Golden State Warriors: Amid a potential trade, Alec Burks still shines
Alec Burks continues to shine for the Golden State Warriors although the veteran forward could seemingly be traded at any time.
The Golden State Warriors don’t have many moveable pieces.
Players like Omari Spellman and Jacob Evans III aren’t hot targets and Stephen Curry and Klay Thompson are just off-limits, but one veteran, Alec Burks, has continued to increase his stock since signing for the veteran’s minimum this past offseason.
That makes him a target for teams, and with the Warriors needing to open a spot for Damion Lee, Burks could be the one on the move. Burks has been on a tear lately as well, helping boost his value.
Averaging 15.9 points per game, Burks is playing himself into the trade market. Recently, he’s even one-upped his game, putting up 28 points against the San Antonio Spurs just a few nights ago, forcing overtime and showcasing a dynamic scoring ability.
Over his last 17 games, Burks is averaging 17.2 points, 4.5 rebounds, and 3.5 assists. He’s been a stud alongside D’Angelo Russell, and the 6-foot-6 veteran small forward has been a key reason for the Warriors’ recent success, winning four of their last six.
No one believed in Burks. He was forced to sign a veteran’s minimum, making only around $2.3 million.
That didn’t stop him though from taking the most of the opportunity that he’s been given with Klay Thompson and Stephen Curry both being out the bulk of the 2019-2020 season. This impressive streak has allowed teams to finally remember the forgotten forward.
It wasn’t necessarily his play that had led him to be traded twice last season. It was mainly the fact that Burks has been dealing with a myriad of injuries throughout his career, playing over 65 games just once.
However, while those were setbacks, his size and skill gave him the tools that he needed to stay the course and continue working towards his dream. Now, with Golden State, he’s had a renewed career, one of which he could easily be the best bench player on a championship team.
If he continues to average almost 20 points per game, he’ll easily find his way onto one of the NBA’s better teams. His recent play has shown he can perform at a high level, and it’s, even more, impressive that Burks is continuing to stay focused with a trade potentially looming.