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The good vibes the Golden State Warriors began the 2024-25 season seem to be all but gone by now. It seems like a long time has passed since the Warriors started off the campaign by winning 12 of their first 15 games, as they have fallen all the way down in the Western Conference standings even after scoring a huge slump-busting win in a classic trap game over the Houston Rockets with Stephen Curry and Draymond Green missing due to injury.
For a team that prides itself on depth, dating back to their Strength In Numbers days, they are experiencing firsthand how detrimental having too many rotation players can be. Players have been complaining about a lack of rhythm — with Moses Moody being perhaps the best example of a Warriors player who has struggled to establish a rhythm throughout his career after seeing his role get yanked around on a game-to-game basis.
Thus, if there is any team that is ripe for a consolidation trade, it's the Warriors. Turning one or two of those solid rotation pieces into a higher-quality players is very much worthwhile for the Dubs, so as to not fuel head coach Steve Kerr's temptation to play 12 to 13 players in every game.
And with that in mind, here is the player that the Warriors have to trade soon and why they must do so if they were to climb back the upper ranks in the Western Conference.
Warriors may have to make use of De'Anthony Melton's contract in a trade
For a brief period, it looked as though the Warriors were on to something by starting De'Anthony Melton alongside Stephen Curry in the backcourt. And the results were pretty in the two games that Melton started; he gave Golden State a major defensive force at the point of attack, while also being proficient from the perimeter.
Melton appeared to separate himself in the position battle against Brandin Podziemski, Buddy Hield, and Moses Moody, just to name a few, only for him to injure his knee and have to undergo season-ending surgery to repair the damage. Since losing Melton, the Warriors have gone 3-7 to fall all the way down to seventh in the Western Conference standings.
As unfair as it may seem, Melton's best utility to the Warriors moving forward is as a trade chip. His contract worth $12.8 million can be aggregated with other pieces to net them an upgrade, giving them another capable shooter who fits seamlessly in their offensive system.
Melton was and continues to be beloved among Warriors fans. But he cannot contribute anymore for the Dubs on the court for the remainder of the season. As the old adage goes, the final act of love is letting go, and perhaps Melton being a trade chip could be his final contribution to the franchise, at least for this season.
Dubs use Melton's contract to trade for Nets' Cameron Johnson
Warriors trade De'Anthony Melton, Gary Payton II, Gui Santos, and 2025 first-round pick to the Nets for Cameron Johnson (can pull off trade beginning on December 15)
It's no secret that the Brooklyn Nets have been dangling Cameron Johnson in trade talks ever since he arrived as one of the main pieces they got in the Kevin Durant trade. Johnson's value, however, tanked last season amid an injury-riddled campaign, and thus, the Nets decided it was for the best to hold on to the 28-year-old forward.
Johnson, in turn, has been playing the best basketball of his career. He has been shooting lights out from the field this season, averaging 18.5 points per game in 2024-25 on 48/43/90 shooting splits — making him the perfect fit on the Warriors' roster.
The question now is how much are the Warriors willing to give up in a trade for Johnson? Will they be willing to part with prized youngsters Jonathan Kuminga and Brandin Podziemski? How about Moses Moody? Could Andrew Wiggins be somehow involved in a potential trade?
The Warriors, considering how passive they've been on the trade market in recent years, will want to hold on to those players. If they didn't give Kuminga and Podziemski up in talks for Lauri Markkanen or Paul George, then they certainly won't do so for Johnson. Moody is ineligible to be traded. Wiggins is a critical two-way 3-and-D piece.
Thus, the Warriors will build their offer around the contracts of Payton, Melton, and Santos, while offering the Nets their 2025 first-round pick, which, currently, will land as the 21st pick of next year's draft. Perhaps the Nets try and wrestle away the 2026 first-rounder instead, or maybe they can even hold out for a better return in terms of draft capital. But this could be a good starting-off point in negotiations between two teams that are shaping up to be ideal trade partners.
