Many people don’t realize that the Golden State Warriors aren’t in the greatest position.
They have started the season 9-8, continue to have Jonathan Kuminga issues, and have no young, exciting pieces to take the reins when half their roster retires within the next couple of years.
Having Stephen Curry helps, and their team isn’t awful. Jimmy Butler, Draymond Green, and the rest of the team have provided all they can.
There is still hope for the current roster, and making a trade like Jackson Stone of Clutch Point suggests would likely help them improve in an area they desperately need to.
“Horford has had an abysmal start to his tenure in the Bay Area, averaging 5.7 points on just 33.8 percent shooting from the field and 31.9 percent from beyond the arc, both steep dropoffs from what we saw from him most recently with the Boston Celtics,” Stone said Wednesday. “Coming into this season, many were anticipating that Horford could be one of the best big men of the Warriors' entire dynastic era (which is not a high bar to reach) even at the age of 39, but thus far, that has been far from the case.”
Stone is right, Horford has been awful, and the Warriors desperately need an upgrade in their frontcourt. Stone throws around names like Lauri Markkanen and Zion Williamson, but at this point, players of that caliber are unrealistic.
Players like Robert Williams or Nic Claxton should be targets for the Warriors. Williams is an interesting name because, despite his history with injuries, he would be the perfect fit with the Warriors.
Golden State ranks 20th in blocks per game and is in the bottom half in points allowed in the paint. Williams is a hyper-athletic big man who, when healthy, is a top shot blocker in the NBA.
The Portland Trail Blazers would likely prefer freeing up minutes for Donovan Clingan and Yang Hansen, and can benefit from a buying team like the Warriors, who may give up draft capital in exchange for Williams.
Golden State wishes Horford could produce like they expected him to, but since he can’t, they should look to make a move.
More NBA: Perfect Knicks trade to stay competitive while Jalen Brunson recovers from injury