Golden State Warriors fans traded for Jimmy Butler last season to put themselves in a better position to win another title with Steph Curry. They tried to swing for the fences again this deadline by trading for Giannis Antetokounmpo, a move that would've surpassed last year's deal. After getting the sense that the Bucks weren't serious about trading their superstar, though, the Warriors pivoted to Kristaps Porziņġis, which isn't exactly what fans were hoping for.
It's looking more and more like Golden State will be lucky to make it out of the first round, and that's if it can make it past the play-in tournament first. They are currently No. 8 in the conference, four games back from No. 6 Minnesota, and 6.5 games ahead of No. 11 Memphis. Luckily, they should stay in play-in range, at least.
If the season ended today, the Warriors would play the No. 7 Suns in the play-in. If they won that, they'd secure the No. 7 seed in the playoffs, setting themselves up for a first-round series against the No. 2 Spurs. And if they lost their first play-in game, they'd compete for the No. 8 seed (playing the winner of No. 9 Clippers and No. 10 Trail Blazers), and if they got that, they'd move on to face the Thunder.
Golden State did beat a No. 2 Houston team last year in the first round, and San Antonio is also young and without much playoff experience, but it would be harder to make it past a Victor Wembanyama-led squad.
You can never count out Curry, as long as he is healthy, of course, but it's hard to picture him leading the Warriors anywhere close to a championship this year. Speaking of championships, since they won in 2022, they've failed to make it past the second round twice and missed the 2024 playoffs altogether.
Warriors could be headed in the direction they want to avoid with Curry
If Porziņġis can get healthy and stay that way, he can be a difference-maker for this Warriors squad, particularly in the playoffs. He played in only 17 games during the first few months of the season with the Hawks, though, and that was after playing 42 with the Celtics last year. He's currently out with Achilles tendinitis, but Golden State is hopeful he will make his debut soon.
The Warriors did trade for an impactful player, just not one who may be available for most of the rest of the season to help them make a playoff run. If it makes you feel any better, a trade for Giannis would've meant the same (on a different level, of course), as he's out with his second calf strain of the season.
All Golden State can hope for now is that KP will be able to be on the floor enough to help elevate this team. When the summer rolls around, the Warriors will try again to make a run at Giannis, hoping to pair him at long last alongside Curry, who will be 38 then.
In the meantime, fans will hope that Curry will be able to work his magic in the postseason, but even that may not be enough.