Major hindrance with Golden State Warriors’ reported trade interest in trio

The Golden State Warriors’ slow start to the season has increased speculation around potential mid-season trade moves, with their two-timeline plan under ever-increasing public pressure.

The Warriors have moved to 9-10 on the season — a far cry from what most expected after winning the NBA championship less than six months ago. As a result, there are now reports that they could be interested in a trio of experienced players.

There’s one major issue that will hold back the Golden State Warriors from making a major move for Jae Crowder, Jakob Poeltl or Myles Turner.

According to Eric Pincus of Bleacher Report, the Warriors may be interested in dealing their younger players, namely James Wiseman, Jonathan Kuminga and/or Moses Moody, for one or more of Phoenix Suns forward Jae Crowder, San Antonio Spurs big man Jakob Poeltl, or Indiana Pacers center Myles Turner.

"“Beyond adding a versatile defensive wing in Crowder, competing executives believe the Warriors covet additional size in a player like Jakob Poeltl of the San Antonio Spurs or Myles Turner of the Indiana Pacers”, Pincus wrote."

Each player has attributes the Warriors could seek, and all three are likely to be available for the right price — Crowder is currently sitting at home awaiting a trade, the Spurs are in rebuild mode and could cash in on Poeltl’s value, while Turner has seemingly been on the trade table for years without being dealt.

You could debate all day whether the Warriors should give up their young assets for players of this calibre, but the key factor to that, and the biggest hindrance of all, is the trio’s contractual situations. Firstly, from an annual salary standpoint, Golden State could acquire the combination of Crowder and Poeltl by using their young players, while a mix of Turner and Crowder would require the inclusion of a crucial bench player like Donte DiVincenzo.

That’s not necessarily the issue, although it does make Turner a lot less likely. The hindrance is that all three players are free agents at the end of the season, and there’s no way that Golden State will, or should, trade their young players for what could end up as a three-month rental.

Now, could they sign them to contract extensions or re-sign them in free agency? Sure, but that could be an arduous task. Crowder’s already left the Suns primarily because his starting role was being taken by Cameron Johnson, and he most certainly wouldn’t be getting that role with the Warriors.

Between the presence of Kevon Looney and the Warriors’ desire to use Draymond Green for periods at the five, Poeltl or Turner would likely only play 20-25 minutes per game — would they be happy to sign long-term under that premise?

It severely reduces the likelihood of a trade occuring. There’s a foreseeable situation where the Warriors punt the long-term future for the hopes of solely this season, but ideally, any trade involving their youngsters would bring back player/s that are a near on guarantee to be able to help them for multiple years to come.