The Golden State Warriors were as whole as they've been in weeks on Tuesday night. Their sudden slide continued regardless, with the defending champions coming out lifeless despite Stephen Curry's return against a Phoenix Suns squad that was missing not just Devin Booker, Chris Paul and Deandre Ayton, but also Cam Johnson, Cam Payne and Landry Shamet.
It's safe to say a presumed victory versus the Suns' C-team wouldn't change Golden State's approach to the upcoming trade deadline, though. Even with Curry, Andrew Wiggins and Andre Iguodala back in the fold and Jonathan Kuminga, Jamychal Green and James Wiseman set to return from injury soon, the Warriors will still seek reinforcements leading up to February 9th—with two areas of weakness specifically in mind.
Though no deal is imminent, Golden State is “active” in the trade market, searching for more size and shooting, according to Monte Poole of NBC Sports Bay Area.
“With the NBA trade deadline precisely 30 days away, the Warriors are active in the market, according to league sources. Though nothing is said to be imminent – the front office is more concerned with getting Stephen Curry and Andrew Wiggins back to speed – there is a desire to add size and shooting.”
Further confirmation of the Warriors' desire to bring in another impact player via trade is hardly surprising, and neither are the attributes they're reportedly looking for in a potential acquisition. They'd ideally add a versatile two-way wing, but that player profile is what every contender in the league wants. Odds are they may have to settle for a quasi shooting specialist or big with limited ability to stretch the floor or defensive acumen, though even those broad archetypes come with caveats given Golden existing personnel.
The Warriors are already guard-heavy, and it's hard to imagine any traditional big taking away playoff minutes from Kevon Looney and Draymond Green at center. Their trade assets aren't quite as enticing as they were before the season tipped off, either, with the long-term trajectories of both Wiseman—the incumbent most likely to be traded given his salary—and Moses Moody trending downward over the past couple months.
Keep a close eye on Golden State's activity as February dawns. While they probably don't have the ballast to swing a trade for a player like Kyle Kuzma or Bojan Bogdanovic, getting another reliable reserve could still be pivotal to the Warriors' hopes of repeating as champions.
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