The Golden State Warriors are quite clearly pursuing moves for Anthony Davis and LeBron James this offseason, with their unwillingness to trade for the former at the mid-season deadline proving an obvious mistake right now.
The NBA world continues to wait for James' decision nearly four weeks into free agency, but the entire saga could have easily been wrapped up by now had the Warriors had the foresight to trade for Davis when he was with the Dallas Mavericks.
Warriors should have traded for Anthony Davis in February
Golden State had been loosely linked to Davis leading up to the mid-season deadline and even prior to Jimmy Butler's torn ACL injury, yet instead focused their attention on a blockbuster Giannis Antetokounmpo trade that proved fruitless.
The Washington Wizards instead took the opportunity to trade for Davis at a bargain price, taking the risk on the 10x All-Star despite having played in just 29 games for the Mavericks following his arrival from the Los Angeles Lakers.
Fast-forward less than six months and the Warriors are now trying to trade Butler and picks to the Wizards for Davis, something they could have offered the Mavericks back in February. It's easy to say with the benefit of hindsight, but now Washington hold significant leverage knowing Golden State may need to acquire Davis to get James across the line in free agency.
It's a sliding doors moment for everyone involved, and could ultimately cost the Warriors landing James if the Wizards remain reluctant to trade Davis which may lead to the 41-year-old signing at the Cleveland Cavaliers or elsewhere.
Warriors could have looked totally different with Anthony Davis trade
It's not just a what-if moment for Davis and Golden State, but also a number of other players who may have been impacted by a deal happening back in February. The Warriors likely wouldn't have ended up trading for Kristaps Porzingis, so what happens to him in this alternate reality, and so too Jonathan Kuminga and Buddy Hield who headed to the Atlanta Hawks?
The Davis trade to Washington involved no less than nine different players, meaning their futures would have all been impacted had the opportunity for the Wizards not arrived because Golden State swooped in first.
It's hard to be too critical of the Warriors in this situation, but it also provides another example of the lack of forward-thinking move knowing James was going to become a free agent in the offseason, and now they're left scrambling with little leverage in negotiations.
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