The Golden State Warriors are an extremely talented team. The trio of Stephen Curry, Klay Thompson, and Draymond Green has now won four NBA titles in the past eight seasons. But Golden State has already lost a couple of key role players in 2022 NBA free agency. Both Otto Porter Jr and Gary Payton II departed in free agency, leaving a couple of holes on the roster. No, the Warriors don't need to do much this offseason, but they also can't afford to stand pat if they want to win back-to-back NBA Finals.
Without further ado, let's take a look at two moves the Warriors need to make this offseason.
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2 moves Warriors still must make in 2022 NBA free agency
Trade James Wiseman for top-tier talent
James Wiseman is an oft-injured center. With that being said, he is just 21 years old and possesses a very high ceiling. But the Warriors are in win-now mode and Wiseman has some developing to do after dealing with injuries over the past couple of years.
Golden State would likely be able to acquire impressive talent on the trade market with James Wiseman as the centerpiece. They would need to add other pieces to a potential deal for financial reasons. Acquiring a player such as Bradley Beal, Tyler Herro, Donovan Mitchell, or Kevin Durant would be ideal for Golden State. But even if the Warriors received a couple of reliable options to replace Porter and Payton, their roster would be improved.
In the end, the Warriors may opt to not trade James Wiseman due to his potential. But the Dubs already re-signed Kevon Looney on a three-year deal, so they have a capable center on the roster. Trading Wiseman wouldn't be much of a detriment even if he breaks out next season.
Extend Jordan Poole
Jordan Poole emerged as a star in 2021-2022. His contributions can fly under the radar because of the stardom Golden State possesses, but Poole is a threat to say the least.
The 23-year-old guard averaged 18.5 points for the Warriors in 2021-2022 to go along with 4.0 assists per game. He shot over 44 percent from the field and 36 percent from beyond the arc. Poole also displayed the ability to maintain his composure in the postseason, which paid major dividends for the Warriors.
Poole isn't set to hit free agency or anything, but he's eligible for an extension and the Warriors would be smart to lock him up now. If they wait, the price is only going to get higher.
Plus, as good as the Warriors' core is, it won't last forever. Stephen Curry may appear to be immortal, but even he could see decline at some point as he grows older. The same can be said for Klay Thompson. So extending Poole guarantees that the Dubs will have a star on the roster for the foreseeable future.
Having Poole on the roster would be a good thing even if Curry and Thompson don't display signs of decline. Extending a young star like Jordan Poole is simply a good move.
The Warriors have also been rumored to be interested in extending Andrew Wiggins. Wiggins enjoyed a tremendous postseason and made the All-Star Game in 2021-2022.
The Dubs are fortunate enough to almost have two different cores on their roster. Curry, Thompson, and Green make up the veteran core, while Poole, Wiggins, and Looney are the core of the future, along with youngsters Jonathan Kuminga, Moses Moody, and possibly James Wiseman.
The Warriors are lethal and could be great for years to come if they extend Jordan Poole and Andrew Wiggins.