This Trade Could Make The Golden State Warriors Unstoppable
On Saturday night, the Golden State Warriors lost 133-119 to the Memphis Grizzlies on the road in Tennessee.
They came into the game on the second night of a back-to-back after losing to the Atlanta Hawks 127-119 in Georgia on Friday.
While the Warriors are 36-36 in 72 games, they are just 7-29 in the 36 games they have played on the road away from the Chase Center (and in the middle of a three-game losing streak).
That said, the franchise has won the NBA Championship in four out of the previous eight seasons, and there is still a good chance they will contend this year.
One of their most significant issues on the roster is the need for more size.
I believe a way to fix the problem is trading for Washington Wizards star Kristaps Porzingis.
Why?
For starters, Porzingis is only 27 years old and is one of the tallest players in the NBA at 7'3".
He is currently averaging a very impressive 22.8 points, 8.5 rebounds, 2.6 assists and 1.6 blocks per contest in 60 games.
The 2018 NBA All-Star is also shooting 48.8% from the field and 37.5% from the three-point range, which makes him one of the best shooters (for a big man) in the entire league.
Not only does he fill their lack of size, but his skillset perfectly complements an organization that is known for its elite shooting.
Keeping Steph Curry and Klay Thompson off the three-point line is tough for opposing teams, but adding in Porzingis would make them unstoppable.
After dealing with injuries, he has been able to remain relatively healthy this season and has played in 60 out of 71 games.
Outside of Kevon Loony (9.2 RPG), no one else on the Warriors averages more than 7.3 rebounds per game.
In each of the last four seasons, Porzingis has averaged more than 8.0 rebounds per game.
The Warriors also rank 27th in the NBA for blocks (3.8 BPG), while Porzingis has averaged 1.8 blocks over 397 regular season games.
There is no question that the former fourth-overall pick would be an incredible addition.
Who Could They Trade?
Next season, Jordan Poole will have his extension kick in, and he will be making over $27 million per season (via Spotrac).
This summer, Porzingis will have a player option for $36 million, so if he were to opt-in, their salaries would make a trade very easy to accomplish.
Poole is a talented player that has the potential to become an All-Star.
He played a big part in the Warriors winning the 2022 NBA Championship and is currently averaging 20.4 points, 2.8 rebounds and 4.6 assists per contest in 71 games.
With Curry and Thompson on the roster, Poole is never going to be able to become the main guard on the team.
The former Michigan star would be a massive addition to the Wizards and could play an even bigger role.
Both teams could benefit from this hypothetical deal.
