Warriors are willing to blow up their roster ahead of trade deadline
The Golden State Warriors suffered a blowout defeat at the hands of the New Orleans Pelicans on Wednesday. The loss was the Warriors' 20th of the season. The once-dominant franchise is sliding out of the playoff picture at an increasing pace.
The impending return of Draymond Green will likely help steady the ship. However, Golden State's current roster doesn't have the balance of a championship contender.
According to Shams Charania, who was speaking on a recent episode of "Run It Back," the Warriors are open to trading anyone on their roster other than Stephen Curry.
"The mindset in Golden State right now is that everyone but Steph Curry is on the table," Charania said. "That's their mindset. Realistically, there's an asterisk. Like Klay Thompson, would they want to keep him long-term and keep him Golden State? That's been their hope. They have not been able to reach a contract extension with him...Wiggins and everyone else on that roster except Steph Curry have to be in play. Two blow-outs losses in a row; they haven't even been close in these games. They're going to be looking to make moves."
If Mike Dunleavy Jr. decides to make a trade, he will also be making a decision for the direction of the franchise.
Golden State is at a crossroads. They're either going to double down with their veteran talent and squeeze the last few years out of Curry, Klay Thompson and Draymond Green. Or they'll begin to usher in the next generation. Jonathan Kuminga, Moses Moody, Brandin Podziemski and Trayce Jackson-Davis have all impressed this season.
The decision Dunleavy Jr. makes will directly impact the type of player the franchise looks to acquire. For instance, adding Pascal Siakam would be a move that aligns with Curry and his championship-winning teammates.
Finding a difference-maker who's in their early-to-mid 20s would indicate a shift toward a younger, more dynamic team that could spell the end for Golden State's big three.
Right now, it doesn't matter which direction Dunleavy Jr. decides to take the Warriors. All that matters is finding a way to put them in a position to be successful. Every game lost is another step in the wrong direction. We're getting dangerously close to where the bad habits are too deeply ingrained to fix, and another season falls by the wayside.
The Warriors have just under a month to make a trade. At this point, any change is better than nothing at all.
More must-reads: