The Golden State Warriors have tried to maximize Klay Thompson’s departure by replacing him with three versatile players who would add squad depth – Buddy Hield, Kyle Anderson, and De’Anthony Melton. Even after these additions, the Warriors don’t seem well-placed to compete in a packed West where they already failed to make the Playoffs last season.
While the team failed to land a star player like Lauri Markkanen, they need to continue evaluating options that add veteran depth to the roster while giving them a chance to contend. The Trail Blazers have a bloated roster full of veterans, with two finding their way to Golden State in this proposed mock deal.
Trade Details
Golden State Warriors Receive: Jerami Grant, Robert Williams III
Portland Trail Blazers Receive: Andrew Wiggins, Gary Payton II, Kevon Looney, Moses Moody, 2027 First-Round Pick (GSW), 2025 Second-Round Pick (GSW)
The Warriors get much better with two starting-caliber players for a price that protects their future assets outside Moses Moody. Wiggins, Payton, and Looney will be veteran pieces on Portland and will likely be moved on to new teams or find a home as a veteran presence on an exciting rebuilding project.
The Warriors Load Up On Starting Lineup Talent
The Golden State Warriors have a decent roster after their summer signings, but it can’t be competitive enough for a Playoff run without star-caliber talent. Jerami Grant would walk into the Warriors’ lineup and be their second-leading scorer on the season, averaging 21.0 points, 3.5 rebounds, and 2.8 assists last year. Grant’s offensive play style might serve well on a team like this where Curry often creates off-ball, putting the ball in the hands of a creator while Curry’s gravity continues attracting players. Grant can thrive within this offensive system.
Robert Williams III would give the Warriors a legitimate center option, but his injury history will make it hard for him to be immediately impactful, making him a question mark as a prospect at the moment. However, he averaged 8.0 points, 8.3 rebounds, and 1.4 blocks in his last full season with the Celtics. The Warriors have missed a bruising defensive presence at center outside Kevon Looney for their run as a dynasty, with Williams being the perfect option to transition into the future.
This would give Golden State a starting five of Curry, Brandin Podziesmki, Jerami Grant, Draymond Green, and Robert Williams III. The likely second-unit rotation will feature new signings such as Melton, Hield, and Anderson. That’s a solid three-man unit, though this deal will lead to a Warriors legend like Kevon Looney possibly losing his job because of that.
The Blazers Stockpile Assets And Add Future Flexibility
The Portland Trail Blazers were soft-tanking for years with Damian Lillard, but last season they tanked to the bottom of the West. They have a quality and young roster but they aren’t on the same timeframe as either Grant or Williams. The Blazers look destined for another tank season where they wanna develop their young players and can get a solid deal of rotational players to keep veteran influence on the roster without inhibiting their young stars.
Andrew Wiggins averaged 13.2 points, 4.5 rebounds, and 1.7 assists last season, experiencing a major downturn in his form. The Blazers have the space on their wing to potentially rehabilitate Wiggins for a future elsewhere while getting some additional assets for him. Gary Payton II averaged 5.5 points and is on an expiring contract, returning to the Blazers after they traded him to the Warriors in 2023. Kevon Looney would be a phenomenal veteran big man for Deandre Ayton and Donovan Clingan, which would make Looney a great pick while they rebuild.
Moses Moody can fill a hole as a young swingman who would be stuck behind the likes of Shaedon Sharpe on the rotational chart but have a genuine opportunity to blossom, something he hasn’t gotten with the Warriors. He averaged 8.1 points and 3.0 rebounds last season, showing flashes of his potential as a solid NBA player that the Blazers now get to extract.
The Warriors Take A Step Forward, Blazers Settle In For The Tank
There’s very little use for the Blazers to keep Grant around. While he stays on the team, he’ll be a high-usage offensive option that the team will have to rely upon instead of letting their youngsters shine. His contract also doesn’t make him a very attractive trade asset, so the Warriors landing him for picks and players should be a solid outcome for the Blazers.
Similarly, the drafting of Donovan Clingan makes the future for Williams on the team a lot bleaker, which they can rectify by moving him to a team with no big man depth. Williams and Trayce Jackson-Davis, along with Draymond in spurts would make a solid center rotation, with Grant likely creating a wing partnership with Jonathan Kuminga. There’ll be competition to start in the backcourt with Stephen Curry, but that role likely will go to high-hustle defense-first swingman Brandin Podziemski, with Hield, Anderson, and Melton forming the core bench unit.
The Blazers watch a team take two big contracts off their books by giving them a variety of pieces that could yield more benefits for them. Given Golden State’s fluctuating form since winning the 2022 title, the Blazers will like the odds of their 2027 first-round pick, which will payout after Curry’s contract is set to expire in 2026.
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