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The Golden State Warriors' 2019-20 season was a disaster. Superstar point guard Stephen Curry only appeared in five games due to a broken left hand, Klay Thompson missed the entire campaign recovering from his ACL tear and the team finished with the worst record in the league before games were suspended in March due to COVID-19.
However, odds are the Dubs will be playoff contenders once again in 2020-21. Curry, Thompson, Draymond Green, and Andrew Wiggins will take the floor together for the first time as a foursome. The Warriors will also have a top pick in the 2020 draft since they had the worst record in 2019-20.
There have been rumors, though, stating that the Dubs could trade their 2020 first-round pick for a superstar. With that said, let's take a look at five players the Warriors could target, with a small caveat for the third player on the list.
5. Myles Turner
The Warriors are in desperate need of a center after trading Willie Cauley-Stein to the Dallas Mavericks. The Indiana Pacers are said to be interested in moving Turner since the franchise has All-Star Domantas Sabonis.
Turner was actually on the trade block at the 2020 trade deadline. The former Texas Longhorn signed a four-year, $80 million extension with the Pacers in 2018. Turner was putting up 11.8 points and 6.5 rebounds in 55 games this season before games were suspended.
He still doesn’t have a polished enough post-game, as Turner shoots a lot of jumpers. That could benefit the Warriors, though, since Turner's shooting presence will bring his defender out of the paint and create more driving lanes for Curry, Thompson and Wiggins.
It would make sense for the Pacers to trade Turner to the Western Conference so the franchise wouldn’t have to deal with the shot-blocking big man that often.
4. Ben Simmons
If the Philadelphia 76ers don't make a serious run at the 2020 title once the “bubble” games start in Orlando, most pundits around the league expect the franchise to move on from Ben Simmons or Joel Embiid.
If Simmons becomes available, the Warriors need to pounce on the opportunity to acquire the do-it-all point-forward. Sure, Simmons can't shoot jumpers. However, he's an elite defender, passer, playmaker and one of the fastest players in the league with the ball in his hands.
Simmons can grab the rebound on one end, weave in and out of traffic on the break, and either finish at the rim or kick it out to Curry or Thompson, who will be spotting up from 3.
3. Karl-Anthony Towns
The Warriors traded D'Angelo Russell to the Minnesota Timberwolves for Wiggins at the 2020 trade deadline. Odds are Minnesota isn't going to move Karl-Anthony Towns this summer since the franchise acquired Russell for him.
However, if the Timberwolves struggle again in 2020-21 and Russell and Towns turn out to be a bad fit together, the Dubs might as well call Minnesota again and see what it will take to get KAT around the 2021 trade deadline.
Before the 2019-20 season was suspended due to COVID-19, Towns was averaging 26.5 points, 10.8 rebounds and 4.4 assists for the Wolves.
2. Rudy Gobert
Rudy Gobert’s future with the Utah Jazz is murky, to say the least. Even though multiple reports have said the Salt Lake City team isn’t considering trading Gobert, there have been questions about whether All-Star shooting guard Donovan Mitchell and Gobert can repair their relationship.
The Warriors desperately need a center and they would be getting the top defensive big man in the game in Gobert if general manager Bob Myers traded for the Frenchman. Gobert would instantly help the Dubs become an elite defensive unit again.
In 2019-20, the Warriors gave up 115.0 points a game, which was 25th of 30 in the NBA.
Gobert was averaging 15.1 points, 13.7 rebounds, 1.5 assists and 2.0 blocks for the Jazz before games were suspended. That’s the type of production Golden State needs from its starting center if the organization wants to win another championship in the Curry-Thompson era.
Gobert would fit in head coach Steve Kerr’s system. His ability to finish alley-oops, block shots and rebound the ball at an elite level are skills the Warriors lack right now from the big man spot.
1. Giannis Antetokounmpo
It feels like the Warriors have been linked to Giannis Antetokounmpo for years. The franchise is hoping to sign the 2019 MVP in the summer of 2021 as a free agent.
However, that's only possible if Antetokounmpo declines the supermax extension offer from the Milwaukee Bucks this offseason.
If Antetokounmpo doesn't sign the supermax extension with Milwaukee, the Bucks may have to think about trading the Greek Freak this summer out of fear of losing him in 2021 and not getting anything in return.
To get Antetokounmpo, the Warriors will surely have to offer the Bucks Thompson, Wiggins and a slew of draft picks. Again, this is only possible if Giannis tells the Bucks thanks, but no thanks when they offer him the supermax.
