Warriors Hitting Desperate Times?

Once known for acquiring championship talent and pivotal role players, the Golden Warriors now appear in a desperate position. Losing out on Lauri Markkanen disproves the idea of the Golden State Warriors as a “Light Years” franchise. As Golden missed out on an All-Star talent, one suggested trade implies the Stephen Curry franchise has lost the plot.

The Warriors have five NBA championships during the Curry era. None of the centers earned an All-Star nod during the dynastic stretch. Moreover, the Warriors drafted James Wiseman, who’s on his third team in four years. Yet, even with such a project prospect on the roster, the Warriors won the 2022 NBA Finals despite starting the series down 2-0 to the Boston Celtics.

The point is that Golden State proved they could win with average centers for three seasons thanks to Steve Kerr’s system and the magical trio of Curry, Draymond Green, Klay Thompson, and Kevin Durant.

However, a recent suggestion goes against what makes the Warriors unique. Analysts once considered Nikola Vucevic an underrated player. During Vucevic’s Orlando Magic years, the team wasn’t often on national TV. However, since landing on the Chicago Bulls via trade, surrounded by other talent, the center seems long in the tooth.

The theoretical trade sees Vucevic and forward Torrey Craig traded to the Warriors for Kevon Looney, Gary Payton II, and Moses Moody.

It appears like a decent trade for Golden State, as the franchise saves itself from trading assets for future trades. However, the Warriors’ decision to trade two defensive players and an adequate young piece for a past-his-prime center doesn’t seem like a trade they would make.