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Golden State Warriors: Willie Cauley-Stein will have a trade market

By Nathan Beighle

MEMPHIS, TN - NOVEMBER 19: Willie Cauley-Stein #2 of the Golden State Warriors shoots the ball against the Memphis Grizzlies on November 19, 2019 at FedExForum in Memphis, Tennessee. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this photograph, User is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. Mandatory Copyright Notice: Copyright 2019 NBAE (Photo by Joe Murphy/NBAE via Getty Images)
MEMPHIS, TN - NOVEMBER 19: Willie Cauley-Stein #2 of the Golden State Warriors shoots the ball against the Memphis Grizzlies on November 19, 2019 at FedExForum in Memphis, Tennessee. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this photograph, User is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. Mandatory Copyright Notice: Copyright 2019 NBAE (Photo by Joe Murphy/NBAE via Getty Images) /
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The Golden State Warriors’ starting center Willie Cauley-Stein is on a team-friendly two-year contract and will have a trade market in the coming weeks.

While Willie Cauley-Stein hasn’t played up to his standards this season, the Golden State Warriors could still explore a trade market for the 7-foot center. It’d be in their best interest to see what the fifth-year center could return.

He’s been exactly what Golden State has needed this season, but the Warriors just haven’t been very good.

The injury to Stephen Curry, which has sidelined him since the fourth game of the season, has hurt Golden State. D’Angelo Russell missing extended time has forced the team to struggle mightily as well. Additionally, Klay Thompson‘s injury in the 2019 NBA Finals has hurt any playoff aspiration for the Dubs even further.

If those three were all healthy, Willie Cauley-Stein would be a much more prominent force for the Warriors. Sadly, the rim-rocking center just hasn’t been able to get those lobs and have that spacing that Curry and Thompson bring.

This season, he’s averaging 8.1 points and 6.1 rebounds per game. Shooting 56.6% from the field, Cauley-Stein has been efficient. In the game for just under two quarters, Cauley-Stein is also notching a career-high 1.4 blocks per game.

Those traits could easily translate into a championship-caliber roster. What makes Cauley-Stein’s value even better is that he’s making under $3 million both this season and next, assuming he opts into his 2020-2021 contract.

Teams like Boston could use Cauley-Stein.

That said, his value seems relatively unknown. Maybe, like Glenn Robinson III, Cauley-Stein could return a quality young player and some draft capital, but that may be the most he could draw.

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There’s no telling how much a team would pay for a center like Cauley-Stein, but given his efficiency and quality defense, expect him to have some market as trades start to heat up with the February trade deadline drawing near.

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