In Sunday night’s game against the Portland Trail Blazers, the Golden State Warriors suffered a five-point loss, which brought them to 13-14 on the year, and 0-3 against Portland this season.
Stephen Curry looked like his old self, scoring 48 points and converting on 12 three pointers, but it wasn’t enough to get the job done. Golden State believed they had a competitive enough roster to go out and compete in the Western Conference, but age may be a factor.
The team is paying Jimmy Butler $52 million this year, and on Sunday, he looked like a non-factor. He connected on just three of eleven field goal attempts, and he relies heavily on scoring his points at the free throw line. Jonathan Kuminga continues to be benched while healthy, and the rest of the team hasn’t been nearly enough to bring themselves to the next level.
Now that players are eligible for trade, Jack Simone of Blue Man Hoop believes that the Warriors could make an effective in-conference move to bring in more support for Curry.
“(Derrick) Jones Jr. Has been one of the best defenders in the league this year. He’s absolutely elite on that end of the court, and though he doesn’t post the same scoring threat as Kuminga, his off-ball awareness would be an upgrade. Jones could impact winning right away in LA,” Simone said Monday.
Meanwhile, though (Brook) Lopez hasn’t been amazing for the Clippers this year, he would give the Warriors some great size at the center position—something they lack, outside of Quinten Post.”
In the proposed trade, Golden State would receive Brook Lopez, the Brooklyn Nets' all-time leading scorer, Derrick Jones Jr., and Kobe Brown. The Los Angeles Clippers would get Kuminga.
This trade works because, with Kuminga out of the rotation, the Warriors desperately need the wing versatility that Jones brings. Players like Herbert Jones and Patrick Williams are options, but are likely unrealistic. Alongside Jones, you get Lopez, who fits the timeline of the Warriors, and a young guy to improve the team's energy.
The Clippers could move off these players and take a flyer on Kuminga, who has shown more than enough potential. This trade solidifies the Warriors' game plan and gives the Clippers another route if this is the last year of their championship contention.
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