Golden State Warriors: Kelly Oubre shouldn’t be traded
By Tony Pesta
NBA trade season is nearly here and the Golden State Warriors are one of the most prominent teams that will be in rumors this upcoming week. With this being said, Kelly Oubre Jr. should be a player off-limits.
We know it won’t actually happen – Oubre is 100 percent going to be mentioned in trade discussions as he is one of the easiest contracts on the roster to flip. However, I sincerely hope the Dubs have seen everything Oubre has given this team in his brief time in Golden State and decide to keep him.
The Golden State Warriors might make a trade before the deadline – but they would be making a mistake letting go of Kelly Oubre.
It’s been a bit of a roller-coaster season for Oubre. I initially thought he was a major steal for Golden State in their trade with OKC – but then after a horrid start to the year, I had my concerns. Oubre was pitiful on offense and though he showed aggression on defense he wasn’t making much of an impact on that end either.
Then, something changed. It felt like it happened overnight after his 40 point performance in Dallas, but Oubre has been steadily working to get to this point all season long. Oubre is now on a hot-streak from the 3-point line and is one of the best wing defenders the NBA has to offer.
Since his career-high against the Mavericks, Oubre is posting 20.6 points, 6.8 rebounds and 1.1 steals on efficient shooting splits of 51/43/75.
The only thing making life difficult here is the fact that Oubre’s contract expires at the end of the season. Will he rejoin the Dubs for less than what he’s likely worth? Or will he bite on a massive offer from another team? All things considered, Oubre is a 25-year-old prospect who is just hitting his stride, he’s sure to garner plenty of interest.
Oubre has a clear role with the Warriors if he chooses to return. He can fill in at the starting forward position next to a revitalized Splash Brothers or act as a more offensive-oriented rendition of Andre Iguodala on the bench. Either way, Oubre can shine next season and the Dubs would be shortsighted to let him go.