New Warriors Rumors on Kawhi Leonard, Trey Murphy III Trade Possibilities Ahead of NBA Draft

The Golden State Warriors reportedly have their eye on a pair of big-name wings as they attempt to return to championship contention next season.

According to ESPN's Anthony Slater, two players believed to be on the Warriors' radar are Kawhi Leonard of the Los Angeles Clippers and Trey Murphy III of the New Orleans Pelicans, although one of them may be far more attainable than the other.

Despite the Warriors reportedly having interest in Leonard in what would be a "win-now move," the Clippers have "maintained a firm stance against" moving Leonard and prefer to build around him instead, per Slater.

However, a Murphy trade may be more realistic, and he is reportedly a player who the Warriors have "circled for years" in the interest of getting younger.

Leonard, who will turn 35 later this month, fits in with the Warriors' veteran-laden roster, as Stephen Curry, Jimmy Butler and Draymond Green are all 35 or older.

That means Golden State's timeline for championship contention is short, but if the plan is to go all in over the next two years before head coach Steve Kerr's contract expires, then Leonard would make plenty of sense.

Leonard is well known for his playoff excellence, having won one championship and one NBA Finals MVP with each of the San Antonio Spurs and Toronto Raptors.

The big knock on the seven-time All-Star is his durability, but he largely stayed healthy and played great last season, averaging a career-high 27.9 points in 65 games en route to finishing seventh in NBA MVP voting and earning an All-NBA Second Team selection.

Murphy is nowhere near as accomplished as Leonard, but he has established himself as one of the NBA's premier wings in recent years.

He has averaged over 21 points per game in each of the past two seasons and at least three trifectas made per game in each of the past three campaigns, making him an ideal option within Kerr's up-tempo offensive system.

Murphy is also set to turn just 26 years of age this month, and his arrival would provide the Golden State roster with a much-needed youth infusion alongside Curry, Butler and Green.

On top of that, Murphy is already signed through 2029 at a reasonable price, as he is slated to earn $27 million next season.

One can only assume that a player of Murphy's age, production level and contract status would cost a lot to acquire, but if the Warriors are serious about making another title run before Curry and Co. retire, he is the type of player who could help them get back in the mix.