Warriors Appear Most Likely Franchise to Make Big In-Season Trade

The NBA season is finally starting to hit its stride. While most franchises were clumped together in the standings just a week or so ago, things are finally starting to take shape. Some teams are sinking to the bottom of the standings, and some are rising to the top.

(Photo by Ezra Shaw/Getty Images)

One such squad is the ever-resilient Golden State Warriors, who continue to thrive and now find themselves alone atop the Western Conference. Another is the surprising Houston Rockets, who keep finding ways to succeed in their now five-game win streak.

Both teams are playing high above expectations, and if things continue to trend in their direction they will find themselves in the thick of the playoff hunt come next year. However, just because things are going well right now, doesn’t mean there’s no room for improvement.

As many teams now know who they are and what they’re capable of, there’s no doubt some are exploring in-season trades. While that can help make some mediocre teams better, a timely move can also push a successful team over the top and solidify their championship run.

That’s where the Warriors hope to be. They aren’t just thriving in the early season, they are also in the perfect situation to bring in even more talent.

An Overabundance of Riches

Though many franchises across the NBA will undoubtedly look to make moves in the coming months, the Warriors are coming up in the current conversation as the most likely to make large in-season deals due to their trade capital and recent success.

There are not many assets in the league right now, but Golden State finds themselves with young talent, strong draft picks, and movable veterans. While it’s unlikely they would move those pieces if they were in a rebuild, they’re a different story for a first place team.

Using any of those three aspects as leverage could land the Warriors a big name to go alongside their already strong starters like Stephen Curry, Andrew Wiggens, and Draymond Green. There are several names floating around, and any of them would push the team to the next level.

A Strong, Young Core

The Warriors have been involved with several high level trade rumors over the past few months, including names like Paul George, Lauri Markkanen, and Brandin Podziemski. However, the talks never came to fruition due to hesitation on both sides.

Reports state the Jazz pushed hard for Podziemski, who went 19th overall in 2023, but the Warriors would not budge. That alone stalled talks, and made it so neither side was able to reach any type of agreement.

Warriors’ chairman Joe Lacob loves the way Podziemski plays, and is not willing to part with him at this time. However, that doesn’t mean the Warriors don’t have anyone else to give. They’re playing well and have a lot of players who could help rebuild other squads around the league.

Room to Move

The Warriors aren’t going to part with any of their big names, but they have three key expiring contracts in De’Anthony Melton ($12.8 million), Gary Payton II ($9.1 million), and Kevon Looney ($8 million) that they could use to bring in other talent.

All three of those players are offering strong role positions. Even so, it stands to reason that Golden State would be happy to upgrade them with another all-star.

On top of that, the team could not reach an agreement with Jonathan Kuminga before the season started, which means he’s hypothetically on the trade block as well. The Warriors also own almost all of their future first round capital.

Those aspects mean the team has a lot of flexibility other franchises lack. They don’t have to pull the trigger right away, and they may not do anything at all, but if the right player comes along they have the ability to get just about anything done.

Figuring Out Who’s Available

There are many big name players floating around the rumor trade mill. Even so, it’s unlikely that many of those deals come to fruition. The Warriors aren’t going to sell the farm, but it’s important for them to stay vigilant.

Nobody is sure what players will be on the trade block this winter. Most of the big stars around the league are on long-term contracts, while others are playing for strong contenders. That leaves only a small group of high-level talent on weaker teams, such as Paul George.

The other name that has popped up recently is Jimmy Butler. The star guard failed to sign an extension with the Heat in the past summer, and reports show he plans to decline his player option in the coming offseason to see where could land.

While him going to Golden State seems unlikely right now, it’s impossible to see how things could shift in the next few weeks. If the Heat sink down in the standings, or the Warriors truly have championship aspirations, something big could happen.

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