The Golden State Warriors struck out on their offseason chase of both Paul George and Lauri Markkanen, currently expected to come into the season without a definite co-star for Stephen Curry. The New Orleans Pelicans made a major move to acquire Dejounte Murray, but the team has no playable center outside rookie Yves Missi and Daniel Theis.
Both teams are hoping to compete atop the NBA this season but have glaring needs that the offseason wasn’t enough to fill. But if both teams are willing to give up some assets, they could acquire the exact pieces they need to compete in the West, provided they can get the support of the Portland Trail Blazers to facilitate a three-team deal.
Trade Details
Golden State Warriors Receive: Brandon Ingram, Robert Williams IIIÂ
New Orleans Pelicans Receive: Deandre Ayton, Gary Payton II, 2026 Second-Round Pick (ATL), 2028 Second-Round Pick (ATL)
Portland Trail Blazers Receive: Andrew Wiggins, Kevon Looney, Moses Moody, Jordan Hawkins, 2025 First-Round Pick (GSW), 2027 First-Round Pick (MIL)
The Warriors fill their two biggest holes with a new starting center and a high-volume wing scorer who can be the clear-cut second option on the team behind Curry, while the Pelicans add a dynamic center to be a starter ahead of strong depth along with a multi-positional defender.
The Warriors Make A Push To Contend
Steph Curry has made it clear that he doesn’t want to spend next season on the Warriors without being competitive, with the last two years showing a stark downturn for the franchise. While they did add three rotational players for the cost of one departing Klay Thompson, the team needs more top-end talent to compete atop the West. Acquiring Brandon Ingram will give them offensive insurance beyond Curry.
Ingram averaged 20.8 points, 5.1 rebounds, and 5.7 assists last season, showing off his developing talent as a playmaking forward who can score at will. His defensive shortcomings weren’t a major problem in New Orleans’ defensive system, so Steve Kerr will have to find a way to get defenders like Draymond Green and Jonathan Kuminga to cover off any holes left by Ingram, similar to what they did last season with Klay Thompson.Â
Robert Williams isn’t a box-score stuffer but is a very respectable rim-protecting center who rebounds at a high rate. He has been struggling with injury issues so the Warriors will be taking a risk on him, but if he can stay healthy, it could propel Golden State into being one of the best starting fives in the West with two clear-cut offensive options (Curry and Ingram), a big-man defender who’ll rebound and block shots (Williams), and two all-around defenders (Green and Kuminga).
The Pelicans Acquire The Missing Piece
The Pelicans are fighting in a conference of giants without having a real center option they can rely upon. This is primarily due to the heavy financial investment in Murray, CJ McCollum, Ingram, and Zion Williamson. While Zion will be a small-ball five at times, the Pelicans need to rely on more than just Daniel Theis and rookie Yves Missi to contend with the likes of the Lakers, Nuggets, Timberwolves, and Mavericks. Even with Ayton’s reduced value, he’d be a strong fit on the Pelicans.
Ayton averaged 16.7 points and 11.1 rebounds last season on the Blazers where he took a while to settle in before improving his level of play towards the end of the season. He would be a dynamic option to play at the five while Ingram’s departure guarantees Herb Jones retains a starting spot and Trey Murphy III has an expanded offensive role on the team.Â
Gary Payton II is a utility player who can guard three positions, which makes him a natural fit into the dynamic Pelicans bench. He averaged 5.5 points and 2.6 rebounds last season and could be a starting option alongside Murray if the Pels want to add defense to the backcourt with Payton instead of McCollum. But Ingram’s departure makes McCollum’s on-ball offensive abilities more valuable.Â
If Ayton can focus on being a solid center and letting the game come to him, his talent should shine through the way it did in the 2020-21 season for the Suns.
The Trail Blazers Embrace The Tank
The Trail Blazers don’t seem to be preparing for a competitive season this year, hoping to give another year of solid development to Scoot Henderson and Shaedon Sharpe. They used their first-round pick in the 2024 Draft to select Donovan Clingan, a center, which shows that the team is already looking past Ayton when it comes to their center of the future. As a result, moving him in this three-team deal where they eat smaller contracts and get two first-round picks in return is a strong return.
There are two major prizes in this trade. The first is Pelicans guard Jordan Hawkins, who was their first-round pick last season. He received limited play but has already shown he can be an elite 3-and-D guard in the NBA, shooting 36.6% from distance as a rookie. The second is Warriors swingman Moses Moody, who hasn’t gotten a chance to shine in three years with the Warriors. He averaged 8.1 points last season but could get a greater opportunity in Portland.
This is a development year for the Blazers, with Kevon Looney being a solid veteran center option that even Clingan can learn from. Andrew Wiggins has regressed rapidly in recent seasons, averaging 13.2 points and 4.5 rebounds last year. He could be an interesting trade piece for a contending team closer to the deadline, so the Blazers can get more value out of this deal if they make a late-season trade to get rid of Wiggins.
Two Teams Make The West Even Stronger While One Settles Into Last Place
No team in the West seems to be explicitly tanking this season outside the Trail Blazers, with the other 14 teams keeping hopes of being a Playoff threat who could change courses later in the season depending on the results. This trade solidifies their position in that tank to maximize their chances at acquiring a game-changer like Cooper Flagg.Â
The Warriors and Pelicans are expected to be battling in the play-in positions this season, which is not a comfortable place to be given how strong the teams atop the West are. This deal might hurt them as they’re enhancing a Conference rival, but it’s a deal where both of them get what they need and improve their personal chances at success.Â
Ayton would be a necessary big body for the Pelicans given Zion’s injury history and their lack of playable center depth while the Warriors can’t expect Stephen Curry to work more offensive miracles with the team around him at age 36. This is a necessary trade for both franchises and one they should consider.
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