The Golden State Warriors have officially reached their breaking point. For the first time in his career, Stephen Curry has hinted at needing more help, and you know Mike Dunleavy Jr. will bend over backward to give his superstar player everything he needs.
The Warriors don’t have the assets to outbid some teams like the New York Knicks or Oklahoma City Thunder, but they could make several moves ahead of the February trade deadline. It’s now or never in the Bay area.
We know Andrew Wiggins might be the odd man out, and Chris Paul’s expiring contract could be a nice salary-filler for most deals. Add guys like Moses Moody, Gary Payton II, and a couple of picks to the mix, and the Warriors do have something to work with.
Then again, they need to be extremely cautious about the players they bring back. Their NBA championship window could be closing right before their eyes, and they have to make some major tweaks to their rotations to prevent that from happening.
Stephen Curry and Draymond Green of the Golden State Warriors.
NBA Trade Rumors: Potential Targets For Golden State
With that in mind, the first thing to consider is that the Warriors might not be able or willing to trade for a star player. Instead, they’re more likely to make several roster-shaking moves to test their luck ahead of the second half of the campaign. Here, we’ll mention three of the biggest names they could realistically pursue.
3. Dorian Finney-Smith
Dorian Finney-Smith doesn’t get enough press, but he’s tailor-made for Steve Kerr’s system. He’s not a high-usage guy offensively, but he’ll gladly stay in the corner and knock down shots from beyond the arc or finish plays at the rim as a slasher.
He also happens to be one of the best and most underrated wing defenders in the league. Finney-Smith can hold his own and guard multiple positions, and the Warriors could desperately use another stopper.
2. Dejounte Murray
The Atlanta Hawks are reportedly considering blowing up their roster, and Anthony Slater of The Athletic revealed that the Warriors were keeping tabs on their lanky point guard. To make things even better, they could also pursue Clint Capela to address their need for size.
Dejounte Murray of the Atlanta Hawks.
Murray hasn’t played the same level of defense in Atlanta from his days in San Antonio, but he’s proven to be an above-average defender. He can also create his own shot or facilitate for others and fill up the stat sheet on a nightly basis.
1. Jerami Grant
The Portland Trail Blazers won’t be good for years, but they do have a bright future. Simply put, they have no use for an aging player taking a big chunk of their salary cap, which is why they should look to move Jerami Grant as soon as they can.
The Warriors have been linked to Pascal Siakam way too often, but they might not be able to get him, so they could pursue the closest thing to him. The only issue is that they would have to absorb big money for years.
