The Golden State Warriors need to make some changes, and they must do so quickly. That change may be in the form of a center. There so happens to be a superstar who is an athletic center who has been linked to the trade market the entire season. That player being Giannis Antetokounmpo. Richard Jefferson believes he would be the perfect addition in an ideal world. Channing Frye, on the other hand, isn’t so quick to pull the trigger.
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NBA insider Chris Haynes revealed that the Warriors have made up their minds about their next roster move. “The Warriors are buyers,” Haynes said on NBA on Prime. “I was told they are looking for size and athleticism.”
Size and athleticism don’t need to come in the form of another star talent. There are plenty of quality bigs who possess those traits, such as Nic Claxton, Robert Williams and Day’Ron Sharpe, who are certainly realistic options for the Warriors.
The Road Trippin’ Show crew discussed this new development out of Golden State. Before they could string together a few potential candidates that fit the description, Jefferson had a name that instantly came to mind.
“If there was an athletic center that was possibly on the market,” Jefferson said sarcastically. “I was talking about Giannis.”
Before any angry Milwaukee Bucks fans flock to the comments, the likelihood of Giannis Antetokounmpo becoming a Warrior is slim to none. Golden State doesn’t have anywhere close to the most enticing trade package a team can offer.
Nonetheless, hypothetically speaking, Antetokounmpo will surely be a huge addition for the team. However, Frye can’t pull himself so easily on board the Giannis to Golden State train.
“If you bring in Giannis, what system are you running?” Frye asked. Jefferson didn’t waste any time in a rebuttal. “What are you talking about? You’ve got Giannis! Figure it out,” Jefferson said.
It may seem ridiculous to question, but Frye has a solid point. The Warriors’ entire offense centers around Stephen Curry’s gravity. Players who can defend and space the court allow the team to function as a well-oiled machine through their constant flow offense. That is why Kevin Durant was such a good fit because he didn’t demand the ball in his hands to be successful.
Unfortunately, Antetokounmpo isn’t the same type of player as Durant. Although he has improved over the years, Giannis isn’t an above-average three-point shooter. He plays a lot of bully ball and doesn’t thrive too well off the ball. That was extremely evident in his recent pairing alongside Damian Lillard.
That doesn’t mean that Antetokounmpo doesn’t play championship-level basketball. The Greek star reached the NBA mountaintop in 2021. However, that’s the most success he has experienced. Curry, on the other hand, has won four titles. That key difference led Frye to quite a compelling statement.
“Steph Curry gives you a better chance to win a championship than Giannis does,” Frye proclaimed. “I’d rather add somebody for Steph and Steph’s system.”
It’s crazy to think that even at 37 years old, Frye would continue to build around Stephen Curry. It’s even crazier that he isn’t even crazy for having that belief. That is how great a player Curry is.
