Golden State Warriors Trade Idea That Works With or Without LeBron James

We know the Golden State Warriors are all in on chasing LeBron James, but he shouldn't be the only target in their offseason improvement plans.

Whether or not sales pitches from Stephen Curry and Draymond Green result in the formation of the Golden State Expendables, the Warriors need to make a play for New Orleans Pelicans wing Trey Murphy III.

That won't be easy, as the Pels have so far resisted shopping the 26-year-old and his eminently affordable contract. But maybe a creative offer could give Golden State a path toward getting New Orleans' attention.

Murphy could be a complement to the Warriors' revamped roster alongside James, or he could be a welcome consolation prize if the Dubs miss out on the four-time MVP. Either way, Golden State needs to go after him.

The Trade

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Golden State Acquires: Trey Murphy III

New Orleans Acquires: Brandin Podziemski, Moses Moody, 2027 first-round pick (top-four protected), 2028 first-round swap, 2029 first-round swap, 2030 first-round swap, 2031 first-round swap

Why Golden State Does It

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Murphy is the best player in this deal, which is always a good starting point for justifying the acquiring team's motivation.

More specifically, he's a 26-year-old wing who brings excellent high-volume three-point shooting, athleticism and upside to an aging, ground-bound roster in need of all those qualities.

The price point is another major component here, as Murphy is only under contract for an average of $29 million per season through 2028-29. He's a potential All-Star entering his prime, but he's being paid like something far less than that.

With averages of at least 21.0 points, 5.0 rebounds and 3.5 assists over each of the last two seasons, Murphy has also developed into one of the most prolific long-range gunners in the game. He's canned at least 3.0 treys per game over the last three years and owns a career 38.2 percent hit rate from downtown.

Golden State is trying to win during what remains of Curry's late prime, and Murphy would certainly help in that effort. Just as importantly, his youth and potential to expand his game would give the Warriors a possible bridge to their next era.

Though Podziemski's departure would cost the Warriors secondary ball-handling they really can't afford to lose, maybe the Murphy acquisition would be the final piece of a pitch to James. And if he comes aboard, the playmaking void would immediately be filled.

Why New Orleans Does It

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Murphy is a hugely valuable asset, particularly in a league where good players on below-market contracts seem to be returning greater trade value than slightly better ones on huge deals.

Proof of that change is evident if you compare the return package the LA Clippers got for Ivica Zubac against the one the Boston Celtics got for Jaylen Brown.

The Warriors need to think inventively here, which they do by sending the Pelicans five first-round assets. Four are swaps, and critics of the deal will surely just say it would be better for New Orleans if it could get two or three additional outright picks.

Well, Golden State probably isn't going to go that far for a non-superstar. The theory here is that the Warriors can overwhelm the Pelicans with the sheer volume of draft equity, and it's important to consider the upside those swaps could carry.

Considering the likelihood that the Warriors will struggle when the Curry era ends, but probably not to the point of finishing with a bottom-three record, the swaps basically give the Pelicans four straight chances to capitalize on what could be very high draft position.

The Pelicans should probably ask for two firsts and three swaps instead of one first and four swaps. If it comes to that, Golden State may still be best off accepting the terms.

Though they're ancillary to the picks changing hands, Podziemski could provide valuable spot-up shooting and secondary creation next to Zion Williamson and Derik Queen while Moody would be a poor man's Murphy at less than half the price upon recovery from last year's knee injury.