Opinion: The Golden State Warriors Could Easily Win The NBA Title If They Make This Blockbuster Trade
The Golden State Warriors are off to an exceptional start to the 2021-22 NBA season.
They have a 23-5 record in their first 28 games of the season, which is the most wins in the entire NBA.
Last week, Shams Charania and Bob Kravitz of The Athletic reported that the Indiana Pacers have been "receptive to trade talks centered on Caris LeVert and either Domantas Sabonis or Myles Turner."
The tweet can be seen in a post that is embedded below from the Twitter account of Chariana, and the article in The Athletic can be read here.
After the Pacers defeated the New York Knicks Wednesday, Turner was asked about the trade rumors.
I believe that the Warriors should trade for the former Texas star, because his rebounding, three-point shooting and shot-blocking could cement themselves as the ultimate contenders this season.
Why should the Warriors trade for Turner?
The Warriors start to the season is so impressive, because they are tied for the best record in the NBA without 2020 number two overall pick James Wiseman playing in any games this season as well as five-time All-Star Klay Thompson not playing in any games in each of the last two seasons.
Once they get Thompson back, they will likely be even better, and Turner is the perfect role player to complement the Steph Curry, Draymond Green, Andrew Wiggins, Jordan Poole and Thompson.
Turner has led the NBA in blocks per game twice (2019 and 2021), and is already averaging 2.8 blocks per game this season.
How bad do the Warriors need a rim protector?
They only have one player on the roster (Draymond Green) averaging 1.0 blocks per game, and are currently 20th in the NBA as a team in blocks per game (4.7).
If they were to add Turner's 2.8 blocks per game to that 4.7, they'd move instantly from the 19th ranked team in blocks per game to the top team in the NBA in blocks per game.
His elite defense would make life much easier for Green when dealing with bigger players that opposing teams may have.
Not to mention Turner can also hit an open three-point shot.
He's shooting a career-high 38.1% from the three-point range and is making ntwo of them a game, which is a perfect match for the Warriors system.
What would a trade look like?
The Warrior have an abundance of young players to entice the Pacers if they want to enter into a rebuild of the roster.
James Wiseman, Jonathan Kuminga and Moses Moody, are all players that simply won't sync up with the timeline of Curry, Green and Thompson.
Meanwhile, getting one or two of them would help jump start a rebuild in Indiana.
Turner's salary this season is $17,500,000, according to Spotrac, so his deal is one that is definitely easy to move.
For reference, Wiseman alone is slated to make $9.1 million this season, and they have they also have the salary of Kevin Looney ($5,178,572) and several trade exceptions, according to Spotrac.
Overall, the Warriors would have to be willing to part with some of their younger prospects, but the kicker is the fact that Turner is only 25-years-old.
Therefore, he is the perfect balance of youth, and someone who is a veteran that could help right now.
Essentially, he isn't raw like the young players the Warriors have, but he also has definitely not hit his prime just yet.
The Warriors could win the NBA title without making this move, but their chances go up even more with Turner.
He's the perfect fit.
