Warriors’ dealmaking scenarios are limited
In the wake of the Warriors’ seasonending loss to the Grizzlies in lateMay, general manager Bob Myers consulted with team leaders Stephen Curry, Draymond Green and Klay Thompson about a critical summer: What kind of moves did they want him to make?
According to a league source, Curry, Green and Thompson — all of whom are in their early 30s — stressed the need for Myers to maximize what’s left of their primes. This meant doing whatever was necessary to ensure the Warriors are bona fide title contenders next season.
With his most important players’ feedback in mind, Myers has spent much of the past two months scouring the league for a differencemaking move. Now, with less than a week until the NBA draft, the Warriors enter a pivotal stretch in trade talks. Any chance of Myers acquiring an AllStarcaliber player would plummet if he doesn’t at least have the framework of a deal in place by the time Golden State goes on the clock Thursday for the Nos. 7 and 14 picks.
Each of the big names linked to the Warriors in recent weeks — Myles Turner, Pascal Siakam, Ben Simmons, Bradley Beal and even Damian Lillard — would require a considerable package of assets. In addition to James Wiseman and Andrew Wiggins, Golden State might have to include the seventh pick, the 14th pick and a couple of future firstrounders for certain superstars.
Given that any potential trade partner would probably want a say in who is taken with those two lottery selections next week, Myers recognizes that he could be running low on time. And that’s why multiple recent reports have indicated that the Warriors are quite active engaging teams in conversation about the No. 7 pick.
With Klay Thompson expected to return soon from an Achilles injury, the Warriors appear to have enough to be one of the Western Conference’s better teams. They might be another big move away, however, from threatening the likes of Utah, Phoenix, Denver and the Clippers for West supremacy.
With Thompson expected to return soon from an Achilles injury, the Warriors appear to have enough to be one of the Western Conference’s better teams. They might be another big move away, however, from threatening the likes of Utah, Phoenix, Denver and the Clippers for West supremacy.
The problem: There are no guarantees such a deal is possible. Before the Warriors can make a competitive offer for a superstar, one must become available. Beal, whom the Athletic reported Thursday is at the top of Golden State’s offseason wish list, has said he doesn’t plan to request a trade from the Wizards.
After multiple reports suggested Lillard could ask out of Portland, he clarified last week that such rumblings were inaccurate. Simmons, the only AllStar known to be shopped by his team, is also unlikely to land with the Warriors. The 76ers are asking for a massive haul that includes an AllStarlevel player. Per a league source, Golden State wouldn’t be willing to give up what it would take to get Simmons.
Of the notable players who’ve been connected to the Warriors, Turner and Siakam might be the likeliest to land in San Francisco. But it’s worth wondering if Golden State wants them. The Pacers’ Turner, whom the Ringer reported Friday had been floated to the Warriors in a potential deal, is not the same caliber of player as some of the other standouts being connected to Golden State.
Though he’s a proven interior defender just beginning to enter his prime at age 25, Turner, a 6foot11 center, might not warrant the Warriors parting with both of their lottery picks — as well as someone like Wiggins to help match salaries. There is also the fact that Turner’s addition would make Wiseman somewhat redundant.
Like Turner, the Raptors’ Siakam is a quality player who might not be deserving of the package his team would want for him. Any deal for Siakam would almost definitely have to include Wiggins for salary reasons. Even if it was a straightup trade of Wiggins for Siakam, the Warriors could prefer to keep Wiggins.
He is a year younger than Siakam, and he has showed that he can thrive in head coach Steve Kerr’s readandreact system. This all underscores a sobering truth for Myers: The Warriors’ chances of a statementmaking trade are slim, at best.
They might be better off zeroing in on a smaller move. A league source recently told The Chronicle that the Warriors are interested in packaging the Nos. 7 and 14 selections for a startingcaliber player, not necessarily an AllStar.
It remains to be seen, however, which startinglevel player Golden State could land. There is also uncertainty over whether the Nos. 7 and 14 picks would be enough for the Warriors to move into the top five, a coveted range given that this draft boasts five or so potential franchise cornerstones.
The truth is that Myers might have little choice other than to keep both of Golden State’s lottery selections. This likely wouldn’t excite Curry, Green or Thompson, but the Warriors are well past the halcyon days when whatever they wanted seemed to materialize.
As Kerr has said numerous times over the past couple of years, Golden State is grappling with the “real NBA.” Even its best of intentions can go unrewarded.