The Golden State Warriors could be trying to swing a deal before the upcoming trade deadline that would have the starting lineup look a little different.
With the team hovering around the edge of the playoff picture but hoping to make a move up to at least the No. 6 spot, where they would avoid the play-in tournament, the Warriors are reportedly in talks to land a combo guard from the Atlanta Hawks in exchange for a member of the starting lineup.
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Warriors Looking At 6-Foot-6 Combo Guard
Jared Weiss and Sam Amick of The Athletic reported that the Warriors are one of several teams that have inquired about Hawks wing Bogdan Bogdanovic, offering a package headlined by Kelly Oubre. They noted that Bogdanovic has come on in recent games after missing a stretch of 25 games with a knee injury. He just turned in his best game of the season in a win over the Oklahoma City Thunder, scoring 23 points.
Bogdanovic could fit into Golden State’s plans for the trade deadline. General manager Bob Myers said the team would be taking a long-term focus, not giving up too much just to make a push for the playoffs this season. The Warriors are looking forward to the return of Klay Thompson next season and hope to move back into title contention, and Bogdanovic could be a long-term fit as he had just signed a four-year, $72 million deal with the Hawks.
Competition could be high for Bogdanovic. The Athletic also reported that the Los Angeles Clippers have shown interest, offering a package of trade assets and yet-unknown players. The Boston Celtics had also shown interest, though it was not clear if talks between the two clubs had progressed.
Oubre Could Be On The Block
Regardless of whether the Warriors pull off a deal for Bogdanovic, the starting lineup could still be looking very different in a few days.Kevin O’Connor of The Ringer reported that the Warriors are actively shopping Oubre around the league. Reports have indicated that Golden State does not want to part with either rookie center James Wiseman or the top-three protected draft pick from the Minnesota Timberwolves, two assets that trade partners would likely want, leaving Oubre as the most likely part of any significant deal.
As NBC Sports Bay Area noted, it would likely take Oubre and some other assets to pull off a trade for Bogdanovic.
It’s safe to assume that any potential deal for Bogdanović would include the Warriors sending Kelly Oubre to Atlanta. Golden State would need to send an additional player in order to match salaries, and could end up throwing in a future draft pick.
The Warriors are reportedly considering other moves at the trade deadline, including interest in Orlando Magic forward Aaron Gordon. Golden State had previously been linked to Houston Rockets guard Victor Oladipo as well, though reports this week indicated that the Warriors have backed off these talks as Houston asked for either Wiseman or the Minnesota pick.
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Warriors in Talks to Deal a Starter to Hawks: Report