Trade Pitch Nets Warriors All-NBA Forward for Kuminga, Poole

Jonathan Kuminga, Warriors

Getty Jonathan Kuminga of the Golden State Warriors shoots the ball during a Western Conference First Round Playoff game against the Sacramento Kings in April 2023.

The Golden State Warriors have been the class of the NBA this century, but even the best must evolve to stay on top.

The franchise’s swap of De’Angelo Russell for former No. 1 pick Andrew Wiggins two years ago is arguably the biggest splash the Dubs have made since birthing a modern NBA dynasty a decade ago. The time to shake things up again in the Bay Area is fast approaching and if it arrives this offseason, Golden State may look all the way to another country for upgrades.

Zach Buckley of Bleacher Report on Thursday, May 18, suggested that the Warriors swap Jordan Poole, Kevon Looney, Jonathan Kuminga and a first-round pick to the Toronto Raptors in return for two-time All-Star forward Pascal Siakam and Thaddeus Young.


Pascal Siakam Fits With Warriors’ Core Stars

Pascal Siakam

GettyToronto Raptors forward Pascal Siakam could be a trade target of the Golden State Warriors in 2023.

Buckley made the case of pairing Siakam with Steph Curry as a star tandem to lead the Dubs for the next few years. The argument is based on Klay Thompson’s playoff struggles and Draymond’s Green reliance on quality talent surrounding him as a means to maximize his own game.

If the Dubs can get Siakam, he makes sense at any realistic cost. He is a versatile defender who touches about as many stat categories as anyone. This season, he was one of five players to average 24 points, seven rebounds and five assists. The others were Nikola Jokić, Luka Dončić, Giannis Antetokounmpo and LeBron James, per Stathead Basketball.

Toronto, in turn, would likely have the most interest in Jonathan Kuminga and the draft pick, but Jordan Poole is hardly a throw-in. Sure, he had a brutal postseason, but before that he spent the [year] tallying 20.4 points and 4.5 assists per night as a 23-year-old. To seal the deal, the Raptors would unload Thaddeus Young, who couldn’t lock down a regular rotation role, and bring back Kevon Looney to either man the middle or serve as a trade chip in a different deal.


Pascal Siakam Offers Golden State Offensive Upgrade Over Kevon Looney

Pascal Siakam, Raptors

GettyToronto Raptors forward Pascal Siakam.

Siakam, 29, was a third-team All-NBA selection in the 2021-22 campaign and was in the discussion again last year, earning the second All-Star nod of his career.

The 6-foot, 8-inch big man is a versatile defender who can help Green patrol the front court while offering a rounded offensive attack. Siakam scored a career-high 24.2 points per game last season while leading the NBA in minutes played for the second consecutive year at 37.4 per night, according to Basketball Reference.

His three-point shooting isn’t excellent at 32.4% on four attempts per game in 2022-23. That isn’t ideal for the kind of spacing Golden State desires on offense, but the gravity Curry and Thompson each bring to the game helps offset those concerns. The Warriors have proven highly successful over the past two seasons with Green and Looney on the floor simultaneously, and Siakam is a considerable upgrade over Looney in the shooting department.

A move sending Looney out hurts the Warriors defensively and on the glass against the NBA’s biggest teams, though Siakam averaged 7.8 rebounds to Looney’s 9.3 boards last season, so the dip isn’t tremendous.

The 35-year-old Young may or may not find a role on Golden State’s roster if the Warriors executed a deal for Siakam, but he offers the Dubs the flexibility of an expiring contract worth $8 million that is only partially guaranteed.

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