Trayce Jackson-Davis appears to be skating on thin ice at the Golden State Warriors according to a recent report linking the franchise to a trio of centers around the league ahead of the mid-season trade deadline.
NBA insider Chris Haynes reported on Friday that the Warriors are looking for size and athleticism, identifying Nic Claxton, Daniel Gafford and Robert Williams III as potential trade targets over the next few weeks.
Trayce Jackson-Davis is skating on thin ice after latest trade reports
Golden State already have an athletic big in the form of Jackson-Davis whose rookie year delivered a lot of promise as a player who could provide presence in the paint on both ends of the floor. Unfortunately that hasn't been consistently rediscovered over the last two seasons, and the fact the Warriors are seemingly after a similar style player doesn't say a whole lot about Jackson-Davis' long-term viability with the team.
The Jackson-Davis minutes have been solid enough over the last six games, having got some opportunity due to Al Horford's current sciatic irritation. The 25-year-old has averaged 5.0 points, 5.0 rebounds, 1.7 assists and 1.0 block during the period, while Golden State have been a +16 in his 93 minutes.
While they've been solid enough, they haven't necessarily screamed as a player that demands ongoing minutes when Horford returns. If Jackson-Davis is already on the edge of the rotation as it is, how will he possibly earn playing time if the Warriors ultimately trade for one of Claxton, Gafford or Williams?
The other pressing concern for Jackson-Davis is the fact there's a team option on the fourth and final year of his contract next season. It's not inconceivable to think Golden State would turn that down, even though there is some complication with his agent being the brother of general manager Mike Dunleavy Jr.
Perhaps Jackson-Davis doesn't even get to the offseason as a member of the Warriors. It's not impossible to think he could be involved in a trade, particularly one that includes Golden State bringing in another center. The 6'9" big man wouldn't hold much value on the market, but he could at least be viewed as a potentially expiring contract by rival teams.
Jackson-Davis has averaged 15.7 minutes in his 155 games (54 starts) for the Warriors, averaging 6.9 points, 4.8 rebounds and 0. blocks while shooting 63.6% from the floor after being taken 57th overall in the 2023 NBA Draft.