The Golden State Warriors are involved in a lot of NBA trade rumors right now, with most revolving around either LeBron James or Jimmy Butler. Some even involve the Dubs magically acquiring both, which just isn’t going to happen.
For one, there’s the issue of the salary cap, as Golden State would run into financial problems by trading for both. But even taking money out of it, the Warriors would simply have to give up far too many players to make this happen.
And what’s the point of adding two players — two older players, for that matter — when you’d likely have to give up six or seven of your biggest contributors? Simply put, it’s just not worth it.
That said, however, trading for one of them might not be too much of a stretch. There’s also another deal out there that could be had, one that’s nearly as high-profile but one that makes sense and would still improve this team.
So, let’s dive into what these deals might look like.
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It seems unlikely that LeBron James would waive his no-trade clause, but if he does, any trade the Los Angeles Lakers make would likely have to include Bronny James as well.
The upside here is that the Warriors were interested in bringing Bronny to San Francisco anyway but opted not to so LeBron could realize his dream of playing alongside his son.
As you can see above, we’ve got the Warriors shipping Andrew Wiggins, Jonathan Kuminga, Lindy Waters, and De’Anthony Melton to the Lakers to acquire the James gang. There would likely need to be a first-round draft pick in there as well.
Now, it might not seem as if the Dubs are giving up all that much. But one has to remember that while LeBron is still playing at an extremely high level, he’s also about to turn 40 on December 30. So, it’s somewhat difficult to calculate exactly what his trade value might be at this point.
The Warriors have long dreamt about pairing James alongside Steph Curry and Draymond Green, and this could be enough to get that done. Wiggins has returned to form this season, and Kuminga has had a solid season thus far as well.
Melton is out for the year with an ACL injury but his expiring $12.8 million contract could still be attractive to the Lakers as long as draft compensation is included. And LA also comes out ahead, as Waters is a better bench option than Bronny at this point.
While it’s been reported that Jimmy Butler would be open to a trade to the Dallas Mavericks or the Houston Rockets (he’s a Texas native, so that makes sense), he’s also willing to go to Golden State. And as it stands now, the Warriors seem to have the inside track.
The group of players the Dubs would have to send to South Beach is pretty much the same haul they’d need to send to Los Angeles, the only difference being Moses Moody instead of Lindy Waters III. Draft compensation would likely be included here as well.
The biggest question with this deal is whether the Warriors would actually be better. Sure, Butler is a big name and is having a solid season, averaging 18.6 points per game while shooting 55.0 percent from the floor and adding 5.3 rebounds, 4.7 assists, and 1.2 steals.
But in giving up both Wiggins and Kuminga, Golden State is letting go of 32.4 points, 8.9 rebounds, 4.1 assists, and two steals per game.
On top of that, Butler’s injury history can’t be ignored. Since joining the Heat ahead of the 2019-20 season, he’s only played more than 60 games once and has only surpassed 70 twice in his entire career. Is it really worth giving up all that production for a guy who may not be available come playoff time?
If the Warriors are looking for a far cheaper option, they could hit up the Brooklyn Nets about acquiring Dennis Schroder, who’s having one of the best overall seasons of his career.
Averaging 18.6 points per game on 44.8 percent shooting and adding 6.5 assists, 3.0 rebounds, and 1.1 steals, Schroder is also an attractive candidate because of his expiring contract, meaning the Warriors could once again go searching for a more high-profile player in the offseason while still improving their chances to win this season.
By not having to include both Wiggins and Kuminga, they’re coming out ahead. And with Schroder being a fantastic defender, losing Gary Payton II doesn’t hurt much, either.
The Warriors are likely going to have to deal Kuminga anyway, given what he’s asking in a contract extension, so moving him now to acquire a player of Schroder’s caliber makes sense. In addition, they wouldn’t have to give up any draft capital, so that’s another plus.
