The Golden State Warriors are off to an incredible 7-1 start this season, tying for the No. 1 seed in the West alongside the OKC Thunder and Phoenix Suns with identical records. The difference for the Warriors is that they don’t have a second or third star behind Stephen Curry and are currently enjoying a spell of hot shooting which might trail off as the season goes along.
The search for a co-star was extensive over the summer, with the Warriors failing to make trades for either Paul George or Lauri Markkanen. Now the team is expected to be one of the most active franchises on the trade market but with a clear unwillingness to overpay for a star who won’t be a complementary fit to their system while preserving future assets as well.
The Warriors could be the centerpiece of the perfect three-team trade which brings them valuable veteran players with one being a consistent 20-point scorer in the league.
Trade Details
Golden State Warriors Receive: Jerami Grant, Dorian Finney-Smith, Duop Reath
Portland Trail Blazers Receive: Andrew Wiggins, Shake Milton, 2025 First-Round Pick (NYK)
Brooklyn Nets Receive: Jonathan Kuminga, De’Anthony Melton
The Brooklyn Nets are tanking and can take a long-term bet on Jonathan Kuminga’s talent instead of holding out for first-round picks for Dorian Finney-Smith that teams haven’t been willing to offer, Meanwhile, the Portland Trail Blazers get off the long Jerami Grant contract by swapping it out for a smaller Andrew Wiggins contract along with a first-round pick.
The Warriors Add Talent To Make Them More Dangerous
The Golden State Warriors are currently running a 12-man rotation to open the season, which has allowed them to experiment with various combinations on the court. This has allowed Andrew Wiggins to take a step up in production but also saw Jonathan Kuminga lose his starting spot in a crucial contract year ahead of free agency next offseason.
Jerami Grant has started this season averaging 18.6 points and averaged 21.0 points last season. He’s a three-level scorer with strong defensive instincts who hasn’t played on a winning franchise in over half a decade. This would be a fantastic opportunity for Grant to help the Warriors return to title glory, serving as a far more reliable offensive contributor than either Wiggins or Kuminga.
Dorian Finney-Smith is an elite perimeter defender with the strength to bang with bigger players if required. He’s averaging 10.6 points and 5.1 rebounds this season, fitting the Warriors like a glove as a 3-and-D forward with consistently reliable defensive output.
Losing Kuminga might be a long-term blow, but the team is already not sure about his future, and including him in this deal allows them to land two tangible complementary players to their roster for this season.
The Trail Blazers Tweak Their Roster
This season is one where the Trail Blazers will continue tanking to the bottom of the table while hoping to land a future franchise superstar atop the 2025 NBA Draft Class. They’ve started the season 3-6 with last year’s supposed franchise face Scoot Henderson continuing his rookie struggles into his sophomore season. Grant’s presence has made them play Deni Avdija out of position as well, so moving Grant off for future consolidation is crucial.
Wiggins is averaging 15.8 points and 4.8 rebounds this season, enjoying a resurgence in value after two poor seasons with the Warriors. Golden State can strike while the iron is hot by moving Wiggins now when he has a positive value to the Trail Blazers, with Portland having the choice to keep him around as a veteran or deal him forward to a team needing a wing like Wiggins.
Shake Milton is averaging 1.6 points as a bit-part player on the rebuilding Nets. He won’t be a difference-maker in this deal, but the first-round pick by way of the Nets would be of consequence, especially with the strength of the 2025 NBA Draft.
The Nets Land A Project With A High Payoff
The Nets look set to be a tanking franchise this season, making elaborate summer trades to reacquire their 2025 first-round pick which they sent to the Houston Rockets when they traded for James Harden in 2021. They’re set to be in the lottery, but there are high-value players around the NBA they should aim at landing to control their development and build them into franchise cornerstones.
Jonathan Kuminga is averaging 13.1 points and 4.1 rebounds this season but has an uncertain future with the Warriors, as the franchise is unwilling to max him out. He also isn’t getting the opportunity to show the full extent of his talent as the Warriors are prioritizing winning over development.
Given Kuminga’s high ceiling as a two-way forward, the Nets should take on this project given their rebuilding state and no frontcourt star on their team.
Kuminga won’t swing the winning needle enough to take the Nets out of the lottery but will give them matching rights for any contract Kuminga might fetch on the open market. His long-term potential is tantalizing and the Nets should value that more than holding out for picks for their veteran stars.
A Trade With Three Happy Franchises
This deal allows all three involved teams to take steps towards their respective goals. The Warriors land two veteran players who can help them make a winning push over the course of the season along with a versatile big man for their lacking center rotation.
At the same time, both the Blazers and Nets get off veteran players occupying rotational spots on their rebuilding franchises. These players can be proper contributors on winning franchises and this deal allows both teams to get what they’re looking for while sending their players to a franchise they’d be happy to join.
There’s risk involved for all three teams. Wiggins could regress back into what we saw last season in Portland, Kuminga could fail to take a step forward after securing an expensive extension from the Nets, and Grant could struggle to adjust to the Warriors’ pace of play after years with losing franchises. But no team moves forward without taking risks, and this might be one taking for all three franchises.
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