NBA Trade Rumors: 5 Reasons Why Golden State Warriors Should Pursue Nene

Carmelo Anthony isn’t the only Denver Nugget who might be a potential trade target. The Golden State Warriors have inquired about the availability of Nuggets center Nene.

The eight-year player has a termination option on the last year of his deal. So before a trade is finalized, Nene would have to agree on a contract extension.

So who would the Warriors have to part ways with?

Curry is obviously untouchable. It may be possible that the Denver might think about Ellis.

But, the reason that the Nuggets would trade Nene in the first place is because they recognize they have to rebuild and shed salary if Anthony is traded.

So it is highly doubtful that Denver will take on the remaining four years and $44 million left on Ellis’ contract.

Denver will most likely want a young prospect and an expiring contract. For example, Ekpe Udoh and Vladimir Radmanovic for Nene works out financially.

Nene will provide an upgrade at the center position, and we will take a dive into why the Warriors need to trade for him.

Nene Fits Their Style of Play

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DENVER - NOVEMBER 16: Nene #31 of the Denver Nuggets passes the ball while under defensive pressure from Ronny Turiaf #14 of the New York Knicks at the Pepsi Center on November 16, 2010 in Denver, Colorado. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and a

It’s no secret that the Warriors love to play an up-tempo style offense. They play at the fourth-fastest pace in the league and are second in fast break points. Nene is no stranger to faster play and he will fit in their offense like a glove. He is very agile and is one of the fastest big men in the league from end-to-end.

Another Pick and Roll Mate for Curry

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DENVER - JANUARY 05: Stephen Curry #30 of the Golden State Warriors gets off a shot against Nene #31 of the Denver Nuggets at the Pepsi Center on January 5, 2010 in Denver, Colorado. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloadi

Curry is one of the most creative point guards in the league, and Nene is one of the best big men at rolling to the basket.

Add that up, and you have opposing teams scratching their heads on how to defend this tandem. Let’s not forget that David Lee is also one of better pick-and-roll big men.

He Adds Another Dimension to the Warriors Offense

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LOS ANGELES, CA - JANUARY 5: Nene #31 of the Denver Nuggets shoots over DeAndre Jordan #9 of the Los Angeles Clippers at Staples Center on January 5, 2011 in Los Angeles, California. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloa

Besides being unable to defend, Golden State’s biggest weakness is that it hasn't been able to score enough in the post. Nene has the ability to post up an opposing big man and face him up using his quickness.

He leads the league in field-goal percentage at 64 percent and can make the Warriors offense a little bit more efficient.

With another scoring threat from the center position, David Lee will be afforded the opportunity to have more space to work with on the floor.

He Would Be an Upgrade over Andris Biedrins

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PHOENIX - JANUARY 23: Andris Biedrins #15 of the Golden State Warriors during the NBA game against the Phoenix Suns at US Airways Center on January 23, 2010 in Phoenix, Arizona. The Suns defeated the Warriors 112-103. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknow

Biedrins hasn’t been bad, but he hasn’t been particularly good either. He has shown flashes of potential, but he hasn’t been able to stay healthy the last three seasons.

Struggling to defend the post has been Biedrins’ biggest weakness. While Nene has never been mistaken as a stout defender, he is bigger, stronger and much more of a scoring threat in the post.

The Move Will Re-Energize the Warriors Fanbase

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OAKLAND, CA - MAY 11: Fans of the Golden State Warriors celebrate against the Utah Jazz in Game Three of the Western Conference Semifinals during the 2007 NBA Playoffs on May 11, 2007 at Oracle Arena in Oakland, California. NOTE TO USER: User expressly

The Warriors are five-and-a-half games out of the final spot of the playoffs, so it is highly doubtful they sneak in.

But, a move for Nene would give the team a solid nucleus for the future.

Even with just two winning seasons under the ownership of Chris Cohan, the Warriors have had the one of the most loyal fanbases in the NBA.

Now, this is a chance for their new ownership group to prove to their fans that they are serious about winning.