Getty Klay Thompson of the Golden State Warriors.
As the Golden State Warriors get ready for the playoffs, they are coming off the back of a disappointing regular season. They took home the NBA Championship last year, but struggles winning on the road and a subpar bench unit have caused them to take a step back.
If things don’t go well this postseason, they could consider major changes this summer. However, any big-time alterations to the roster would only come about if the team went into panic mode. According to sources who spoke with Sean Deveney of Heavy Sports, potential Klay Thompson or Jordan Poole trades fall under that category.
“If you start talking about trading Klay or Poole, then OK, that is a panic thing,” the Western Conference executive told Deveney. “But they’re not going to go that far. They need to emphasize how they will look as Steph (Curry) gets older and what they want that roster to be in the next three [or] four years. That does not change based on how this season winds up.”
Thomson has been a part of Golden State’s future for over a decade now and has shown no interest in leaving. As for Poole, his development has been impressive, and at just 23 years old, he could be a big part of the team’s future.
Meanwhile, Draymond Green’s future with the organization may be coming to a close. According to the same executive, the Warriors will consider potential Green trades regardless of the outcome of their season.
“They could trade Draymond if he opts into the final year of his contract. He knows that. They know that,” a Western Conference executive told Deveney. “But even if they have a good playoff run, trading Draymond is going to be on the table.”
Draymond Green Wants to Stay With Warriors
Despite the swirling rumors surrounding his future, Green recently revealed that he would like to stay in Golden State for the remainder of his career.
“I would love to finish my career here,” Green told Marc Stein and Chris Haynes of the #thisleague UNCUT podcast. “That’s been my goal since signing this current contract that I’m on. It’s looking like a more realistic thing to be finishing here.”
Jordan Poole Labeled Wizards Trade Target
As for potential Poole trades, Grant Hughes of Bleacher Report listed the Washington Wizards as a team that could potentially target him this offseason.
“Jordan Poole turns the ball over a ton and can’t be relied upon defensively, but he’s a high-wire bucket-getter who could pull significant attention away from Washington’s other options. Whether blowing by his man and getting into the lane, pulling defenders out on the floor to cover his deep three-point tries or causing miscommunications with his Stephen Curry-lite off-ball sprints, Poole could inject a level of offensive dynamism the Wizards have been missing from their point guards. With his four-year, $128 million extension kicking in for 2023-24, Washington would have to send out significant matching salary to get a deal done. And if the Warriors make another deep playoff run in which Poole features prominently, this might never move beyond the hypothetical realm. But Golden State players have been visibly frustrated by (but also outwardly supportive of) Poole’s play this year, and there’s still the whole preseason punch cloud hanging over the organization. If Washington offered up [Deni] Avdija, [Monte] Morris and [Delon] Wright, it might at least catch the attention of a Warriors team that is primed to lose Donte DiVincenzo, JaMychal Green and possibly even Draymond Green in free agency.”
