The beginning of the free agency period has been a borderline disaster for the Golden State Warriors, at least in the context of trying to contend during the 2024-25 season.
Chris Paul’s salary is no longer a trade chip after the Dubs chose to release him, and Klay Thompson looks bound for greener financial pastures in perhaps Dallas or Orlando. As such, Bill Simmons of The Ringer suggested during the Monday, July 1 edition of his “Bill Simmons Podcast” that Golden State should consider a complete teardown this summer.
That process, as Simmons laid it out to his podcast partner Kevin Wildes of FS1, might start with the trading of long-time defensive stalwart and four-time NBA champion Draymond Green to the Los Angeles Lakers, of all teams.
If we did consigliere for the Warriors, what would we tell them? Blow it up. It’s over. You’re not winning the title. It’s done. You won four. It was a miracle you got 2022. It’s over. Start thinking about how you can build around [Stephen] Curry for the next part of the decade. This is a gap year. Throw it away.
Trade Draymond. Right now is the time. Gotta do it. You just got to. You gotta rip the band-aid off and just do it. Talk Steph into it and explain to him, “We’re gonna not be good for one year, and we’ll make it up to you.”
Could they talk the Lakers into Rui Hachimura and that [Jalen] Hood-Schifino and a 2029 first for Draymond? This is all part of a bigger thing of, “We’re not gonna be good this year. Sorry, this is how it’s gonna go. So let’s just not be good.”
Warriors Would Risk Alienating Stephen Curry by Trading Draymond Green
GettyStephen Curry of the Golden State Warriors.
Wildes argued that making such a move would be the best way to alienate Curry and force his hand into demanding a trade of his own, despite the two years and $115.4 million remaining on his current contract.
“If I was Steph and I didn’t have enough, you know, of my morning coffee, I’d be like, ‘You know, while you’re at it, why don’t you grab some offers for me, too? If you’re blowing up the team and trading all my friends and the core of this team — I’m just trying to get to the playoffs.’ It’s the same with LeBron [James]. ‘Get a team good enough to get me to the playoffs, and let us do our thing,’” Wilds said.
“I’d be mad if I was Steph. What’s the point of [him] playing out the string?”
Warriors Could Theoretically Position Themselves for Significant Rebuild in Just 1 Year
GettyDraymond Green of the Golden State Warriors.
For the sake of the hypothetical, trading Green would clear nearly $78 million off the Dubs’ salary cap over the next three years, including $24.1 million next season.
Golden State already subtracted $30 million by releasing Paul, now a member of the San Antonio Spurs, and Thompson’s $43-plus million from last year is also off the books. Should Thompson return, which appears highly unlikely just one day into free agency, that would probably bring back at least $20-$25 million onto the cap sheet.
However, as it stands, if the Warriors pursued a full teardown of the roster and moved most every meaningful veteran piece aside from Curry, Golden State could position itself to reload just one year from now.
The young core of Jonathan Kuminga, Brandin Podziemski, Trayce Jackson-Davis and Moses Moody would all see huge minutes and get a full year to develop — some of them into long-term starting and/or rotational pieces, and the others into potential trade chips. Golden State would also have multiple future first-round picks to dangle on the trade market, potentially using Andrew Wiggins‘ $28.2 million salary in 2025-26 as the foundation for a blockbuster swap, though his player option the following season might complicate any such move.
The Warriors would also be able to clear significant space to be active on the free agent market during a year when the cap should spike due to the new television contracts that will come into effect following 2024-25. Curry is the type of player other superstars will want to play with in an attractive Bay Area market.
Furthermore, if the Dubs miss the playoffs next season, they would be in line for a high pick in one of the most talented rookie classes in recent memory.
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