The Golden State Warriors are coming off a disastrous 15-50 truncated 2019-20 NBA season. They saw Klay Thompson miss the entire campaign with a torn ACL. Fellow three-time NBA champion Stephen Curry suited up in a total of five games. That was the backdrop in San Francisco after Golden State earned five consecutive trips to the NBA Finals.
Heading into what’s going to be a busy offseason around the NBA, it looks like the Warriors are going to be among those most active as it relates to upgrading their roster.
Related: Giannis Antetokounmpo trade rumors
Warriors head coach Steve Kerr suggests team will have active NBA offseason
“But we all know that. We have the draft and we have free agency to address all that stuff. And potential trades,” Kerr said, via The Athletic. “I think Bob Myers (general manager) would be the first to tell you this roster is far from being finished.”
While Golden State is capped out heading into the offseason, it has a number of assets that could be used to help upgrade a still-championship caliber roster. Kerr’s comments will only add to the rumors moving forward.
- No. 2 overall pick in the 2020 NBA Draft
- Minnesota Timberwolves unprotected first-round pick in 2021 NBA Draft
- A $17-plus million trade exception from the Andre Iguodala trade
- A $5.72 million tax-payer mid-level exception to use in free agency
These assets are nothing to sneeze at as Golden State looks to build up its talent level and depth. An argument can also be made that the Warriors will look to package Andrew Wiggins’ bloated contract with their draft assets to add a third star behind Stephen Curry and Klay Thompson. Rumors have persisted on that front since the Warriors traded D’Angelo Russell for Wiggins back in February.
Warriors rumors: Is Giannis Antetokounmpo a realistic option?
- Rumors surrounding the Greek Freak and the Warriors are not new. It’s readily apparent that Golden State plans to make a play for the two-time reigning NBA MVP, either in free agency next summer or via a trade this offseason.
Related: Warriors looking to trade No. 2 pick in 2020 NBA Draft
- Giannis is slated to become a free agent following the 2020-21 season. If Milwaukee concludes he’s not going to re-sign with the team, a trade this winter seems to make the most sense. Simply put, the Bucks can’t afford to lose Antetokounmpo for nothing in free agency.
- The Warriors have been been among the teams most bandied about as it relates to a potential Antetokounmpo blockbuster trade. They have the assets in terms of draft picks to entice Milwaukee should the team actually put Giannis on the trade block.
Warriors rumors: What will the team do with the $17-plus million trade exception?
“I think we need to be more athletic, for sure,” Kerr said, via Drew Shiller of NBC Sports Bay Area. “We’re obviously very skilled. But we don’t have an overly athletic team. We’ve lost a lot of bounce and a lot of pop on the wings — even at the center position. Right now, we’re not big enough or athletic enough to get where we want to be.
That could seem to suggest that something might be afoot here. The Warriors have recently been linked to Orlando Magic forward Aaron Gordon in trade talks. He’d obviously bring the type of athleticism that Kerr seeks.
Hypothetically, Golden State could use the above-mentioned trade exception as well as lower-end players and draft picks to entice Orlando into a trade. Someone like Knicks forward Julius Randle would make sense, too.
Either way, we fully expect the Warriors to be active this winter. Kerr’s comments do nothing to quiet the rumors on that front.