Getty Rudy Gay celebrates a play in a Utah Jazz game.
The biggest trade of the NBA offseason could have some ripple effects for the Golden State Warriors and help give them a second chance at a veteran big man.
On September 1, ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski reported that the Utah Jazz shipped star Donovan Mitchell to the Cleveland Cavaliers in exchange for Lauri Markkanen, Ochai Agbaji, Collin Sexton and a package of five draft picks that include three first-rounders.
Damichael Cole of the Memphis Commercial Appeal predicted that the blockbuster trade, combined with the July trade that shipped out Rudy Gobert, will send the Jazz into full rebuild mode and leave some of their veteran players ripe for the taking. That could present an opportunity for the Warriors, who previously targeted a veteran big man who had been stuck behind Gobert on the Jazz bench.
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Warriors Get Another Chance at 16-Year Veteran
Prior to the Mitchell trade, Michael Scotto of USA Today’s HoopsHype predicted that Gay would be a trade candidate for a Jazz team looking to get younger.
“Rudy Gay is a candidate to be traded by Utah since he’s older and doesn’t fit the Jazz’s long-term rebuilding plan, but I’m not sure there’s a robust market for him at this later stage of his career,” he wrote. “The expiring contracts of Bojan Bogdanovic and Patrick Beverley appeal to playoff-caliber teams around the league, sources told HoopsHype.”
But Cole predicted that Gay could be a good low-cost option who could bring some veteran leadership to a young team. While he focused on the needs of the Memphis Grizzlies, the Warriors would also fit that description.
“Gay is still a respectable 3-point shooter after making 34.5% last season,” Cole wrote. “He averaged 8.1 points in Utah last season. That was his first career season averaging single-digit points.”
BREAKING: Donovan Mitchell has been traded to the Cavs, per @wojespn
If Gay were to land on the trade block, it could give the Warriors a new chance to land him. The Athletic’s Tim Kawakami reported last year that the Warriors showed interest in Gay when he last hit free agency, though his price tag was too high at the time.
Warriors Could Fill Veteran Void
Gay could become an even more attractive trade target for the Warriors if Andre Iguodala chooses to retire rather than come back for his 19th NBA season. The Warriors are reportedly holding a roster spot for Iguodala if he chooses to return, but haven’t pushed him in one direction or the other.
“I leave Andre alone,” Warriors head coach Steve Kerr told The Athletic’s Anthony Slater. “He knows where we stand. If he wants to come back, we’d love to have him. The one thing we feel strongly about with Andre is we want to give him whatever space and time he needs to make a decision. I’m leaving him alone. Whenever he makes his decision is fine with us.”
BREAKING: Donovan Mitchell has been traded to the Cavs, per @wojespn
Iguodala struggled to contribute on the court last season, appearing in just 31 regular-season games as he dealt with a number of injuries. He averaged 4.0 points, 3.2 rebounds and 3.7 assists in 19.5 minutes per game.
But the veteran did play an important role off the court, serving as a mentor for young emerging stars like Jonathan Kuminga and James Wiseman. If Iguodala chooses to retire rather than come back, the Warriors could potentially look to Gay to help further the development of the team’s young players.
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Warriors Could Target 16-Year Veteran After Blockbuster Mitchell Trade