The Golden State Warriors are hoping to be competitive next season after replacing the outgoing Klay Thompson with three competent NBA veterans like De’Anthony Melton, Kyle Anderson, and Buddy Hield. While the team thinks these moves are enough to help them be competitive next season, there’s no clear-cut second option behind Stephen Curry anymore.
The Warriors attempted to acquire an All-Star co-star for Curry with failed pursuits of Lauri Markkanen and Paul George. The team is clearly looking for upgrades to their roster but are being stingy with the price. That could pay off if the Warriors want to speak to the Clippers later this season to land Kawhi Leonard to help the franchise move into a new era.
Trade Details
Golden State Warriors Receive: KawhI Leonard
Los Angeles Clippers Receive: Jonathan Kuminga, Andrew Wiggins, Gary Payton II, 2026 First-Round Pick (GSW), 2028 First-Round Pick (GSW)
The Clippers not only reinforce their draft capital by getting two Warriors picks which will be mired in uncertain value but also an extremely talented young star in Jonathan Kuminga. The Warriors become noticeable threats to the top of the Western Conference again, with their current roster being projected to be a Play-In team.
The Warriors Add The Perfect Two-Way Wing
When Kawhi Leonard is healthy, there are very few players that can outperform him on a game-to-game basis. While health is the major issue with Leonard, the Warriors might take a very risky gamble to acquire a star of Kawhi’s caliber for solid value. Even with the injuries, we haven’t seen Leonard take a massive step back on the court just yet. He averaged 23.7 points, 6.1 rebounds, and 3.6 assists last season, being named to the All-NBA Second Team for his performances.
All major trade targets for the Warriors have been wings with two-way ability, outside Markkanen who was arguably the best offensive option on the market. The Warriors have an ethos under which they’ve played for the last decade with coach Steve Kerr. Leonard will be an easy fit into the offensive schemes given his familiarity with offensive systems reliant on ball movement and would create a menacing defensive frontcourt with Draymond Green.
The price of Kuminga, Wiggins, and Payton II is a steep one to pay, but getting Kawhi for just two picks is nothing to sneeze at. Even with his injury concerns, players of Kawhi’s caliber can’t be acquired with any less unless the team is actively shipping him off. The Clippers won’t make Kawhi easy to acquire, so this is the kind of package they’ll have to fork over at the minimum.
The Clippers Pivot To Finding A New Identity
The likely timeline for a trade like this is mid-season, maybe even close to the NBA trade deadline. The Clippers will need to be underperforming at that point, which is considered likely given their roster changes this season. Paul George walked out the door and took his offensive talents with him, leaving James Harden as the only reliable high-volume scoring option on the team. All their summer signings are defensive reinforcements, which might hamstring the team’s ability to break into a tight top six in the West.
Getting out of the Kawhi business after losing George for nothing might be the best idea for the Clippers, gaining a talented young player along with rotational pieces and picks. Kuminga averaged 16.1 points and 4.8 rebounds last season, only playing heavy minutes for the last few months of the campaign. His development arc indicates he could be a potential All-Star wing, though developing his talent should still be a primary requirement.
Pieces such as Wiggins and GPII will keep the Clippers competitive in the short term, running multiple 3-and-D wing options next to Harden as the point guard. Harden could make something happen, but contention won’t be it. The team is stuck in a bad position and can’t improve their franchise until they start making moves for a fresh start.
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