Top Trade Targets The Warriors Should Keep An Eye On
There’s a lot of buzz in Golden State right now when it comes to who should be on the court when.
A lot of this can be attributed to positives: Jonathan Kuminga looks very comfortable as a starter, Brandin Podziemski and Trayce Jackson-Davis have forced their ways into the rotation with contributions in areas the Warriors are clearly weak in (primarily the athleticism and youth departments), and Klay Thompson seems to be all about buying in after the team’s recent press conference.
Plenty of the buzz, however, has also come from the negatives. Draymond Green’s suspension, Andrew Wiggins still finding his groove, and most mysteriously, Moses Moody seemingly now glued to the bench despite being a regular contributor not even a month ago have all opened up opportunities for others while generating confusion as to what the best way to play is.
As Steve Kerr fiddles with the rotations and looks to change things up, the question has to be asked: Is there going to be a trade that the Warriors front office pulls the trigger on? Two common names that keep coming up are Raptors forward Pascal Siakam, and Jazz forward Lauri Markannen. Siakam’s an intriguing one, being a versatile defender that gives the Dubs more pop in the paint, that could help bring some size and athleticism where needed. Markannen is likely a better fit, a sturdy paint defender who has been one of the NBA’s most efficient off-ball scorers both inside and outside the arc, with his unicorn skillset and ability to play within the system.
Rightfully so, these two players have drawn a ton of discussion, but there are a few other options that would find a good home in Golden State. While the pieces to get them may be harder to part with, there just isn’t enough space in the rotation for some guys, and getting them new opportunities while shoring up deficiencies is looking like the clearer route to take with each passing day if title contention is in the front office’s crosshairs. These are a few names the Warriors should keep their eyes on when - or if - they hit the trade market.
1) Alex Caruso, Chicago Bulls
Caruso’s name comes up almost yearly whenever we talk about the Warriors at the trade deadline, but it’s for a very good reason: He’s shooting 42% from three while bringing All-Defense caliber coverage on the other side of the ball, speed at the point guard position, and secondary playmaking while not eating a ton of touches. Caruso coming to Golden State would likely mean the end of Chris Paul’s short stint here, something which Kerr may not be too happy about, but having a guy like this to back up Stephen Curry seems like a dream come true.
The question, as always, is where do the minutes come from? A CP3 departure should free up most of the run that they’d give to Caruso, but it can be argued that him and Podziemski are similar enough that it may be redundant to have both. To that, I’d pose the question of when can you ever have too much extra floor spacing and perimeter defense with capable driving and passing to boot? It’d make the team smaller, but that could be fixed by adding 6’7 forward Patrick Williams if Chicago’s willing to include him. Williams is a 40% shooter from three on good volume while bringing the defensive skillset he was drafted for. He could even be a lower-cost option instead of Caruso if that’s what the Warriors want or able to get, especially since it’s been rumored Caruso is off the table should the Bulls look to clean house.
2) Derrick Jones Jr., Dallas Mavericks
If the name of the game is defense and athleticism, look no further than DJJ. While he stands at only 6’6, he boasts a 7-foot wingspan and a highlight reel of dunks that earned him a victory in the 2020 All-Star Dunk Contest. While typically regarded as a non-shooter, Jones Jr. is hoisting a career-high 4 triples per game this year, and hitting them on the best efficiency of his career at just under 35%. Those numbers aren’t exactly eye-popping, but they don’t scream “liability” either, especially with how well he attacks the basket.
The caveat to this trade is that the Mavs expressed interest in one Warrior that could be tough to move on from: Draymond Green. If Green’s antics on the court have caused enough frustration to warrant it, then Dallas could very well be willing to take calls for a few players on their roster in order to have Green join them. With the Kyrie Irving experiment seeming to work, there could be a chance to bring in Tim Hardaway Jr. to give the Warriors some more options at the 2-guard spot, while also bringing in the son of a Bay Area legend. This would likely involve giving up Moody to Dallas, and maybe giving up Wiggins to a third party as well. Losing Green would definitely be tough, but in the event that the problems he brings aren’t enough to justify his place in the locker room, it wouldn’t be due diligence to not take calls on his availability with an open mind. And with their prior interest, it’d be hard to imagine the Mavericks wouldn’t be on that list.
3) Wendell Carter Jr., Orlando Magic
While he hasn’t played very often this season, Carter Jr.’s impact cannot be understated: A 40% shooter from three with defensive anchoring capability at 6’10 seems like a player archetype the Dubs could make some very good use of. Carter Jr. is athletic on both ends of the floor, and while his field goal percentage for a center isn’t exactly stellar, the floor-spacing and lob-threat abilities he has make up for it when he’s asked to do less. He doesn’t take up a ton of minutes and is a good rebounder as well, bringing plenty of size to a team that lacks it.
The injury history is a bit concerning, even if Warriors trainer Rick Celebrini has managed some very impressive feats (like getting 60+ games out of Otto Porter Jr.) when it comes to health management for the roster. The question also has to be asked if Orlando is feeling good enough about their current run to make any deals. The Magic are somehow 19-15 on the season, but it does feel like they’ve outkicked their coverage a bit with this start: They’re young, and are likely still a few pieces away development-wise from being a legitimate playoff threat no matter how good Paolo Banchero has proven he is. Taking on some combination of a plug-and-play wing like Moody, a tradeable asset like Wiggins, picks, and even some veteran leadership with Paul (assuming they’re willing to include defensive specialist and do-it-all point guard Markelle Fultz in the deal) gives them some room to improve in the immediate if they feel they’re ready, or gives them the option to continue to grow if the feeling that they’re not there just yet is a prevalent one.
4) Bojan Bogdanovic, Detroit Pistons
The Pistons are really bad. Bad to the one point that they may be the worst team in NBA history. Something needs to change for them, and what better place to start than bringing in a hometown hero they’ve expressed interest in over the offseason? Throwing out another potential Draymond Green trade seems like it’s clamoring for him to get gone, and to be perfectly clear, it isn’t; but if he’s becoming a detriment by his inability to stay on the floor with suspensions and ejections, not only should the Warriors move him, but the Pistons can afford for him to not be out there very much given where they’re at. Bogdanovic is a bit up there in age, but he’s been a fixture in this league for so long for a reason: Consistency and scoring ability both on and off-ball. Bogdanovic is a veteran, and he’s a player a contender should definitely want with his excellent shooting, savvy basketball IQ, and rangy 6’7 frame.
There’s a pretty good chance Bogy’s available even if Green isn’t on the table to trade, which would probably benefit the Warriors the most in terms of on-court play regardless: He doesn’t fit Detroit’s timeline and is really best as a trade piece that can lend them some extra assets. In any event, grabbing some extra depth at the big spot with Isaiah Stewart could benefit the Dubs even more-so if they’re willing to pay the price. There’s some options when looking at the Pistons: It’s just dependent on how much they want to get better - or even look somewhat better record-wise - at this point in their season.
(Photo credit: Morry Gash / AP Photo)