The Golden State Warriors' $17.2 million trade exception (TPE) is set to expire on Oct. 24. The franchise received the TPE as part of the Andre Iguodala trade with the Memphis Grizzlies last summer. The Dubs were forced to trade the former Finals MVP to Memphis in order to create cap space to sign D'Angelo Russell as part of the Kevin Durant sign-and-trade deal with the Brooklyn Nets.
Ironically, the Warriors traded Russell to the Minnesota Timberwolves for Andrew Wiggins at the 2020 trade deadline.
The TPE permits the Warriors to absorb a player's salary up to $17.2 million. It originally was scheduled to expire on July 7. However, with the 2019-20 season calendar extended due to the coronavirus pandemic, that deadline was pushed back.
With that said, let's take a look at three players the Warriors could acquire using the $17.2 million trade exception this offseason. It's worth mentioning that the Warriors are in line to pay a massive luxury tax in 2020-21. Absorbing a player using the TPE without selling off anything such as Wiggins' huge contract will cause the Dubs to pay even more.
1. JJ Redick
JJ Redick is one of the best shooters in the NBA and the perfect sniper for the Warriors to bring off the bench in 2020-21. The former Duke Blue Devil signed a two-year, $26.5 million deal with the New Orleans Pelicans last offseason. He was scheduled to make $13.5 million in 2019-20 and $13 million in 2020-21.
This season with the Pelicans before games were suspended in March, Redick averaged 14.9 points, 2.6 rebounds and 2.0 assists while shooting 45.0 percent from the field and 45.2 percent from 3 in 54 games.
Redick flourishes in catch-and-shoot situations. He would get a bevy of those types of shots in Golden State.
2. Terrence Ross
Terrence Ross is the ideal 3-and-D wing the Warriors need next to Stephen Curry and Klay Thompson since he's a better shooter than Wiggins. The Orlando Magic swingman is also one of the most athletic players in the game and can flat out jump out of the gym.
The more athletes the Warriors have to run in transition, the better.
Before games were put to a halt, Ross averaged 14.8 points, 3.2 rebounds and 1.2 assists while shooting 40.7 percent from the field, 35.7 percent from beyond the arc and 84.5 percent from the free-throw line.
Ross is a career 37.1 percent shooter from 3. He can also catch fire in a hurry and he’s like Curry and Klay in the sense that he’s not afraid to shoot it from WAY outside the 3-point line.
In 63 games for the Magic this campaign, the 29-year-old hit 162 shots from deep.
3. Jonas Valanciunas
The Warriors are in desperate need of a starting center after trading Willie Cauley-Stein to the Dallas Mavericks. Jonas Valanciunas would be a great rim protector, rebounder and low-post scorer for the Dubs.
With the Grizzlies in 2019-20, Valanciunas averaged 14.9 points, 11.2 rebounds and 1.8 assists. That’s the type of production the Warriors need moving forward from their starting center if the franchise wants to win another championship in the Curry-Thompson era.
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