Getty James Wiseman of the Golden State Warriors.
As the February 9 trade deadline approaches, the Golden State Warriors need to consider making some serious changes to their roster. After winning a championship last season, their record currently sits at 27-26 on the season, which places them in seventh place in the Western Conference standings.
Here’s an outline of a potential trade the Warriors could make to improve their roster that would also involve the Philadelphia 76ers and Utah Jazz:
Warriors receive: Jarred Vanderbilt, Matisse Thybulle
76ers receive: Kelly Olynyk
Jazz receive: Furkan Korkmaz, James Wiseman, Paul Reed, 2026 1st-Round Pick (via GSW), 2029 1st-Round Pick (via PHI), 2028 2nd-Round Pick (via GSW)
This deal would see Golden State make serious upgrades to their bench unit, adding two pieces who could potentially make an impact off the pine. Most importantly, they would be adding a player at both the wing and the big man positions.
Thybulle hasn’t earned consistent playing time in the Sixers’ rotation this year, but he’s a defensive stopper who could help the Warriors on that end. Vanderbilt is a bit undersized, but his versatile defense and above-average rebounding could allow him to play some center minutes for Golden State.
For the Sixers, this deal would see them seriously improve their backup big man position without giving up any regular members of their current rotation.
Lastly, the Jazz would be cashing in at the deadline, nabbing a couple of first-round picks and two young big men to take a chance on for two players they will likely be trading at the deadline, regardless.
Warriors Linked to Matisse Thybulle Trade
There have been a ton of rumors surrounding the Warriors heading into the February 9 deadline, as they are widely expected to make some sort of move. Their bench has been a fairly large disappointment, so adding extra help will be crucial if they want to make another run at a championship.
Plus, according to Keith Pompey of the Philadelphia Inquirer, the Warriors have shown an interest in trading for Thybulle ahead of the deadline.
“Multiple NBA sources said the Golden State Warriors have had internal discussions about Thybulle and that they do like him as a defensive stopper,” Pompey wrote. “The Sacramento Kings are also reportedly monitoring his availability. A league source confirmed the interest, saying Kings coach Mike Brown is a fan of Thybulle, who would add a defensive presence to Sacramento’s starting lineup. The Kings (28-21), who surprisingly sit at third place in the Western Conference, are pondering upgrades for a postseason push after an NBA-record 16 straight seasons without a playoff appearance. The Kings’ and Warriors’ interest makes sense and is something to pay attention to.”
Warriors Face ‘Painful Decisions’ at Deadline
No matter what happens at the deadline, David Thorpe of True Hoop believes that the Warriors have some “painful decisions” ahead of them at this year’s trade deadline.
“There’s an argument, of course, for the Warriors to exercise patience through the postseason,” Thorpe wrote. “Don’t forget that their starting five from last June—[Stephen] Curry, [Klay] Thompson, [Andrew] Wiggins, [Draymond] Green, Looney—has the second-best net rating among all starting lineups this season. Maybe the young guys can figure it out. If not, take a first-round loss on the chin, and then put everyone but Curry up for grabs this summer. They could renovate quickly by cashing in on big names, even if it cost them next-stage darlings like [Jordan] Poole, Wiggins, or Kevon Looney. Not sure how Dubs Nation would feel about that, but no matter what happens, painful decisions are coming.”