As the days pass and we inch closer to the NBA Draft on Wednesday, November 18th it seems that rumors of trades are indeed growing more by the day. With that, LaMarcus Aldridge of the San Antonio Spurs has been brought up as a potential trade piece.
The Golden State Warriors have been involved in many trade scenarios over the past few months. Rumors and reports have been written about the team trading for an All-NBA type of player such as Bradley Beal. Yet he isn’t ready to end his time in Washington. More have appeared about the possibility of Devin Booker, but Phoenix isn’t too prepared to send their franchise player away without a great amount of value in return.
The same can be said for the Philadelphia 76ers Ben Simmons. It would be a massive understatement, to say the least, if the Warriors were able to trade for him. Yet similar to the Booker scenario, a great deal of value, and probably more teams, would need to be added to make a deal of that size to work.
Yet a new report from ESPN’s Zach Lowe on his podcast “The Lowe Post” has the Warriors eyeing another frontcourt player who would solidify the team in the paint offensively while giving them a big presence on the defensive end as well. In speaking with Bobby Marks, an ESPN NBA Front Office Insider, that player happens to be Aldridge.
“Someone within the league today texted me, ‘Hey there’s a little bit of buzz about No. 2 to San Antonio for LaMarcus Aldridge and No. 11. And obviously there would have to be salary going out. And my response was, that’s crazy. The Warriors should not do that. You don’t trade the No. 2 pick for LaMarcus Aldridge, and I don’t care if you’re getting No. 11.”
Alridge could cost Golden State their future
Steph Curry and the Golden State Warriors look to continue their winning ways and take a 3-0 series lead over LaMarcus Aldridge and the San Antonio Spurs on Saturday night. (Getty)
This deal isn’t as clear and optimistic as the other rumors have been. Usually, it has been forward Andrew Wiggins, the picks in this upcoming draft, and the potential lottery pick for the Timberwolves in 2021, plus another player or two from the Warriors.
A deal like this would require most, if not all of those pieces. But, it comes with the expectation that Golden State has to win this year. This is something I’m sure they, or their fans, have been thinking, but now even more so.
In the other deals mentioned previously, the Warriors are adding a piece that will help them to build their future. Something that they have the luxury of exploring with this pick. Aldridge is currently 35 going into the last year of his contract. Unfortunately, the length of his time in the NBA moving forward is much shorter than that of this draft pick, Wiggins, any of the players that would be included in this deal, or the others mentioned. While the trade would add a boost for this year and help to battle the frontcourt’s they’ll face in the western conference, it would undercut momentum beyond 2021.
Other trades that work for Golden State
GettyPhiladelphia 76ers center Joel Embiid and Milwaukee Bucks forward Giannis Antetokounmpo
Philadelphia may not listen to trade offers about Simmons, but they may be open to the idea of trading their frontcourt star Joel Embiid. ESPN NBA analyst Jay Williams spoke about what that would mean for the Warriors on Twitter stating “If he (Embiid) is locked in defensively… a Steve Kerr has demand that.. it could be big for them. Still think Joel Embiid would be an interesting play for Wiggins & the 2nd pick.”
If not, the Warriors may be able to parlay their assets back to the Milwaukee Bucks to see if the pressure has increased since Giannis Antetokounmpo does not want to sign an extension. Per The Athletic, an NBA agent stated that the Bucks are very much running out of time.
“They’re on the clock with Giannis. I think it would be they just have too much at stake. They have potential championships hanging in the balance if you lose this guy and I think he’s going to want to see some kind of improvement from them.
I think Chris Paul, financially they’d have to figure it out, but he’s exactly what they need there.”
With doubts that a Chris Paul deal would be able to work, Golden State may be the perfect savior for Milwaukee. Either way, the next week will shape up a lot of the NBA’s future moving forward.
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