The Golden State Warriors are at a crossroads; longtime general manager Bob Myers appears to be on the way out, which makes navigating one of the most pivotal offseasons for the Dubs in recent memory an even more difficult endeavor. Still, given how the Warriors' disappointing title defense ended — in blowout fashion against the Los Angeles Lakers — major changes could very well come soon for a Dubs team in dire need of a lift.
Stephen Curry isn't getting any younger, although it's evident that he's still, at the very least, near the top of his game. As long as Curry is around and healthy, the Warriors will have a fighting chance to win a championship. All they may need to do is acquire a reinforcement or two, even though doing so may be difficult given their cap situation and impending need to re-sign Draymond Green, who once again showed how valuable he is to the Warriors with a spirited, two-way effort this postseason.
This offseason, the Warriors front office will have plenty of opportunities to prove that they are indeed light years ahead of the opposition. The clock to surround Curry with the necessary pieces to contend is certainly ticking, so they must do what they can – perhaps swing a blockbuster trade – to maximize the remaining elite years of arguably the best player in franchise history.
So with that being said, here are three trade targets the Warriors can set their sights on this offseason that would help out Stephen Curry.
OG Anunoby
The Warriors' interest in OG Anunoby is no secret. Prior to the 2023 NBA trade deadline, the Warriors did their best to try and acquire the Toronto Raptors' 3 and D extraordinaire. However, the Warriors found the Raptors' asking price for Anunoby to be too prohibitive, as they would have had to relinquish Jonathan Kuminga, along with whatever draft capital they could have given up, to acquire the forward.
Make no mistake about it, Anunoby would have been a terrific addition for the Warriors in preparation for their 2023 playoff run; Anunoby would have given the Warriors yet another stout perimeter defender that would have allowed them to remain small and defensively resolute at the same time. (A defensive quartet of Anunoby, Klay Thompson, Andrew Wiggins, and Draymond Green is the stuff of dreams.)
Nevertheless, Jonathan Kuminga is only 20 years old and yet he has shown flashes of blossoming into an extremely efficient scorer from everywhere on the court, shooting 52.5 percent from the field this past season. Thus, the rationale behind the Warriors' decision to keep the youngster is sound.
But if the Warriors can find a way to rekindle trade talks with the Raptors for OG Anunoby without having to give up Kuminga, then they should do so. The Raptors' leverage in an Anunoby trade had already gone down anyway, with Anunoby having a year less on his contract. Moreover, the entire league knows that the Raptors may be looking to rebuild, so they may not want to lose Anunoby for nothing.
John Collins
John Collins once looked like he was ticketed for stardom with the Atlanta Hawks. Not too many 22 year old big men average 20 and 10 like Collins did during the 2019-20 season. However, since then, Collins saw lesser and lesser involvement in the Hawks offense with each passing year, and now, it looks like his trade value is at its lowest.
At $25 million a year, Collins won't come cheap either, so that alone may put off the Warriors from the thought of pursuing the Hawks big man. But if the Hawks decide that they want to receive Klay Thompson in return to bolster their three-point marksmanship and perimeter defense, then the Warriors could very well ask to receive Bogdan Bogdanovic as well (to match salaries), turning a declining asset in Thompson into two rotation players who could conceivably log heavy minutes in the playoffs.
Collins' frontcourt versatility will also be a huge boon for the Warriors, as he can partner with Draymond Green or Kevon Looney depending on the matchup.
Royce O'Neale
If the Brooklyn Nets were to trade Royce O'Neale, it would be the second consecutive offseason that he'd be changing teams. But that is a testament to how well he fits in a contender.
O'Neale began the 2022-23 season on a tear, playing his 3 and D role alongside Kevin Durant to a T, all the while contributing on the boards and moving the ball quickly. O'Neale even tallied the first triple-double of his career with the Nets, so he definitely has it in him to become a positive contributor in the Warriors' motion-based system.
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