agent after the season (unless he accepts his player option), he really has his choice of where to go. He will be a drain on the purse strings, as he is making $7.36 million this season.

Afflalo is currently putting up a line of 15.4 PPG, 3.5 RPG and 1.8 APG, and he could be another bullet in the second unit’s chamber.

Denver is quiet about his availability, but Charlotte might be on the periphery by offering a package that includes wild-card Lance Stephenson. Myers may look into the acquisition, especially with Afflalo potentially opting-out of his contract at season’s end, but he shouldn’t give away any extra draft picks.

With the Warriors already having cap issues and Draymond Green's contract on the horizon, Myers would have to ship out Shaun Livingston and Brandon Rush to acquire Afflalo.

Livingston signed a three-year mid-level exception deal which has two more years remaining, and Rush has a player option for 2015-16.

Unless it comes with draft picks, that is a lot for Denver to take on.

Goran Dragic is another player that the Warriors should consider. He is a good ball-handler and can play both guard positions. Currently, he is getting interest from his former team, the Houston Rockets.

Dragic is available primarily because he is in a logjam of guards in Phoenix, and he could enter free agency at the end of the season.

Dragic has a player option for next season, but if he declines it, he will most likely be one of the top backcourt free agents. He is currently being paid $7.5 million this season, and his option is for the same price.

He is familiar with the up-tempo style offense in Phoenix, and he has higher shooting percentages than Barbosa and Rush. He currently is shooting 50.7 percent from the field and 35.1 from behind the arc.

He averages 16.7 PPG, 3.6 RPG and 3.9 APG. He also manages a steal per contest.

The Suns are looking to build upon the recent acquisition of Brandan Wright and need complementary pieces in the frontcourt. Myers can’t give away too much for a rent-a-vet.

Since the Suns need bigs, David Lee would have to enter the plot. Phoenix doesn't have the return that would enhance the Warriors roster, so a third team would have to be involved.

With the top record and seamless chemistry, that price looks like it would be too high to entertain.

Other Avenues

If the price is not right, Myers doesn’t have to do anything. There are other options that could bolster the Warriors lineup after the February 19 deadline.

Andray Blatche can return from his contract in China in March. He is looking at a possible return to the NBA after an inconsistent season with the Brooklyn Nets last year. 

He could easily fit into the Warriors system. He is comfortable coming off the bench and being plugged in at either power forward or center.

The Warriors could also look at the D-League for potential emergency uses.

Per Jon Krawczynski of the Associated Press, Curry thinks this is a tight knit group that can succeed with whatever lineup is put on the floor.

"

Whatever lineup we throw out there, I feel like we have the ultimate high confidence to play well," Curry said. "That comes with the experience of going through a couple of playoff series together and falling short of our expectations before. And now being even more hungry as a group to get to the next level. That's a huge bonus for us.

"

Myers and company should make the necessary decision out of what is available and not overpay. This team is a juggernaut, and a lot has to happen to derail the current success.

The true benchmark of this team will be the results of the road contests versus the real contenders in the West. If there are any true weaknesses on the team, they most likely will be exposed in those games.

The trade deadline is a liquid situation where deals happen quickly which can reshape the balance of contenders.

Buckle up, we are in for an exciting finish.
 

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