The clock is ticking for NBA teams to make a final splash before their rosters are practically locked in. The league’s trade deadline of February 8th is fast approaching. The Golden State Warriors, who have lost six of their last eight games, are desperate for an injection of life into their campaign. Per NBA insider Sham Charania, they are actively looking for deals to improve the roster.
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On the Run It Back podcast, Charania claimed the Warriors are willing to part ways except for three players. He said,
“Everyone is on the table, except for Steph Curry. When you think about it, realistically, Jonathan Kuminga and Brandin Podziemski are two guys they are high on and they want to keep long term as their core moving forward. They are going to take calls on Andrew Wiggins, Chris Paul. Could they even get interest in a guy like Klay Thompson? I think those are very much open conversations for the Warriors. They have to be open-minded.”
The Warriors’ roster is filled with old veterans who aren’t pulling their weight. The team started the season without making any significant changes to the roster except landing Chris Paul and trading away Jordan Poole. The move hasn’t helped in the short term, and the team is now looking to cut their losses and move the veteran guard.
Klay Thompson will hit free agency this offseason, and the Warriors likely won’t offer him the contract he expects. If he is to walk away at the end of the season, the team should be open to trading him if they can land a young star. The Warriors should be willing to hear any offer that comes their way, even if it means parting with franchise cornerstones if they want to win another NBA title soon. However, if they choose not to be ruthless, the time of death will have officially been marked on the Warriors’ dynasty.
Warriors’ tumultuous campaign and their future plans
The Golden State Warriors entered the 2023-24 season with an unbalanced roster. They banked on their core trio of Stephen Curry, Klay Thomspon, and Draymond Green to do the heavy lifting this season. They expected Andrew Wiggins and Chris Paul to contribute and the team’s younger stars to chip in when needed.
However, their plan has failed spectacularly. While Curry is playing at an All-NBA level, Thompson has been inconsistent and is having his worst scoring season since the 2012-13 campaign. Green has spent 17 games on the sidelines courtesy of two different suspensions and hasn’t been too effective when he has played. Wiggins and Paul have been relegated to bench roles due to their lack of contribution.
The Warriors are 19-24. They are nine games clear of the San Antonio Spurs, who have the second-worst record in the league, the worst in the Western Conference, and eight games behind the Phoenix Suns, who occupy the final automatic playoff qualification spot. They are banking on making some moves to climb up to a play-in spot.
Per Sports Illustrated, they could eye veteran center Nerlens Noel to boost the paint presence. However, he’s far from a game-changing acquisition. The Warriors are looking doomed to miss out on a playoff berth and undergo a massive overhaul in the offseason. They are unwilling to give up on this season. However, the writing is on the wall.
