5 Things the Warriors must do before the trade deadline
By Tyler Watts
4. Improve defense
The Warriors are hovering around the top ten in offensive rating and were second in January behind only the LA Clippers. Stephen Curry is still one of the best point guards in the world, but Golden State must play better defense if they plan on contending.
They are 22nd in defensive rating at 117.7 for the year and were last in the league in January. Andrew Wiggins and Klay Thompson have both slipped tremendously on this end of the floor. Draymond Green was suspended for 21 games, and the rest of the roster has been unable to pick up the slack.
The hallmark of a title contender is being top ten in offensive and defensive ratings. Golden State is there on offense but needs reinforcements to get close on the other end. Green being on the floor will help, but the Warriors need a perimeter defensive stopper and wings capable of sinking open looks and guarding multiple positions.
Improving their defense is just one piece of the puzzle the franchise is attempting to solve. The Golden State Warriors need to find trades for their underperforming talent. Upgrading their roster should be priority one, and that likely means trading a former All-Star who has been one of the worst players in the league this season.