Warriors Trade Rumors: Kelly Oubre Jr. Being Shopped Ahead of Deadline
March 21, 2021
The Golden State Warriors are exploring Kelly Oubre Jr.'s trade market ahead of Thursday's deadline, according to Kevin O'Connor of The Ringer.
Oubre is averaging 14.9 points and 5.8 rebounds while shooting 43.4 percent overall and 30.2 percent from three-point range in his first season with the team.
Generally speaking, the 25-year-old has improved following a brutal start. He didn't make a great first impression on Warriors fans, going 2-of-30 from beyond the arc through six games.
Oubre also displayed how lethal he can be at his best when he dropped 40 points and eight rebounds in a 147-116 win over the Dallas Mavericks on Feb. 4.
Still, those moments haven't come often enough, and the 2015 first-round pick once again finds himself in a shooting funk.
Speaking with Kerith Burke of NBC Sports Bay Area, Oubre said he was hopeful of remaining with the Warriors beyond the trade deadline:
The trouble for Golden State is that he's due for a new contract in the offseason. The team is already on the hook for $139.4 million between Stephen Curry, Klay Thompson, Andrew Wiggins and Draymond Green. Re-signing Oubre may not be the best use of the limited financial flexibility afforded to general manager Bob Myers.
Fitting him into the rotation with Thompson coming back gets tricky as well.
Oubre might have more value to the Warriors as a trade asset to address a different area of their roster as they attempt to make a charge in the second half and make plans for 2021-22.