The Warriors have had a pretty eventful NBA offseason.
So far, Golden State has lost two future Naismith Basketball Hall of Famers and has yet to find a replacement for the star player Dub Nation is clamoring for.
In a new article, ESPN’s Bobby Marks assessed the Warriors’ busy offseason and revealed what he believes to be the most impactful trades for Golden State.
“Impact Trade: The Warriors had two options with Klay Thompson this offseason: Sign the future Hall of Famer and continue living under the luxury tax and first apron, or deal him to a team like Dallas in a sign-and-trade,” Marks wrote.
“Thompson is [Dallas] Not only did it give the Mavericks financial flexibility for the future, it also brought back some veterans. [Kyle] Anderson and [Buddy] As part of the trade, Golden State will also sign Hield. [De’Anthony] We are applying the $12.8 million tax-free mid-level exception to Mr. Melton.”
Thompson’s move to Dallas was a shock to Golden State, its fans and the NBA world at large. The 14-year veteran was long thought to be a lifelong Warriors member, but things quickly changed.
But as Marks noted, Thompson’s departure actually provided Golden State with some valuable assets.
The Warriors were able to acquire two proven veterans in Anderson from the Minnesota Timberwolves and Hield from the Philadelphia 76ers, and Golden State also gained the financial flexibility it needed to sign another solid role player in Melton from Philadelphia during free agency.
The new Warriors trio has helped the franchise quietly recover after losing half of its “Splash Brothers.”
The new players could perform as well or better overall than Thompson, who averaged 17.9 points on 38.7% 3-point shooting in the 2023-24 NBA season and is showing signs of decline, while Hield, Anderson and Melton are all players who made an impact in the playoffs.
Of course, Thompson went 0-for-10 shooting in the Warriors’ season finale loss to the Sacramento Kings in the NBA play-in tournament.
Marks also weighed in on Thompson’s departure and discussed other moves Golden State could consider in the near future.
“Notable extensions include those for Stephen Curry, Jonathan Kuminga and Moses Moody,” Marks wrote. “Curry is eligible for an extension, but Golden State can only extend him for one more season due to the over-38 rule. A one-year, $62.6 million extension would keep the 36-year-old Curry in a Warriors uniform through 2026-27.”
The Warriors need to re-sign Curry.
Marks also offered some insight into Golden State’s young prospects.
“The Warriors have until October to work out new contracts for Kuminga and Moody. Kuminga averaged career highs in points (16.1), rebounds (4.8), assists (2.2) and field goal percentage (52.9%). Moody started nine games and averaged 12.6 points while shooting 39.5% from the 3-point line. The Warriors were 28-18 this season in games in which Moody played at least 15 minutes.”
The Warriors already look much different on paper without Thompson, and there’s still a long way to go before the 2024-25 regular season begins in October.
Beyond what Marks deemed “the most impactful trade,” what other plans does Golden State have?
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