Go Get Anthony Davis

[Romulus]

I assume most of you saw the ESPN story on Anthony Davis and the various trade scenarios. Really, there's only one way to make it happen for the Warriors: you have to include Draymond's salary.

The deal: Draymond, JK, and this year's protected 1st round pick. They also include Buddy Hield to the Lakers and the Warriors would get back Plumlee (no thanks to that part of the deal).

But if that is what it takes to get Davis? Perhaps a few side tweaks, but basically Draymond, JK, and a pick? You have to pull the trigger. The only risk with Davis of course is his injury history. It's not nearly as bad as someone like Melton, but it is a risk for sure. But stop and think for a minute what this does for your team. Here's the lineup I envision:

Center - Post
Forward- Davis
Forward - Butler
Guard- Melton
Guard - Curry

That lineup has size, shooting, and is a pretty good defensive unit. Davis with Jimmy & Steph would feast like perhaps he never has. I think we've seen in these last few games the team can function without Draymond. And as pointed out in the article:

"Although Golden State continues to play at a high level with Green on the court, he's shooting 38% from the field, his lowest mark since his rookie season -- worse even than 2019-20, when Curry played just five games during what became a gap year."

You thank Draymond for all he's done, wish him the best, put his number in the rafters, and move on.

If that doesn't work out, second best option is trying to land both Trey Murphy and Herb Jones. That's a tall order but the trade I've heard that makes the most sense: JK, Podz, Moody, Buddy, and 1st round picks. Question being, are the Warriors willing to go all in and give up the picks? Murphy is a perfect fit, but he's also been injured a lot and there are questions why he doesn't help the Pelicans win more games. Jones, of course, is the defensive wing the Warriors are desperately needing. If that trade were to happen? Here ya go:

Center - Post
Forward - Draymond
Forward - Butler
Guard - Murphy
Guard - Curry

The second unit:

Center - Horford
Forward - Jones
Forward - Santos
Guard- Melton
Guard - Spencer

Of course, Jones would get a lot of time with the starters, and you could probably get away in certain instances with Draymond at the 5 with Jones helping.

Is any of this going to happen? Color me very skeptical. We all assume JK is gone. If nothing else, Jones should be the target if they're not willing to give up picks to make a bigger trade.

And somehow, none of us should be totally shocked if the Warriors somehow do nothing and we hear once again Dunleavy proclaim, "nothing moved the needle."

[Crazy-Canuck]

So give up nothing for AD, sign me up.

[Twinkie defense]

I like Anthony Davis but his salary is too hard to match and he is a big injury risk, he can't stay on the court.

[Zvaart]

Better stay away from Street Clothes.

That guy just can't stay healthy.

[DevinVassell]

Massively top heavy rosters never work.

SC 59M
JB 54M
AD 54M

[Romulus]

Massively top heavy rosters never work.

SC 59M
JB 54M
AD 54M

And the current roster IS working?

And please, if anyone doesn't like the two trade proposals, give us one you do like.

[Romulus]

So give up nothing for AD, sign me up.

You said it, I didn't. However, an unbiased writer thought it was a fair trade. And as has been mentioned, "street clothes," is often injured.

I'll let you know when I stop laughing.

[DevinVassell]

Massively top heavy rosters never work.

SC 59M
JB 54M
AD 54M

And the current roster IS working?

And please, if anyone doesn't like the two trade proposals, give us one you do like.

Listen I'm all for a trade... but pls tell me which other team has three 50+M players on their roster? Zeeero... and why is that? Because it already exceeds the salary cap.

- Warriors get Nesmith, I Jackson, D Wolf.

- Pacers get N Claxton

- Nets get Kuminga, TJD and a Warriors 1st

That's good depth around our current three highly paid stars... and I'm a D Wolf homer.

https://youtu.be/5ri_c-1iqyg?si=VV5hOAW9tsFaq8DO

https://youtu.be/MmnU9uZJO0o?si=CX1hls_GpAlt-VXI

[AirP.]

Massively top heavy rosters never work.

SC 59M
JB 54M
AD 54M

Most teams that do something like this sends out all their talent to get to that situation, not so in this case. Luckily GS has added a bunch of near vet min value players to the roster to counterbalance the higher salaries. Melton, Richard, Post, Podz(rookie contract still), Seth and GPII while having Moody and Horford on solid value contracts. That's 11 players and we should expect GS to open up some cap room and a roster spot for Spencer (possibly with a consolidation trade for a guy like Davis), so now you're at 12 players without counting the guys like Santos, TJD and whoever else is left. If Horford ups his game during the games that really matters (giving more effort) then you'd have an interesting front line.

Doing something like this would take sending out draft picks 2 or more years off the table, those may be highly valuable in the Post Curry era. Hopefully you could extend Davis to a contract where once you're in the post Curry era you can trade him to another contend help the rebuild.

The biggest issue is health and that is a real issue, but would it increase GS's contender odds? I think it would.

