The NBA trade deadline is fast approaching, and one of the teams expected to make a move is the Golden State Warriors. On the surface, it makes sense, as the Dubs have taken a turn for the worse after a hot start. If the season ended today, Steve Kerr’s team wouldn’t even make the play-in with its 19-20 record. Many people around the NBA expect them to swing a big deal to try to climb the standings. Steph Curry isn’t getting any younger so the time is now if the Warriors want to make a push for another ring.
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On Tuesday, the Run It Back podcast discussed whether the Warriors need to have a sense of urgency this trade deadline. Lou Williams went against the grain, saying that GM Mike Dunleavy Jr. can afford to take a more patient approach.
“This is an organization that’s looking at the long haul. They’ve won four championships in the last decade. They understand what it takes to win, and so if it takes them to struggle this year and figure out what they’re gonna do moving forward, then by all means, they’ll do that. They’re not one of these “hurry up and go type of teams.”
The Warriors DON'T need to make a big move at the NBA trade deadline
"They're not one of these hurry up and go type of teams. With everything that they've done and accomplished, they can afford to be patient." – @TeamLou23
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— Run It Back (@RunItBackFDTV) January 14, 2025
Williams is right. The Warriors have earned the benefit of the doubt with how they approach team-building. Golden State has been the model NBA franchise since Steve Kerr took over before the 2014-15 season.
Even though the “two timelines” approach hasn’t borne fruit yet, it would be an even worse move to make a panic trade for someone like Jimmy Butler or Zach LaVine, two players that, on paper, would raise Golden State’s ceiling, but realistically wouldn’t help them challenge for another title this year.
Steph Curry is 36, but he’s still one of the NBA’s elite players
In the end, the direction of the Warriors franchise will be determined by how much Steph still has left in the tank. We’ve seen Kerr reduce his minutes in an attempt to keep his superstar fresh for the 82-game grind of the season. But when Steph is out there, he’s still a gravitational force the likes of which only a handful of other NBA players can come close to matching. Steph’s points are slightly down but his assists, rebounds, and steals are all up, and he’s shooting the ball just as well as he did last year.
It’s the pieces around Steph that need improving, as he’s gotten precious little help from his teammates this year. Brandon Podziemski has taken a step back after an eye-opening rookie season. Buddy Hield has come back to earth after a hot start in replacing Klay Thompson. Jonathan Kuminga hasn’t been able to assume the role of Steph’s wingman the way the organization hoped he would.
The natural response would be to trade some of those pieces for something better, but there’s nobody out there that could suddenly transform this Warriors team into title contenders overnight, especially when they’ve dug themselves a hole in the Western Conference standings.
Butler’s game is in decline, and his disgruntled energy and desire for a contract extension make him a bad fit. LaVine has an extensive injury history that gives no indication he’d be available when the Warriors need him. Other potentially available players don’t move the needle.
Steph Curry isn’t just one of the most special talents the game of basketball has ever seen, he’s also one of its hardest workers. Undersized guards typically don’t age gracefully, but Steph’s shooting and work ethic make him the exception.
Williams is right that the Warriors should let this season play out, determine what they have, and then make moves in the offseason to make a run at it next year. Steph is still someone that you can build a championship team around, and there will undoubtedly be new and exciting options available via trade or free agency once the season is over.
