12 Disastrous moves the Warriors wish they could undo
These Warriors' moves did not pan out and quickly became regrets.
By Tyler Watts
The Golden State Warriors have won four championships in the last ten years. They built a dynasty around Stephen Curry, Draymond Green, and Klay Thompson and are a model franchise. Curry became an all-time great and has been surrounded by future Hall of Famers. They may be fading, but the Dubs were the team to beat for a decade. That takes a ton of talent and many on-point moves.
It has not been all sunshine, though. The Warriors had a disastrous stretch just before this run where they made the playoffs just once in 18 years. Even during their dynasty, there have been regrettable moves and straight misses on talent.
There are several transactions the Dubs wish they could have back since 2000. From failed draft picks to disastrous trades to signings that fell flat, here are their worst moves during that stretch.
12. Drafting Damian Jones
The Warriors had the final pick in the first round in 2016 and were fresh off losing to the Cavaliers in the NBA Finals. Kevin Durant was days away from coming to the Bay Area when Golden State selected Jones. They hoped the 6’11 big man could become a key role player on a championship squad, but he averaged just 3.6 points, and 2.3 rebounds in 11.9 minutes per game over three seasons with the Warriors.
If the Dubs wanted a center, Ivica Zubac was taken by the Lakers at 32nd overall. He has been a starting big man on a contender for years and would have been fantastic in Golden State. Malcolm Brogdon and Georges Niang were also still on the board when the Warriors took Jones.
They won the next two championships and made the NBA Finals for a fifth straight year in 2019. Drafting Jones did not take away from their success, but putting another trusted role player on the roster would have been a luxury.