With the Golden State Warriors looking like an early NBA Finals contender, they will be looking to bolster their roster before the trade deadline. And a top NBA insider recently linked them to a deal for a potential-rich former lottery pick from the East.
The expectations for the Warriors this season were not particularly high. They couldn’t make it past the play-in tournament last year. In the offseason, they lost team legend Klay Thompson and made several smaller moves to add depth. Yet, the strategy to build out the roster instead of adding a big-time star has proven to be a stroke of genius so far.
Related: Where do the Golden State Warriors land in our latest NBA power rankings?
Heading into the final days of November, Golden State is 12-5 and owns the fourth-best record in the entire NBA. And they haven’t done it by future Hall-of-Famer Stephen Curry playing out of his mind. They have played strong team ball and are among the better defensive teams in the league.
While they have a deep roster, one area where they could use some more help is in the front court. During a live stream on Bleacher Report this week, veteran NBA insider Jake Fischer offered up an interesting option that is likely to now be available before February’s deadline.
- Golden State Warriors record: 12-5
Could Golden State Warriors swing a trade for former Chicago Bulls 1st-round pick Patrick Williams?
“One name that would be fascinating, that I know his team is more willing than ever to discuss him in a trade, and if you’re looking at names that would potentially be someone who you could grow and develop a little bit,” Fisher began by saying. “Especially if you have any thoughts or fears of Jonathan Kuminga not being a part of this build moving forward. Is there an opportunity for you to look at someone like Patrick Williams in Chicago?”
- Patrick Williams stats (Career): 9.7 PPG, 4.2 RPG, 1.4 APG, 0.9 SPG, 40% 3PT
Williams was the fourth overall pick in the 2020 NBA Draft, and it wasn’t that long ago that he was viewed as an absolute untouchable piece for the Chicago Bulls. They even gave him a new five-year, $90 million extension earlier this year.
However, he has not taken the big step forward the organization was hoping for despite playing a career-high 28.9 minutes a game this season. He would be an interesting option to replace Kuminga and has a lot of untapped potential. If the Golden State Warriors feel confident about their talent development, he could be an interesting acquisition later this season.