The Golden State Warriors might make the playoffs this season. If they do they will be a dangerous, but highly flawed, first-round opponent. More likely, they will fail to advance out of the Play-In Tournament (or even miss it entirely) and be out of the playoffs altogether.
That's not how this season was supposed to go, but there's no use to cry over spilt milk. Instead, the Warriors have to look ahead and determine how they are going to best build around Stephen Curry in the last years of his prime.
One option would be to move on from Chris Paul, bring back Klay Thompson at a much lower number and try to get under the second apron in order to open up more team-building tools. Warriors owner Joe Lacob even bragged there was a path to getting out of the luxury tax entirely. That wouldn't be merely a cost-cutting endeavor, but give the Warriors more flexibility in signings and trades to build back up around Curry.
Trading Chris Paul could net a star
The other primary route would be to stay expensive, guarantee some or all of Chris Paul's contract and trade him with substantial draft compensation for a second star, someone who can stand above Jonathan Kuminga and Andrew Wiggins in the pecking order on offense and not entirely kill the Warriors on defense.
Is such a player available? And if he is, is it worth the expense in dollars, draft picks and flexibility to bring him in? Let's unpack one particular trade proposal that would send Chris Paul back to where it all began for him, and in return bring a fringe All-Star to San Francisco.
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