Major development in Golden State Warriors' chances of a mid-season trade
The Golden State Warriors are reportedly expected to be "very open" to trade manoeuvres as they look to salvage their disappointing start to the 2023-24 season.
Having fallen to a 10-14 record after a 121-113 loss to the LA Clippers on Thursday, speculation continues to rise on potential moves for the franchise in the hopes of capitalizing on another brilliant season from two-time MVP Stephen Curry.
Golden State Warriors' General Manager Mike Dunleavy Jr. has reportedly already taken calls from rival teams in regard to potential trades
Golden State has been one of the most disappointing teams in the league this season, having entered with it championship aspirations. After starting the season 5-1, the Warriors have now lost 13 of their last 18 games.
Reporting on NBA Countdown on Friday, ESPN's Adrian Wojnarowski says a lot of teams are "poking around the Warriors" with the franchise expected to be "very open-minded" ahead of the February 8 trade deadline.
"I know a few General Managers who've lobbed calls to Mike Dunleavy Jr. in the last few days, and a lot of teams are starting to talk, their starting to trade ideas about what interest they have in certain players", Wojnarowski said. "I think Mike Dunleavy Jr. and Golden State, they're going to be very open to try and improve this team.""
Dunleavy Jr. has already shown to be willing to make big decisions, with the first-year General Manager trading young guard Jordan Poole for 38-year-old Chris Paul less than a month into the role.
Curry may be the only untouchable piece on the Golden State roster right now, such is the poor form of some of their veteran players once considered staples of the team. That includes Andrew Wiggins who was demoted to the bench against the Clippers for the first time in his 657 career regular season games.
It's a double-edged sword for the Warriors, with their young trade assets also playing significant roles on the team in the wake of the veteran's struggles. Rookie guard Brandin Podziemski and third-year forward Jonathan Kuminga are now in the starting lineup, while Moses Moody has impressed in averaging a career-high 19.1 minutes per game.
Given how far they currently sit outside the top realm of teams, one has to question if making a sizeable trade would even be worth it for Golden State. At the same time, they owe it to Curry to do whatever they can in the chase for a fifth championship over the last decade.