To salvage their season, the Golden State Warriors sign one of the best 3-and-D forwards in the NBA.
The Golden State Warriors defeated the ailing Philadelphia 76ers in their final game before the trade deadline, raising their record to 23-25. As the second half of the season approaches, they must quickly climb the standings as the No. 11 seed in the West. Golden State needs to look into the market to see what enhancements they can get because the trade deadline is in less than 24 hours.
After being given the opportunity he desired by the Warriors, forward Jonathan Kuminga, 21, may now be invincible for the team. However, their roster has to be strengthened, and they have an abundance of high salaries available for trade. Although Andrew Wiggins is the main target for trades, Klay Thompson or Draymond Green might be given up for an upgrade.
The Warriors must give up a player comparable to Wiggins if they are willing to lose a forward of his calibre. Perhaps this results in them getting a certain Portland-based wing?
Though this would be the ideal trade, the Blazers have been reluctant to let go of Jerami Grant. Acquiring a player akin to Wiggins—a forward from Canada with a lesser deal than Grant—is a lateral move. Moses Moody, a future asset to Portland, will see his bright career in Golden State come to an end in lieu of a first-round choice.
The Blazers Continue Rebuilding
When the Trail Blazers traded for Damian Lillard and Jusuf Nurkic this summer, they acknowledged that they were a tanking/rebuilding team. The Blazers are 15-35 on the season and have no reason to remain competitive, despite their stellar performances. The Blazers are not in a hurry to trade Grant because he is set to be restricted for the next four years, but each year he is untradeable, his trade value will rise.
Despite having a difficult season—averaging 12.4 points and 4.3 rebounds—Wiggins’s play has been gradually getting better in 2024. To find the Wiggins we witnessed stomping all over the 2022 NBA Finals, he might need to find himself in a different circumstance. Being a little younger than Grant and having a less expensive deal makes him a potentially useful addition for Portland as they look to acquire more key players for the future.
The Blazers have received no trade offers for Grant that would have included first-round choices, mostly because of his four-year contract. The Warriors must give Portland some potential future players in exchange for their asset being protected in a similar manner. Moses Moody has to be that player because Kuminga and Brandin Podziemski are currently playing essential roles for the team. This season, Moody is averaging 8.6 points and 3.0 rebounds.
The Warriors Add The Perfect Piece For A Playoff Push
Although Jerami Grant has a track record of success in the NBA, he has only done so for losing teams. Grant has spent the majority of the last five years playing for losing teams, with the exception of his early-career success with the Nuggets. Although he may be happy earning $30 million a year in Portland, he might have more competitive possibilities elsewhere in the league.
This season, Grant has averaged 21.3 points, 3.7 rebounds, and 2.6 assists. He has even occasionally led the Blazers to victories. The 30-year-old forward’s contributions are too small for the squad to use for victories. He remains with the Blazers as the team’s designated veteran, but as he approaches his 30s, they might be better suited letting him go to a competitive setting. Golden State would also be a great fit because they are in need of a top-tier wing scorer like Grant.
The team’s long-term outlook may suffer with Moody’s departure, but immediate improvement requires giving up future players. The Warriors might drastically improve their season if they sign Grant, who would provide them with an experienced starting lineup and a hungry bench.
The Warriors Put Themselves In Position For A Playoff Run
The Warriors dynasty will come to an end if they miss the playoffs in a year where the big three have been largely healthy. But the team must act quickly to try to keep the squad competitive around Stephen Curry, who is still playing at a level that befits one of the greatest players in the NBA. That’s exactly what this deal would do—it would give up elements that would not help them win games this season while protecting future draft assets.
For a squad that centres around Curry, a frontcourt consisting of Grant, Kuminga, and Draymond Green would be advantageous. For the season, Kuminga would probably play behind Grant as a sixth player, but Golden State might use Kuminga and Grant as the closing lineup’s front duo, with Green sitting on the bench or playing small-ball centre.
Throughout the dynasty era, the Warriors hardly ever made deals to bolster their roster, but in the past 12 months, they have made several moves to maintain this team’s competitiveness. They need to make a big trade in order to stay up with the Western Conference because they can’t allow their attempts fall flat right now.