You'd have 1 all scoring player and 2 higher level both way players and Davis could cover up the defensive issues that Draymond does now.
2 of the big 3 would be scorers and also 2 of the 3 would be higher level defenders.

Starters.. Curry, Melton, Butler, Davis, Post
Bench... Moody, Podz, Richard, Horford, Seth, GPII and probably Spencer

Although top heavy, still good players into the back part of the rotation.

[xdrta+]

Don't know why people think Dallas would want Green for another two years after this for 53+ million. The Warriors already stuck them with Klay, who will probably get bought out and saddle them with dead money, why would they want to end up doing the same thing with Green?

[DonaldSanders]

Don't know why people think Dallas would want Green for another two years after this for 53+ million. The Warriors already stuck them with Klay, who will probably get bought out and saddle them with dead money, why would they want to end up doing the same thing with Green?

I don't see why Dallas would want Draymond either (especially considering what Dray's attitude might be post-trade), but Dray's contract is over after next year (26-27). Or did I misunderstand your wording?

[Ilovethebay]

Deal a little too good to be true but the idea of having 160+ million cap space in a couple years might make for an extremely quick reload while most here think we might suck after Steph leaves.

[EvanZ]

Don't know why people think Dallas would want Green for another two years after this for 53+ million. The Warriors already stuck them with Klay, who will probably get bought out and saddle them with dead money, why would they want to end up doing the same thing with Green?

He has one year left.

[EvanZ]

OP must be on some good crack if he thinks Dallas would do this for one first round pick and it's this year's which would obviously be absolute **** for them.

At a *minimum* they would want 3 future picks. I mean this ain't Trey Murphy lol. This is AD and he's got plenty of years left and obviously enough talent to vault the Warriors into contention. A Steph-AD pick and roll could be legendary. I mean come on, just look at the damn chart.

[xdrta+]

Don't know why people think Dallas would want Green for another two years after this for 53+ million. The Warriors already stuck them with Klay, who will probably get bought out and saddle them with dead money, why would they want to end up doing the same thing with Green?

I don't see why Dallas would want Draymond either (especially considering what Dray's attitude might be post-trade), but Dray's contract is over after next year (26-27). Or did I misunderstand your wording?

Oops, you're right, must be too early for me. They'd get a year and a half.

[Twinkie defense]

Massively top heavy rosters never work.

SC 59M
JB 54M
AD 54M

And the current roster IS working?

And please, if anyone doesn't like the two trade proposals, give us one you do like.

Could be better but it's not NOT working - Warriors are currently in the top 8 in the West by a couple games, and that's despite a ton of games missed due to injury by important players (including Melton). If the Warriors are going to make a major move involving $50 mil in salary it needs to be for Giannis. And not for a guy who regularly suits up for 50 games.

Outside of Giannis, what are some plausible trades? Kuminga, plus other asset(s) (frp, young player) if necessary has to be the main piece going out. Bring in a guy who better fits and who will get on the court - guys for example like Jerami Grant, Andrew Wiggins, Myles Turner, Kelly Olynyk, Harrison Barnes, Luke Kornet, Kristaps Porziņģis, Coby White. Some of those guys would be available without breaking the bank and would help the Warriors.

[Twinkie defense]

OP must be on some good crack if he thinks Dallas would do this for one first round pick and it's this year's which would obviously be absolute **** for them.

At a *minimum* they would want 3 future picks. I mean this ain't Trey Murphy lol. This is AD and he's got plenty of years left and obviously enough talent to vault the Warriors into contention. A Steph-AD pick and roll could be legendary. I mean come on, just look at the damn chart.

We'll see - at this point I think the Mavs would like to get off his contract. And there is no team that will give three frps for AD - those days are over, especially for a guy who's not a young star.

[DonaldSanders]

Oops, you're right, must be too early for me. They'd get a year and a half.

Ah well all good, you've guided us through the cap complexities countless times and I'm sure will continue to.

[DAWill1128]

If I am the Mavs I would rather hold onto Anthony Davis than take the Warriors offers.

But Curry+Butler+AD is definitely winning the Championship, assuming AD plays. If Curry wasn't double or trapped off Draymond he would torch the league harder than ever before. Especially with the attention to Butler and then AD inside.

[HiRez]

OP must be on some good crack if he thinks Dallas would do this for one first round pick and it's this year's which would obviously be absolute **** for them.

At a *minimum* they would want 3 future picks. I mean this ain't Trey Murphy lol. This is AD and he's got plenty of years left and obviously enough talent to vault the Warriors into contention. A Steph-AD pick and roll could be legendary. I mean come on, just look at the damn chart.

We'll see - at this point I think the Mavs would like to get off his contract. And there is no team that will give three frps for AD - those days are over, especially for a guy who's not a young star.

You can't give up multiple picks for a guy (at max salary no less) who's only going to play 60% of the games and, as a keystone player, may not play at all in the playoffs. If I'm giving up multiple picks (and presumably other assets) I want a young (but not too young) dog of a player who's going to be there when you need them to be. Is anyone else giving up a crazy package of picks for AD?