Warriors' Glaring Mistake Magnified by Knicks' NBA Finals Fun

The New York Knicks are heading to the NBA Finals after sweeping the Cleveland Cavaliers on Monday.

The Golden State Warriors are watching the NBA Finals from their couches for the fourth consecutive season.

The Knicks are a great example of what the Warriors could have been if they had been more aggressive on the trade market following their 2022 championship.

Since then, the Warriors have made just one consequential trade—acquiring Jimmy Butler—which kept them from drowning but didn't raise their level to the championship tier.

Meanwhile, the Knicks spared no expense on the trade market.

4 Knicks Starters Were Acquired via Trade

The biggest key of New York's run was signing Jalen Brunson in 2022 free agency to a four-year, $104 million deal.

Once they got their superstar guard, they pulled off four trades that made them the juggernaut they are today.

At the 2023 trade deadline, they traded a first-round pick to the Trail Blazers for Josh Hart.

In December 2023, they traded RJ Barrett (their highest-drafted player since the mid-1980s) and Immanuel Quickley to the Raptors for OG Anunoby.

In July 2024, they traded five first-round picks and one first-round pick swap to the Nets for Mikal Bridges.

In October 2024, they traded Julius Randle, Donte DiVincenzo and a first-round pick to the Timberwolves for Karl-Anthony Towns.

That's what going all-in with a star point guard looks like.

Warriors Didn't Have Faith in Curry That Knicks Had in Brunson

Ultimately, team governor Joe Lacob, previous general manager Bob Myers and current general manager Mike Dunleavy Jr. had less faith in Stephen Curry than the Knicks had in Brunson.

The Dubs could have traded James Wiseman right after they won the 2022 title, but instead they gave him a big role to start the 2022-23 season, watched him tank his value, and had to settle for Gary Payton II as the return piece for him.

The Dubs could have used Chris Paul's expiring $30 million salary in 2024 as a salary-matcher for a big trade, but instead they kept their picks and Paul and then lost Paul in free agency for nothing in return.

The Warriors had several chances to trade Jonathan Kuminga, including at one time for Anunoby, but instead they waited until his value was at it lowest before making a trade that didn't move the needle.

The Warriors' handling of Kuminga is particularly relevant to this article because Barrett, like Kuminga, was touted for his star potential but always left something to be desired. Unlike the Dubs, the Knicks dealt their high-potential-yet-inconsistent player for an upgrade in Anunoby before the 2019 No. 3 pick lost his trade value.

While the Knicks were making big moves, the Warriors sat on their assets and watched Curry's prime get closer to fading away.

Now it might be too late for an all-in move.

Curry is 38 years old, and Butler and Moses Moody are out for at least half of the 2026-27 season with knee injuries. For perhaps the first time since Curry broke out in the 2012-13 season, the Warriors should be cautious about investing too much in the present that could hamper their future.

That they seemingly had this line of thought in 2022 right after winning a championship is outrageous.

Their glaring mistake was not having faith in Curry to deliver more titles with more win-now trades.

Add us as a preferred source on Google