After winning the 2022 NBA championship, the Golden State Warriors entered this season with one ultimate goal in mind: repeat as NBA champions. But fast forward to the current day, and it's clear that the Warriors fell short of their goal.

The Warriors finished the regular season with a mediocre 44-38 record, just the sixth-best in the Western Conference, and barely avoided the play-in tournament. And after upsetting the Sacramento Kings in the first round of the playoffs in seven games, the Warriors were eliminated by LeBron James, Anthony Davis, and the Los Angeles Lakers in round two.

Considering Golden State's short-lived postseason run, it's evident that the Warriors are not a championship team right now. Hence, they should look to swing for the fences and trade for another star to complement their core of Stephen Curry, Klay Thompson, and Draymond Green.

One star who makes sense as a trade target is Washington Wizards guard Bradley Beal, who's seen his name thrown around in trade rumors for years now. If the Warriors acquired Beal, they'd be right back in the title conversation. With all of that said, let's look at the perfect Bradley Beal trade that the Warriors must offer the Wizards:

Wizards receive: Jordan Poole, Moses Moody, Gary Payton II, 2026 1st round pick (GS)

Warriors receive: Bradley Beal

Beal's lavish long-term contract deflates his value on the trade market, key for the Warriors' potential pursuit of him. Jordan Poole's coming off a disappointing season that culminated with a truly disastrous playoff performance, but Washington won't have the luxury of picking from the type of trade offers normally made for a player of Beal's caliber.

Poole is about to turn 24, barely a calendar year removed from emerging as one of basketball's most dynamic playmakers while scorching nets en route to 65.4% true shooting during Golden State's 2022 title run. He'll always be a liability defensively and needs another playmaker next to him in the backcourt, but Poole's rare blend of shot-making prowess and off-dribble creativity makes him a worthy centerpiece of a Beal trade regardless.

Parting with Payton would sting for Golden State. He's beloved in the locker room, a perfect connector in the Dubs' read-and-react offense and among the most disruptive defenders in the league. Moving on from Payton so quickly after acquiring him in exchange for James Wiseman would further rankle a loud contingent of Warriors fans. The same goes for moving Moody, who finally broke into Steve Kerr's rotation during Golden State's brief playoff run and has ample room to grow into a quality role-playing wing at just 20 years old.

But the Warriors' success is measured in championships as long as Stephen Curry wears blue and gold, playing anywhere near his all-time peak. Maximizing this core's ability to win a fifth title should be the utmost priority for Golden State's new front office, and Beal's proven bonafides as an all-court shot-creator would go a long way toward addressing the weaknesses that doomed the Dubs in their dispiriting loss to the Lakers.

A top six of Stephen Curry, Bradley Beal, Klay Thompson, Andrew Wiggins, Draymond Green and Kevon Looney should have Warriors fans drooling just thinking about it. After all, that group has a terrific blend of offensive and defensive firepower and could be the best starting lineup in the entire NBA. Jonathan Kuminga would loom as a major two-way X-factor, too.

If the Warriors could pull off this hypothetical trade and land Beal without sacrificing one of their Big Three, they'll have as good of a chance as any team of winning the 2024 NBA title. So here's to hoping that the Warriors pull the trigger on a Beal trade this summer and acquire the Wizards star.

Editor's note: This post has been updated.