Warriors Trade Targets with 2023 Trade Deadline 2 Months Away
The Golden State Warriors have mostly recovered from their 3-7 start to the 2022-23 NBA season.
Still, every time you think this team is truly turning the corner, it runs into a roadblock and has to start the process over again.
This group clearly has talent, but it also pretty clearly needs some level of external support. As much as the front office might want to leave its asset collection untouched and hope this team can figure things out on the fly, that's simply too great of a risk for Stephen Curry's age-34 season, which just might be the best of his career.
As the Warriors go looking for upgrades over the next two months, the following three names should feature prominently in their search.
Alec Burks, Detroit Pistons
The Warriors could use more ball-movers on their bench. Shooters, too. Oh, and perimeter defenders.
Why not scratch all three itches with Alec Burks?
The veteran swingman doesn't offer a ton of utility to the rebuilding team in Detroit, but in Golden State, his skills and savvy would be perfect. He is smart enough to execute his role and skilled enough to step outside of it when the right opportunity arises.
This is his fourth consecutive season averaging at least 11 points and shooting 37-plus percent from distance.
Jakob Poeltl, San Antonio Spurs
If Golden State goes searching for an upgrade, the center spot seems the likeliest to address.
Kevon Looney knows this system inside and out, but his 22.9 minutes per night are the most he's ever averaged. The Warriors have always been careful about not giving Draymond Green too many minutes as a small-ball 5 in the regular season. The biggest issue, though, is that James Wiseman, the No. 2 pick in 2020, doesn't look capable of contributing now or in the near future.
If the Dubs agree with that assessment, they should already be on the horn with Spurs executives discussing Jakob Poeltl deals.
The defensive-minded center would be perfect in Golden State. He plays hard, screens hard, protects the paint, finishes from close range and feeds open teammates. He's also 27 years old and unsigned beyond this season, so the rebuilding Spurs should know his greatest value to them is as a trade chip.
Myles Turner, Indiana Pacers
With the Pacers exceeding expectations so far, it's possible they'd prefer to keep Myles Turner and try re-signing him this offseason. Then again, a lot can change between now and February, and plenty have speculated about a Turner trade—including the center himself.
If he's on the market, as he seemingly has been for much of his Circle City tenure, then the Warriors have to at least make a few phone calls.
Turner could be another hand-in-glove fit in Golden State. His rim protection might be the best in the business, and he's nimble enough to hang with perimeter switches. On offense, he'd be an ideal screen partner with Stephen Curry or Jordan Poole, since Turner can both roll to the basket or pop out for a three.
He's probably the hardest to get of this trio now, and he might ultimately cost the most in any trade. Having said that, though, you could argue he offers the biggest return.