Another heartbreaking defeat. It's either that or just a completely disheartening blowout performance. That's been the theme for the Golden State Warriors all season after they suffered another heartbreaking defeat at the hands of the Sacramento Kings on Thursday night. With another loss, Stephen Curry and the Warriors continue to fall further in the Western Conference standings, which only raises questions about what they intend to do ahead of the 2024 NBA trade deadline to turn their season around.
While some Eastern Conference contenders pulled off trades to improve over the past month, the Warriors have stood pat so far. And it's understandable since the organization just went through the gutting loss of a beloved assistant coach in Dejan Milojević. But Milojević would love nothing more than to see this Warriors team flourish and hopefully get to salvage the season and potentially compete for a title.
Right now, the Warriors are nowhere near sniffing an NBA championship. They have to worry about getting into the play-in tournament at least. Nonetheless, there are still 40 games remaining on Golden State's schedule. And perhaps a season-swinging deal could help revive the Warriors through the second half of the season.
With that said, let's lay out the Golden State Warriors' dream scenario ahead of the 2024 NBA trade deadline.
Trade for Lauri Markkanen without giving up Jonathan Kuminga
This is a dream scenario, so we should be allowed to head into pipedream territory. But, in a dream world, the Warriors acquiring Lauri Markkanen from the Utah Jazz without giving up Jonathan Kuminga, who is in the midst of a breakout third-year campaign this season. Kuminga has been playing out of his mind over his last five games, where he is averaging 25.6 points, 6.2 rebounds, and 1.6 assists, while shooting 65.4 percent from the field and 56.3 percent from beyond the arc.
There is no way Danny Ainge even engages in a conversation with Mike Dunleavy Jr. for Markkanen if it does not start with Kuminga.
Nonetheless, Markkanen on the Warriors would be the dream scenario. He wouldn't just help turn the season around. He'd help the Warriors contend at least for the next couple more years, assuming Stephen Curry's 35-year-old wheels don't completely fall off.
Markkanen would be the perfect piece to plug into this team: an athletic 7-footer who can score, create, and shoot from the outside. Just imagine a five of Stephen Curry, Klay Thompson, Jonathan Kuminga, Lauri Markkanen, and Draymond Green.
But as mentioned, there is no way the Jazz do this, so let's move on to a more realistic NBA trade deadline dream scenario for the Warriors.
Trade for Dejounte Murray and Clint Capela
A name that has been floated around Warriors trade rumors is Atlanta Hawks guard Dejounte Murray. Murray has been linked to several other interested teams and one of them is the Los Angeles Lakers, who have reportedly touched base with the Hawks on a potential Murray trade.
So with that, getting Murray not only makes the Warriors better, but it also prevents other rival teams from getting better themselves. How does Golden State get Murray, then?
The Dejounte Murray dream trade for the Warriors would look like this:
Golden State Warriors receive: Dejounte Murray and Clint Capela
Atlanta Hawks receive: Chris Paul, Moses Moody, Cory Joseph, 2026 1st round pick, and 2028 1st round pick
This is everything the Warriors could hope and ask for as a mid-season upgrade.
Murray's fit in Golden State would come into question since he isn't necessarily the big wing they ideally need. But he would still address the Warriors' need for more playmaking and defense. Golden State would miss CP3's genius in the second five and he has done wonders in elevating them to being one of the best bench units in the NBA. Nonetheless, Murray is more than capable of running an offense and should be able to keep the Warriors afloat whenever Curry heads to the sidelines.
Where Murray could make the most impact is on the defensive side of the floor. He would be an upgrade over Paul on that end. Though the Hawks star isn't having the best defensive season of his career this year, he has shown in the past that he can be an All-Defensive Team type of defender.
Getting Clint Capela would also be huge in this deal since he finally gives the Warriors the size and rim protection they've been devoid of for quite a while now. Golden State would likely still roll with Draymond Green as the small ball five when it matters most. But having a guy like Capela around gives them the luxury to go big whenever they go up against bigger teams like the Los Angeles Lakers and Denver Nuggets.
Why this makes sense for both sides
Perhaps the best thing about this deal for the Warriors is the fact they get to keep Jonathan Kuminga. Moses Moody and the two future first-rounders should be enough assets for the Hawks as they look to re-tool ahead of next season.
At 21 years old, Moody is still an intriguing young wing who could potentially flourish playing beside an All-NBA guard in Trae Young. Likewise, those future picks could be really valuable as Stephen Curry, Draymond Green, and Klay Thompson continue to age.
Finally, Paul could be a terrific mentor to help guide Young for about half a season. He would also come off their books next year, which opens up a ton of flexibility for the Hawks to reconstruct their roster for next season.
Follow Us
Subscribe