Getty Head Coach Steve Kerr of the Golden State Warriors speaks with Stephen Curry #30 against the Denver Nuggets.
The Golden State Warriors have pieced together a solid offseason despite losing both Klay Thompson and Chris Paul, but the team is probably still at least one star short of seriously competing at the top of the Western Conference.
Golden State appears to recognize that as well, as the front office made a hard run at Paul George before he landed with the Philadelphia 76ers and has made at least one “substantial” offer to the Utah Jazz for former All-Star Lauri Markkanen.
Despite two unencumbered first-round picks and a protected first-rounder available to trade, the Dubs may not have the kind of draft capital necessary to secure Markkanen in a competitive market. What they do have, though, are the player contracts to get in the game for an elite scorer like Zach LaVine of the Chicago Bulls.
He averaged between 23.7-27.4 points per game across five seasons between 2018-23. That total dropped to 19.5 points last year, in large part due to injury that cost LaVine more than two-thirds of the campaign.
Greg Swartz of Bleacher Report on Tuesday, July 9, authored a three-team blockbuster trade proposal between the Warriors, Bulls and New Orleans Pelicans involving several big name players. The outcome of the deal would see the Warriors land LaVine and the final three seasons of his $215 million contract, while the Bulls would secure Andrew Wiggins of Golden State and Brandon Ingram of the Pelicans.
New Orleans would wind up with Gary Payton II and Kevon Looney from the Dubs, Nikola Vučević from the Bulls and a lottery protected 2025 first-round pick (via the Portland Trailblazers), as well 2028 and 2029 second-round selections. All of those picks would come from the Bulls’ asset stores.
Warriors Turned Down Earlier Trade Offer From Bulls That Would Have Secured Zach LaVine
GettyZach LaVine of the Chicago Bulls.
LaVine is far from the perfect option for Golden State, but he’s also one of the few players remaining on the market who the Dubs can secure without having to include any draft assets or young talent in a deal. The Warriors actually declined an offer from Chicago earlier in the offseason that would have landed LaVine in return for Wiggins and Paul.
“I was told that the Chicago Bulls were trying to get something going with the Golden State Warriors, trying to get a Zach Lavine package together,” Chris Haynes of Bleacher Report reported on June 30. “The Warriors didn’t feel that was an adequate amount for a deal structure.”
In other words, Golden State was willing to let the $30 million trade chip that was Paul’s expiring contract dissipate for nothing in return and hold onto the $85 million in salary over the final three years of Wiggins’ contract rather than take on the $138 million remaining on the last three seasons of LaVine’s deal.
Zach LaVine’s Poor Defense May Be Less Problematic for Warriors After Signing De’Anthony Melton
GettyZach LaVine of the Chicago Bulls.
That decision on Warriors’ part is a scathing indictment of how they feel about LaVine, especially considering how poorly Wiggins played last year and how absent he was the campaign prior. However, the franchise also made that call over a week and a half ago, before Thompson bolted for the Dallas Mavericks and before the team struck out on a sign-and-trade agreement with the Los Angeles Clippers for George.
Golden State’s situation is different now, not just because of who the team didn’t land in free agency or via a trade, but also because of its new additions.
LaVine is a below-average defensive player, which could create serious issues alongside a 36-year-old Stephen Curry in the Dubs’ starting backcourt. That is less of a concern now after the Warriors signed De’Anthony Melton to a one-year deal earlier this month.
LaVine has also dealt with health problems over the course of his NBA career, playing 25 games or fewer twice in the last the last seven seasons, including last year. But Golden State also added Buddy Hield on a three-year contract in July, which offers backcourt depth behind Curry, Melton and second-year guard Brandin Podziemski.
The roster construction already in place argues against the Warriors’ need for another shooting guard like LaVine. Though at a rangy 6-foot-5, he can play at the small forward position alongside two other guards.
Lineups including Curry, Melton, LaVine and Draymond Green would allow for a nice mix of versatility on defense and 3-point shooting, while subsequently allowing the Warriors to be successful against some of the better five-man groupings at the top of the West.