The Golden State Warriors have been searching for answers since winning the 2023 NBA championship. Since then, the team has been scrambling to extend their dynasty. And under general manager Mike Dunleavy Jr., Warriors fans have had mixed reactions to the way the front office has been operating to construct the roster. Here are the 10 best Golden State Warriors roster moves under GM Mike Dunleavy, ranked.
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10. Trading for Trayce Jackson-Davis
One of the earliest moves of Dunleavy as Warriors GM was trading away cash for second-round pick Trayce Jackson-Davis. Although he has now fallen out of the team's rotation, no one can deny his impact during his rookie year. He averaged 7.9 points, 5.0 rebounds, and 1.1 blocks per game. TJD was a shot in the arm for the Warriors' usually undersized frontcourt. Ande he's still seen as a part of the team's future, at least for now.
9. Signing Gui Santos
In the same offseason, the Warriors also took a chance on Brazilian forward Gui Santos. Although Santos rarely sees minutes on the floor, his defense and youth has convinced Golden State to keep him on the roster. In two seasons with the Warriors, he has averaged just 3.9 points per game. However, the team still believes that he has the potential to develop into a solid 3-and-D player. With the departures of Andre Iguodala and Gary Payton II, developing Santos into that mold is already a luxury.
8. Signing De'Anthony Melton
Prior to the start of the 2024-25 season, one of the most under-the-radar moves the Warriors made was picking up De'Anthony Melton. Melton provided some defensive teeth for the Warriors out in the perimeter, a game-changing factor that contributed to the team's hot start to the season. However, his injury threw a wrench into the team's promising campaign, prompting the franchise to trade him away in a win-now situation. On the bright side, a Warriors reunion could be on the horizon for Melton.
7. Signing Pat Spencer
While Pat Spencer doesn't exactly move the needle, his signing did become beneficial for the Warriors. Although he only averaged 2.5 points per game in the 2024-25 season, his production off the bench came in handy at the playoffs. In the first-round matchup against the Houston Rockets, Spencer finished with 11 points off the bench in Games 2 and 5. Thanks to him, Golden State was able to escape an early elimination at the hands of the Rockets.
6. Re-acquiring and signing Quinten Post
The Warriors first drafted Quinten Post at the 2024 NBA Draft in the second round before trading him away. They acquired him once more via trade in exchange for cash. Since then, Post has become a vital piece in coach Steve Kerr's rotation. The 7-foot big man brings size and shooting to the table while the Warriors needed to place more emphasis on pace and space. His breakout in the 2024-25 season was a welcome sight for the team. Post averaged 8.1 points on 40.8% shooting on three-pointers.
5. Trading for Lindy Waters III
Coincidentally, the Warriors first traded Post away in order to acquire the services of Lindy Waters III. He was actually an early revelation for Golden State early into the 2024-25 season. His 21-point performance against the New Orleans Pelicans helped convinced everyone that the Warriors possessed superior depth.
But while Waters looked like a fit for the team, a hyperextended left knee sidelined him. Unable to regain his momentum, he ended up becoming a trade asset for the team. Nonetheless, this was still another solid underrated move by Dunleavy.
4. Drafting Brandin Podziemski
Selecting Brandin Podziemski with the 19th pick at the 2023 NBA Draft remains a good decision by Dunleavy. Podziemski is looking like a franchise building block for the future, especially once the team decides to usher in a new era. He's coming off a solid sophomore year, averaging 11.7 points, 5.7 rebounds, and 3.4 assists per game while mostly coming off the bench. Podziemski is expected to continue to develop in the upcoming seasons.
3. Swapping Klay Thompson for Buddy Hield
With Klay Thompson, one of the Warriors' major championship pieces, becoming a free agent, Golden State knew it needed another shooter to pair with Stephen Curry. In order to cushion the departure of one half of the Splash Brothers, the Warriors orchestrated a six-team trade, essentially swapping the four-time NBA champion for another elite shooter in Buddy Hield. He was a natural fit for the Warriors, averaging 11.1 points on 37% shooting from beyond the arc.
2. Securing Draymond Green for the long term
Fresh from a 2023 NBA championship, the Warriors faced an unexpected offseason problem, when Draymond Green and Jordan Poole got into a heated scuffle that basically ended Golden State's dynasty. The team decided to stick with Green, shipping Poole to the Washington Wizards. Green then signed a four-year deal worth $100 million. It was certainly a no-brainer decision given how important Green is to Kerr's system as an elite defender and facilitator.
1. Landing Jimmy Butler at the 2025 NBA Trade Deadline
Desperate to maximize Curry's closing championship window, the Warriors needed to swing for the fences to land another star. And at the 2025 NBA trade deadline, Dunleavy helped orchestrate a five-team trade that brought in disgruntled superstar Jimmy Butler. He was a shot in the arm for Golden State as the team went 23-8 after his acquisition.
Butler averaged 17.9 points, 5.5 rebounds, and 5.9 assists per game in a Warriors uniform. Although the team still lost in the playoffs, a Butler-Curry-Green team-up still puts Golden State among the best in the West.
