The Golden State Warriors have arguably been the most disappointing team in terms of activity this offseason. After failing to secure a playoff berth last year, it was widely expected that the Dubs would make the necessary moves to capitalize on what could be the final years of Stephen Curry‘s championship window. With blatant disregard for these factors, the Warriors have unfortunately fallen short.
In some ways, saying that the Warriors came up short would also be an understatement. While failing to sign LeBron James seems understandable, Golden State reportedly blew their chance to acquire Jaylen Brown from the Boston Celtics.
Needless to say, this is frustrating news for the fan base. However, the San Francisco Standard’s Danny Emerman recently revealed that the Warriors’ chances of landing Brown may have been even better than the 76ers‘.
“I understand that conversations between the Warriors and the Celtics never got really serious. I think it was kind of like a preliminary stage situation,” Emerman began. “I think the Warriors could have matched or exceeded Philadelphia’s offer fairly easily, and Jaylen Brown is the exact type of player that they need.”
“They need someone who can carry them through the regular season to take the load off of Steph Curry, and that’s even independent of whether adding Jaylen Brown might have put them over the top for LeBron James… He [Brown] would have fit really well, I think, with the Warriors. Or like, better than most people would think because of the stylistic concerns. But I think the Warriors should have been more in play.”
Emerman’s argument seems valid. Although many may disagree, Jaylen Brown certainly possesses the skill set to be a game-changing player.
Given that he finished sixth in MVP voting last season while averaging 28.7 points, 6.9 rebounds, and 5.1 assists per game on 47.7% shooting from the field and 34.7% from three-point range, he could have easily been an impactful addition to the Warriors’ roster. In this regard, the front office’s doubts about Brown’s leadership seem misplaced.
In retrospect, Jaylen Brown’s move to the Philadelphia 76ers even improved their case as a landing spot for LeBron James. Now, with the 76ers boasting what can only be called a superteam, the Warriors can only sit and wonder what could have been.
Could The Warriors Really Exceed Philadelphia’s Offer?
Danny Emerman categorically mentioned that even during the preliminary stages of conversation with the Boston Celtics, the Warriors could have easily exceeded the 76ers’ offer. But what does that really mean?
For starters, the 76ers’ final offer for Jaylen Brown was a package comprising Paul George, two first-round draft picks, and two second-round draft picks. Right off the bat, it is apparent that this deal caters to Boston’s need for draft capital while George’s inclusion helps match salaries.
On paper, this isn’t a great deal, primarily because the Celtics effectively gave up an MVP candidate for a superstar who is past his prime. Still, recent reports revealed that Boston thought George would be a better fit next to Jayson Tatum than Brown.
So, could the Warriors have really formed a better package?
Theoretically, Golden State had the assets to match Philadelphia’s offer. Along with Jimmy Butler‘s $56.8 million contract to match salaries, the Dubs could have matched the 76ers’ two first-round picks and even gone a step further by including a third.
Due to a limited number of second-round picks at their disposal, the Warriors, at best, may have only been able to include one second-rounder in the deal. Still, three first-round picks and a second-rounder would objectively make for a better haul.
Although this approach is promising, two major issues justify why the deal would not have gone through regardless.
One, Jimmy Butler is still recovering from his ACL injury. While there is optimism that he will return in the first half of the 2026-27 season, the time it would take for Butler to adapt to Boston’s system and build chemistry with Tatum may not be worth it. Thus, even though his expiring contract would earn the Celtics the necessary cap flexibility to sign another superstar in next year’s free agency period, Boston would not be inclined to make this trade.
Second, the Warriors’ resistance to parting with draft capital cannot be overlooked. Although the team has the draft assets to strike a deal and improve, the top brass has no intention of giving up more draft picks. Hence, with such a passive approach, the Dubs were bound to miss out on landing Jaylen Brown.
In some ways, the Warriors’ hesitation to make big trades is understandable. With Joe Lacob turning his attention to a future without Stephen Curry, retaining draft picks seems justified. But given the current roster makeup and Curry’s loyalty being used against him, one may argue that it is time for the superstar to leave the Bay Area.
