The Golden State Warriors find themselves in a precarious position as the NBA trade deadline approaches. Sitting one game below .500, the team is facing some tough decisions about how to improve their roster and make a push for the playoffs.
One potential move being discussed is trading for Chicago Bulls center Nikola Vucevic. While the Bulls are reportedly seeking a first-round pick for the former All-Star, the Warriors have so far only been willing to offer second-round draft capital. As tempting as it may be to acquire a stretch five like Vucevic, giving up a future first-rounder could be risky, especially if it ends up being a high lottery pick down the road.
The bigger issue facing the Warriors is their lack of a true second star alongside Stephen Curry. As Kendrick Perkins recently pointed out, Curry is the only superstar in the league without a certified number two option. This roster construction problem stems largely from the team's salary cap situation.
With Curry making $55 million this season and both Klay Thompson and Draymond Green earning over $25 million each, the Warriors have been forced to fill out the rest of the roster with cheaper role players. Compare that to a team like the Oklahoma City Thunder, who have budding superstar Shai Gilgeous-Alexander on a much more team-friendly deal at $35 million.
The Warriors' front office likely overestimated Curry's ability to carry such a heavy load at age 36. While still an elite player, expecting Curry to perform at an MVP level night in and night out is unrealistic at this stage of his career. The team desperately needs to find him a running mate who can shoulder more of the offensive burden.
Looking at the Warriors' on/off court net ratings reveals some interesting insights. Curry unsurprisingly leads the team at +8, while Andrew Wiggins has struggled with a -5 rating. Rookie Brandin Podziemski has impressed with a +5 mark. If the Warriors were to construct a rotation based purely on these numbers, it would feature a lot of young players like Jonathan Kuminga and Moses Moody getting increased minutes.
As the trade deadline nears, the Warriors have some difficult choices to make. Do they mortgage future assets to improve the current roster? Or do they stand pat and hope internal development from their young core is enough to right the ship? Whatever path they choose, finding Curry a legitimate co-star needs to be the top priority if they hope to return to championship contention.
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