The Golden State Warriors have now had interest in Trey Murphy III for over 12 months, but he's not the only New Orleans Pelicans player they should be keeping an eye on once the season gets underway.
You could make the argument that Zion Williamson may be the more ideal trade target for the Warriors, largely because it wouldn't require relinquishing the sort of draft capital needed in a Murphy deal.
Zion Williamson may be more worthy trade target than Trey Murphy III
Williamson remains one of the biggest conundrums in the league. An incredibly talented and productive player when healthy, yet one who's only played 276 career games in seven seasons and who is yet to play in a single playoff game.
How much has the lowly Pelicans franchise contributed to Williamson's underwhelming career to date? It's worth another team finding out by giving the 26-year-old a fresh start, and Golden State are in a position as a middling team where it's worth taking the risk.
The Warriors could build a trade package around Draymond Green, Moses Moody and another small salary, while it may only require one first-round pick (if that) depending on how Williamson begins the season. This would be an example of Golden State using their projected cap space at the mid-season deadline instead, albeit Williamson only has one more year remaining on his contract where he has $44.9 million owing in 2027-28.
Swapping Green for Williamson at the power forward spot would be a major downgrade defensively, but the offensive upgrade would make it worthwhile for a team that finished 19th on that end of the floor last season, and who's far too reliant on a 38-year-old Stephen Curry.
Zion Williamson is the exact type of risk Warriors could look to take
The Warriors prioritized talent over availability in their moves this summer, and that could extend to the mid-season deadline where Williamson would be the epitome of such an approach. It's also the path Golden State are going down because they're so protective of their future first-round picks, having have been unwilling to pour them out for a player like Murphy or Jaylen Brown.
They took the risk on Kristaps Porzingis because it didn't cost them any draft capital. Even Jimmy Butler was a risk to some degree, but that was mitigated because they only gave up one first which resulted in the 20th overall pick.
Williamson would fit this mould, allowing them to land a middle aged piece for the now and future while not sacrificing draft capital. It's still a gamble but one you could see the Warriors taking based on their recent philosophies.
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