The Golden State Warriors are arguably the strongest team on paper because of their starting lineup featuring superstars Steph Curry, Kevin Durant, Klay Thompson, and Draymond Green. While the Warriors are already loaded with talents, they are still being linked to several superstars like Anthony Davis.
Davis is still under contract with the New Orleans Pelicans until the 2020-21 NBA season, but there are speculations about him forcing his way out of his current team. And if Davis expresses desire to leave the Pelicans, Andrew Ites of Blue Man Hoop suggested that the Warriors should make a run at the five-time NBA All-Star.
Acquiring Davis will not be easier said than done for the Warriors. They do not have the cap space to acquire Davis unless they give up one or two of their core players. The Pelicans are also expected to look for the best package in the event they decide to trade Davis.
To make the Davis-to-Warriors scenario possible, Ites said that the Warriors should consider building a trade package involving Green and Thompson. There are also talks suggesting that Thompson might leave Golden State when he becomes a free agent after next season, which could make it easier for the Warriors to give him up.
Losing Green and Thompson will be a huge blow to the team because it will break the core that led them to a title last season. However, Ites insisted that trading the two superstars for Davis could be the move the Warriors need “to keep the dynasty going” in the next several years.
Ites pointed out that the Warriors looked “tired and unmotivated” this season, particularly in their recent games. The Warriors lost the top spot to the Houston Rockets before the All-Star break.
Chris Haynes of ESPN also reported late last month that Warriors coach Steve Kerr blasted his team for their “ pathetic effort ” in their 129-99 loss to the Utah Jazz. Another report from Haynes indicated that Kerr let his players coach in their 129-83 win over the Phoenix Suns last week because his team “ needed a different voice .”
Ites believes that the “bringing in some new blood” could turn the tables around for the Warriors in the next several seasons. He added that Davis could eventually become the main star of the Warriors in the future, citing the fact that the Illinois native is only 24-years-old and has a lot of years left in his prime. The former Kentucky standout is averaging 27.4 points and 10.7 rebounds on top of 2.1 blocks per game this season.
