Golden State Warriors: Blue Man Hoop 2018 Trade Deadline Primer

Blue Man Hoop puts together a collection of posts written in anticipation of the Golden State Warriors making a deal at or after the 2018 NBA trade deadline.

The 2018 NBA trade deadline is upon us, and one of the biggest questions on every fan’s mind is whether the reigning champion Golden State Warriors will make a deal to address their recent struggles.

The Warriors have a number of attractive pieces. Younger guys like Damian Jones, Kevon Looney and Patrick McCaw could be great building blocks with the right team, and the latter two are in the final year of their contracts.

JaVale McGee‘s expiring $1.5 million could also be moved quite easily, and Nick Young‘s expiring $5.2 million could also help match salaries if necessary.

Nevertheless, the chances are slim.

The buyout option

While the Dubs front office is known to be incredibly aggressive and open to making moves, the consensus is the Warriors are more likely to wait for the buyout market to heat up after the trade deadline than trade away one of their players.

Marc Stein of The New York Times used Vince Carter as an example of a player that the Warriors could sign should Carter reach a buyout agreement with the Sacramento Kings.

Even at 41, Carter is still capable of spacing the floor. This season, he’s shooting 36.7 percent on 2.6 attempts from behind the arc. He’s not exactly going to fix Golden State’s defensive issues, but he’s not going to hurt them, either.

However, Golden State’s roster currently stands at its max capacity of 17; therefore, the team would need to let someone go in order to sign a player in the buyout market. A trade could be a much cleaner way of getting what they want.

Trading to address the need on the perimeter

There’s no denying the Warriors could use some second unit scoring assistance. Andre Iguodala, Shaun Livingston and McCaw have each proven incapable of spacing the floor, and Young has been fairly inconsistent throughout the season.

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One name that could be available is Brooklyn Nets sharpshooter, Joe Harris. Like Carter, Harris won’t solve Golden State’s defense issues, but he’s not a detriment to the team’s defensive structure. He’s also much younger than Carter, and he’s shooting 48.1 percent from the field and 41.0 percent from long range.

Avery Bradley, on the other hand, is a guy who could be called in to help defensively. He’s not having the best year offensively, but that could easily change with a change in scenery. Unfortunately, the Warriors may not have enough assets to make a proper deal.

The Warriors could also possibly explore a trade for Memphis Grizzlies sixth man, Tyreke Evans. Evans is having his best season shooting-wise, and the Warriors could definitely utilize his skill as a creator.

Weirdly enough, the Warriors seem a bit hesitant to fork over their 2018 first-round pick, which is exactly what Memphis wants. The Dubs haven’t been linked to Evans in any way prior to the deadline, so whether Golden State changes their stance remains to be seen.

Marco Belinelli is another name the Warriors haven’t been linked to directly, but he could certainly be brought in to help add some immediate offense.

Next: Top 20 Draft Picks in Warriors Franchise History

The “light years” trade

There’s also the long-term question of who replaces David West after he retires. The Warriors have been linked to New York Knicks big man, Kyle O’Quinn, who could very well provide some depth in the front court.

However, he’s definitely not going to address Golden State’s immediate needs on the perimeter, so trading for him at the deadline seems unnecessary.

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