NBA Trade Rumors: Senior NBA writer believes Golden State Warriors could 'pry away' talented forward

A host of trade candidates continue to be floated as potential options for the Golden State Warriors, with the franchise descending into an ever deeper hole that's proving more difficult to get out from.

The Warriors sunk to a 10-14 record after a 121-113 loss to the LA Clippers on Thursday night, with their problems exacerbated by the NBA's decision to indefinitely suspend veteran forward Draymond Green earlier in the week.

San Antonio Spurs' forward Keldon Johnson has been linked with a move to the Golden State Warriors before February's trade deadline

The most recent name floated is Keldon Johnson, with the talented 24-year-old suggested as a prime trade candidate for Golden State before the February 8 deadline.

Speaking on The Hoop Collective podcast on Wednesday, Andscape's Senior NBA Writer, Marc J. Spears, believes Johnson is the player most likely to be moved should the Spurs make a mid-season trade.

""I'm hearing some buzz about...not sure if he fits in well with this group going forward," Spears said. "For a team like Golden State, he's a player that they could pry away that could give them that 16-20 points on any given night. I think that's a guy they should definitely go after.""

Johnson has developed into a talented scorer over the past couple of seasons, having averaged 22 points, 5.0 rebounds and 2.9 assists last season. The fifth-year forward has taken more of a playmaking responsibility this season, posting 17.2 points, 6.4 rebounds and 4.2 assists per game.

While Johnson's skills are undeniable, one could also question how much those numbers are inflated on a poor Spurs team over the last two seasons. The franchise finished 22-60 in 2022-23 and are currently on a 17-game losing streak as part of a 3-20 start to this season.

Adding depth to the frontcourt is what the Warriors need, though that doesn't make Johnson the ideal answer necessarily. He does play bigger than his 6'5" size would suggest, yet that's still a slight concern. So too would be his complete lack of playoff experience, with Golden State still hoping to turn things around in time to make noise in the postseason. He's a steady but not knockdown three-point shooter, having made 36.4% across his career to date.

Johnson's contract is a positive one, with the deal actually declining from $20 million this season to $17.5 million by the final year in 2026-27. Like any potential trade, the value will be determined by what the Spurs ask for in return. One may suspect the Warriors will have their eyes on a bigger fish should they wish to make a deal over the next two months.