The Golden State Warriors have faced an existential question for years -- how much are they willing to risk the future by sacrificing draft capital for a win-now move that maximizes the remainder of Stephen Curry's prime?
Until this point nothing (or nobody) has proven good enough to warrant a major risk. Even last February's acquisition of Jimmy Butler only cost the Warriors the 20th overall pick in the 2025 draft.
That could change leading up to next month's mid-season deadline, with ESPN offering a Trey Murphy III trade idea that could bring the firepower needed to give Stephen Curry and this iteration of the Warriors another genuine shot at a title.
Warriors take perfectly calculated risk in Trey Murphy III mock trade
The deal has Golden State moving on from former lottery picks Jonathan Kuminga and Moses Moody, along with three future first-round picks, in exchange for Murphy and Jordan Hawkins, while former Warrior Kevon Looney heads to the Utah Jazz to make the money work.
Warriors receive: Trey Murphy III, Jordan Hawkins
New Orleans Pelicans receive: Jonathan Kuminga, Moses Moody, Warriors' 2026 first-round pick, 2028 first-round pick (top 10 protected), 2030 first-round pick (5-20)
Utah Jazz receive: Kevon Looney, 2031 second-round pick, 2032 second-round pick, cash considerations
This is the sort of calculated risk the Warriors need to make before the deadline, and frankly the kind of move they owe to Curry as the franchise's greatest ever player who remains one of the league's best despite nearing 38-years-old.
Sure, three first-round picks, along with Kuminga and Moody, might seem like a steep price to pay for someone who, by next month, won't have made an All-Star game in their first five seasons. Yet there's enough protections on these picks to ensure that Golden State won't be completely detroyed if things go completely south.
As underwhelming as they've been so far this season, the Warriors still look like a low tier playoff team. That means the 2026 pick is likely to be outside the lottery, the 2028 pick is top 10 protected, and the 2030 pick is top five protected and will only convey through to 20 as the Washington Wizards hold the right thereafter.
Perhaps just as importantly, the deal doesn't include Golden State's 2032 first-round pick which is undoubtedly their most valuable right now. Murphy would instantly bolster an offense that languishes at 19th right now, providing the perfect complement of shooting and athleticism to place alongside Curry and Jimmy Butler.
Perhaps the Warriors can even help revive Hawkins' career given their value on 3-point shooting, but even without the 23-year-old as part of the transaction, Murphy is enough to consider this trade as one that's worthwhile to make.