The Golden State Warriors are flying high this season since acquiring Jimmy Butler at the trade deadline. The team was on a 14-2 run of form until last night when they fell to a shocking loss to the shorthanded Denver Nuggets. Regardless, they’ll fancy their chances at making a run in the 2025 Playoffs but they are still a few pieces away from genuine contention.
If they want to win next season, they need reinforcements who can take them there. While Fadeaway World suggested some superstar acquisitions for the Warriors, Bleacher Report has suggested Norman Powell, Cam Johnson, and John Collins as their ideal targets.
The team broke a years-old trend of holding off on major midseason trades with the Butler acquisition, setting themselves up for an improved 2024-25 season given they were below .500 when they acquired him. But this was also to have a better shot at winning a title next season.
Now, it’s time to see how these potential targets can help improve the team.
Norman Powell
Acquiring Norman Powell won’t be easy given the guard is averaging 23.4 points this season for the Los Angeles Clippers. He’s the team’s leading scorer and they have struggled mightily with him injured this season.
The Warriors will have to pay a hefty price to acquire the 31-year-old swingman, which might not be worth it for Golden State if they’re looking to avoid having a competitive core of exclusively over-30 veterans.
It could make sense to add Powell as a more reliable option in the backcourt instead of Brandin Podziemski or Buddy Hield, but it also creates a lineup that is a little too offensively oriented. Butler and Draymond are also over 30, so expecting them to carry the team’s defense at their age would be foolish as well.
This would definitely be a win-now move, but it’s hard to see the Warriors coming up to a price point that the Clippers are happy with and letting Powell go to a divisional rival.
Cam Johnson
Cam Johnson was linked to the Warriors for most of this season. The team landed Jimmy Butler for a price cheaper than what the Brooklyn Nets wanted for Johnson, something people will hope changes in the summer. He’s averaging 19.1 points, 4.3 rebounds, and 3.2 assists this season for the Nets.
Johnson would be an easy fit into the Warriors frontcourt, but the team has a few options they’re already juggling with Butler, Jonathan Kuminga, and Draymond Green. Cam can excel as a role player, but it doesn’t make sense for the Warriors to part with assets for a pricey Johnson.
Giving up someone like Kuminga for Johnson might make sense if the cost to retain Kuminga in free agency is too high. Johnson would be a great frontcourt partner with Draymond as a highly-skilled offensive contributor, but the Warriors might be better off keeping Kuminga instead of losing him and first-round picks for Johnson, who could have a win-now role on the Nets next season.
John Collins
This might be the perfect target for the Warriors in the offseason. John Collins is averaging 19.0 points and 8.2 rebounds this season and is expected to pick up a $26.5 million player option in his contract with the Utah Jazz. The Jazz don’t have much incentive to keep Collins around, so trading him to the Warriors for a decent price would make sense for them.
It would make as much sense as it does for Golden State to acquire him. He’s a new-generation center who can cover defensive ground while being a lob threat and three-point shooter. He isn’t an old-school rim protector, but the Warriors will have enough of them in their rotation if needed for alternative options. Otherwise, Collins would be the perfect starting center on a supercharged offensive lineup.
The other trades reinforce positions the Warriors already have contributors in. This deal attacks a specific need in their frontcourt and makes them measurably improved for next season. Collins is on an expiring contract and could be acquired for cheap, meaning the Warriors can see if this works before making a long-term commitment to the big.
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