The Warriors were eager to add a second star next to Stephen Curry ahead of the 2024-25 season, as evidenced by their failed pursuits of Paul George and Lauri Markkanen.
Elsewhere, the Clippers were evidently entering rebuild mode after letting George walk as a free agent, leading to their title odds sinking just a year after they were viewed as one of the top title contenders in the Western Conference.
In the middle of it all, Kawhi Leonard, 33, could be eyeing a new home to maximize the final few years of his prime. While the Clippers are unlikely to present him with that opportunity, a move to the Warriors could help “The Klaw” pursue his third NBA title.
As such, Eddie Bitar of Fadeaway World argues that a union between the Warriors and Leonard could help both franchises pivot from their current situations. The writer proposed a trade that would see the Clippers fast-track their rebuild by acquiring a quality young piece such as Brandin Podziemski along with salary fillers.
Warriors would get: Leonard
Clippers would get: Andrew Wiggins, Podziemski, De’Anthony Melton, Gary Payton II, 2026 First-Round Pick
Bitar explained why his proposed trade makes sense for both franchises.
“This trade makes sense for both sides, which is why it feels realistic,” he wrote on October 27. “The Warriors are in a “win now” mode, desperate to maximize what could be the final stretch of Stephen Curry’s prime, while the Clippers are facing the reality that their championship window has closed due to Leonard’s constant injuries.”
Will the Warriors trade Podziemski?
According to multiple insiders, the Warriors vehemently rejected the idea of trading Podziemski, their second-year player, during talks with the Jazz about Markkanen.
The reports surfaced after Warriors governor Joe Lacob called Podz “a future All-Star” during the 2024 NBA Summer League, where the playmaking guard showed flashes of a star following his successful rookie campaign.
When Lacob made those comments, it was widely presumed that Podziemski would succeed the departing Klay Thompson as the team’s starting shooting guard and Curry’s new backup partner. However, three games into the 2024-25 season, Podz continued to come off the bench, attempting fewer shots than Wiggins and Buddy Hield.
Warriors Playing a Risky Game?
Some analysts argued that the Warriors could be playing a risky game by sticking to their 12-man rotation, possibly stunting the growth of Podziemski and Jonathan Kuminga. Furthermore, the Warriors could be inadvertently dropping the trade values of Podziemski and Kuminga, their two most coveted assets in any potential deals.
Kuminga’s future in the Bay Area became a bigger talking point after the fourth-year forward failed to reach a contract extension with the franchise ahead of the October 21 deadline. Many felt that the Warriors had subtly hinted to the rest of the league that Kuminga was available in trades, especially for the coveted superstar-level piece.
That said, Warriors general manager Mike Dunleavy underplayed those reports and expressed confidence that Kuminga would remain in Golden State for years.
“I don’t think much has changed in regard to our hopes for his future with the team,” Dunleavy said, via Yahoo Sports’ Michael Wagaman. “Sometimes these things [contract extensions] get done, sometimes they don’t. You don’t really want to overreact either way. So from that standpoint, really good communications and conversations over the course of the summer to get to where we got to.”
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