
1. Minnesota Timberwolves
Here we are, the bridge option. This is a deal that the Warriors would ONLY consider if they feel 100 percent confident that they will be able to use this swap as a means of trading for a player above their $17 million dollar trade exception threshold.
Further explained in this article, the bridge option essentially allows the Warriors to aim for another star by trading for an expiring contract in James Johnson and using the extra cap space to complete a more meaningful deal.
The Wolves don’t have much reason to hold onto Johnson as he serves no purpose other than being a veteran presence in the locker room. All it should take is a young prospect like Jordan Poole to make them agree to this trade – which the Warriors would then use to immediately complete another deal?
Players such as Aaron Gordon, Buddy Hield and Zach Lavine would all become available to the Warriors if this trade becomes a reality. There is almost no chance the Wolves agree to swap picks, so this will be the only deal on our list that doesn’t include any draft picks.