How many adjustments are necessary for the Golden State Warriors this offseason? The franchise’s front staff, including newly appointed General Manager Mike Dunleavy Jr., must answer this crucial question.
Prior to the draft next week, the Warriors are heavily mentioned in a number of trade reports, the majority of which center around young players Jonathan Kuminga and Jordan Poole. Golden State’s two-timeline strategy may have reached its climax with a renewed emphasis on their championship-winning aged core.
Could potential interest in Washington Wizards’ guard Bradley Beal spell the end of a franchise legend at the Golden State Warriors?
The Washington Wizards and Bradley Beal’s management are negotiating a potential trade that would give the three-time All-Star a new team, making him one of the most sought-after names on the trade market right now.
Beal caught the Warriors’ attention momentarily in the 2021 summer, and they might now be considered if they decide to add another All-Star caliber player. Poole and Kuminga are typically the first players mentioned in trade proposals, though Golden State may explore other options as well.
Analyst Jason Timpf suggested that the Warriors would trade Poole and future Hall of Famer Klay Thompson for Beal earlier this week on his Hoops Tonight show for The Volume. Timpf indicated that he prefers to hold onto the extraordinarily gifted Kuminga and doesn’t like the thought of Thompson and Beal playing together.
“I also don’t like the idea of starting Klay at small-forward. I’d rather do something like Steph Curry, Bradley Beal, Andrew Wiggins, Jonathan Kuminga and Draymond Green. That gives you a ton of athleticism on the front line”, Timpf said.
First off, Thompson and Poole’s combined salary for the upcoming season is over $70 million, so the Wizards would have to add another sizable salary to make the trade work. However, the Warriors are unlikely to part ways with either guard this offseason.
Timpf correctly points out that the Warriors would benefit from Beal’s additional ball-handling and shot-creation skills, which they sorely lacked as Poole’s form deteriorated throughout the playoffs. Nevertheless, Poole still scored over 20 points per game throughout the regular season, and depending on what Golden State received in addition to Beal, including Thompson in the transaction may have been illegal.
It would be a drastic and unlikely turn of events if Kuminga started the Warriors’ season as their opening night starter, given the trade rumors that are currently circling him. Despite the fact that this scenario does not include Kevon Looney, Golden State’s normal starting center, it still has validity due to his defensive versatility and extraordinarily high potential.
Any team interested in Beal will find it difficult given his $46.7 million salary for the upcoming season, but the Warriors will find it especially difficult given their lack of mid-level players making between $10 million and $20 million. Given his skill set, Beal may have potential, but it makes more sense for Golden State to target a top-tier forward or big.
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