3 Golden State Warriors mock trades at various price points ahead of the deadline

Golden State Warriors make a big splash by acquiring in-demand Raptors wing O.G. Anunoby.

O.G. Anunoby is the buzz name in trade discussion right now, largely because he’s a perfect fit for almost every championship contender. That includes the Warriors who often have to go small and sacrifice defense with Jordan Poole, or go big and sacrifice shooting with Kevon Looney, as part of their starting and closing five-man lineups.

Think of Anunoby as a more polished and experienced version of Jonathan Kuminga — one of the best defenders in the league and someone who can fill in the gaps offensively as a good off-ball player with elements of individual shot creation.

One day Kuminga can become a similar if not better player, but if Golden State would prefer not to wait, then they could sacrifice young pieces for a player that would give them increased lineup flexibility and a concrete nine-man rotation for the postseason. Here’s how the deal could be orchestrated.

It may seem like a lot to give up for someone who’s never been in All-Star contention, but it’s prioritizing the Warriors’ older core by giving up three non-rotational players for someone who can contribute right away. It’s not a complete termination of Golden State’s two-timeline plan — you keep your most proven young guys (Kuminga and Jordan Poole), not to mention that Anunoby is only 25 himself.

It would leave the Warriors with a nine-man rotation of Stephen Curry, Klay Thompson, Andrew Wiggins, Draymond Green, Kevon Looney, Donte DiVincenzo, Poole, Kuminga and Anunoby — that’s a championship-winning rotation if healthy. Additionally, Anunoby would provide increased insurance if Green was to leave in free agency during the offseason.

For Toronto, trading Anunoby will be part of a larger scale rebuild if they choose to follow through. They can kick start that by getting in three talented young pieces rather than wait for all the picks to materialize in the future.