In the NBA world, there are a lot of trade scenarios that are created by fans. Obviously, while some hypothetical trades make sense for the teams involved, there are times when the trades proposed don’t necessarily make sense for one side.
The Golden State Warriors are a team that is often mentioned in trade talks. They are definitely a destination that stars would love to go to, as they are located in California and are also a contending team. However, there are certain star trades that wouldn’t necessarily benefit them whatsoever. Below, we cover a proposed trade that would be rejected by the Golden State Warriors.
Trade Offer The Warriors Would Reject
Golden State Warriors Receive: Damian Lillard
Portland Trail Blazers Receive: Andrew Wiggins, Jordan Poole, 2022 First Round Pick
This trade offer would obviously be centered around Jordan Poole, who has shown his fantastic potential as a star combo guard in the future. Over the course of the playoffs, Jordan Poole has averaged 18.9 PPG, 3.2 RPG, and 4.4 APG.
Obviously, Jordan Poole’s current contract isn’t big enough to make a straight swap for Damian Lillard. Hence, Andrew Wiggins is in this trade for contract purposes, and he has some value as a versatile forward as well. A draft pick would be thrown into the deal as a sweetener, even though it is a late first.
Some might say that this trade would give the Warriors more offensive firepower and give them another proven player. However, there are definitely reasons for the Warriors to be wary of this hypothetical trade, as it isn’t that good for them and benefits the Trail Blazers.
The Trail Blazers Would Be Happy To Receive This Offer
There is no doubt that the Trail Blazers would love to receive this sort of trade package for Damian Lillard. They already have a good young guard in Anfernee Simons, and getting Jordan Poole would mean that the Trail Blazers would have an elite backcourt for years to come. Jordan Poole is an electric shooting guard that could potentially thrive in a bigger role, and the Trail Blazers would be able to provide that increased role.
The rest of the trade package is also pretty solid. Andrew Wiggins is a really good two-way player who is just hitting his prime, though in this scenario. He is a versatile forward who is elite defensively and can do a little bit of everything on the offensive end, with a particular strength being finishing at the rim. While his contract expires at the end of next season, the Trail Blazers could potentially offer him a lucrative extension that would convince him to stay.
Overall, this trade would help the Portland Trail Blazers get younger and build a core that could potentially be competitive in the near future. There is no doubt that this would be a positive trade for them and help them build a solid foundation for being a dangerous team in the future.
The Golden State Warriors Don’t Need Damian Lillard
The Golden State Warriors don’t necessarily need Damian Lillard. They are already a top-tier competitive team. On top of that, Damian Lillard has a huge contract that will potentially get worse as he ages. Lillard will be 32 this summer and will make around $42.49 million, $45.64 million, and $48.78 million over the next three years. There’s no doubt that it is a contract that the Warriors do not want to take on, as they are already deeply in luxury tax. A Damian Lillard-Stephen Curry backcourt would also have a fair number of defensive woes.
From a player standpoint, it makes sense for the Golden State Warriors to keep Andrew Wiggins and Jordan Poole as well. Andrew Wiggins is an elite perimeter defender that fits well with the Golden State Warriors, and his best seasons are ahead of him.
Jordan Poole is a young player that has shown that he can contribute from the bench, and he seems to be fine with that as long as the team is winning. He could also potentially take over as a starter as the Warriors’ core 3 ages, and he himself gets better in the future.
This trade would have the Golden State Warriors move two key contributors for an aging star that has a hefty contract going forward. In this scenario, perhaps it would be wise for the Golden State Warriors to keep their youth and athleticism and allow their core to develop organically.
What NBA Fans Think About This Trade
A fan from the Instagram page Mock Trade posted this trade on Instagram, and we found out what fans think about this trade. There is no doubt that opinions were mixed on how well this trade would work out for the Golden State Warriors:
It definitely seems as though a lot of fans were against this idea, with many suggesting that giving up young players for another aging star is not a good move. However, some people thought it was a good trade and stated that acquiring Damian Lillard would be key to the Warrior staying as a contender in the Western Conference.
This Blockbuster Trade Will Not Happen This Year
Jordan Poole will be a free agent with a qualifying offer next season, and there’s no doubt that his recent play means that he could command a max contract. Perhaps the Golden State Warriors would end up trading Jordan Poole next season if he pushes for the max. Andrew Wiggins would also be on an expiring contract, and perhaps it could be best to move him if he doesn’t want to re-sign.
As for Damian Lillard himself, just because he will be 32 this summer doesn’t mean that he wouldn’t be a valuable contributor to winning in the Warriors system. A Damian Lillard-Stephen Curry backcourt would certainly be fun to watch and explosive offensively. However, we do have to acknowledge that acquiring him would be risky.
We never know what will happen in the future. Perhaps the Golden State Warriors will explore trading Jordan Poole if they fail to win the title this year. A win-now move in that scenario would absolutely make sense. With that being said, it’s hard to see them accept this deal during the offseason, and if this trade does happen, it won’t be anytime soon.
