After a 12-3 start to the 2024-25 season, the Golden State Warriors have struggled. As the NBA trade deadline approaches, the Warriors could be a team looking to swing a deal in hopes of reigniting the team.
Injuries have certainly played a part in the Warriors struggles, with Jonathan Kuminga currently sidelined due to an ankle injury. If the Warriors due try and make a deal ahead of the NBA trade deadline, they will reportedly look to acquire frontcourt help, as per NBA insider Marc Stein.
Stein reports that the Warriors are caught between continuing to evaluate the team they currently have, and deciding to pursue a trade ahead of the deadline. The names believed to be available in terms of frontcourt help include Kelly Olynyk, Jonas Valanciunas, Robert Williams III and Nikola Vucevic.
In fact, Olynyk is a player that the Warriors nearly traded for last season, before the Utah Jazz ended up trading Olynyk to the Toronto Raptors. Olynyk is a name that has come up again this season for the Warriors, as far back as November when De’Anthony Melton went down with a season-ending injury, as per ClutchPoints NBA insider Brett Siegel.
Kelly Olynyk as a Warriors trade target
Olynyk began this season sidelined due to a back injury, but he’s since made his return to the court. He’s been fairly productive for the Raptors this season, and could help multiple contending teams if he is indeed available on the trade market.
He’s reportedly a name the Warriors have continued to keep tabs on after they nearly acquiring him at last season’s trade deadline.
Olynyk has appeared in 19 games for the Raptors this season, at just about 15 minutes per game. He’s been averaging 6.5 points, 3.4 rebounds and 2.2 assists with splits of 48.8 percent shooting from the field, 45.2 percent shooting from the three-point line and 78.8 percent shooting from the free-throw line.
One of the main reasons why Olynyk is an attractive trade target for teams seeking frontcourt help is his ability to space the floor with his three-point shooting. His 45.2 percent from three-point range this season is a career-high. He holds a career average of 37 percent from downtown.
In addition to Olynyk, the Warriors have recently been mentioned as a team monitoring the availability of Nikola Vucevic.
The Warriors are currently 21-20 and in 11th place in the Western Conference standings. They have won two games in a row, and are 5-5 in their last ten games.