As much as they're trying to give the public notion of being content with their roster, the Golden State Warriors are desperate to make a big move as they search for a return to the playoffs next year.
They'll have the expiring contracts and draft assets in which to do so before February's mid-season trade deadline, but the desperation after missing on many big names could also trap the Warriors when it comes to negotiations.
Warriors may already be trapped by obvious trade deadline problem
In a recent poll of ESPN analysts and insiders, Golden State were voted as the most likely team to make a big move before the mid-season deadline. While that offers optimism that something significant could happen, it also proves the way in which the Warriors are viewed around the league.
The angst level is rising among Bay Area fans after the Warriors made no major additions via trade or free agency after just their second losing season in the past 14 years," ESPN's Ben Golliver wrote.
Rival teams are going to understand the pressure the Warriors face, their level of desperation, and the desire to make the most of the remaining Curry era. They'll likely use that as leverage in trade talks against Mike Dunleavy Jr. and the front office, which in turn actually reduces the chances of a major trade.
Golden State's best hope might be to capitalize on an even worse situation somewhere around the league. The Jimmy Butler trade is the perfect example of that where the Warriors were desperate at the 2025 deadline, but the six-time All-Star had burned bridges so badly at the Miami Heat that Dunleavy still got a deal to his liking.
Warriors have already been trapped by this problem in the past
This would be far from the first time rival teams have tried to use Golden State's desperation against them. We just saw it with Jaylen Brown where the Boston Celtics reportedly wanted four first-round pick from the Warriors, even though they ultimately ended up taking two firsts and two seconds from the Philadelphia 76ers.
The other issue for Golden State is their inability to attract rival stars, something that becomes important even in a trade situation and especially if the player has little time left on their contract.
Combine those two factors and a big move is far from guaranteed, even if ESPN experts suggest the Warriors are primed for a trade that could revitalize their championship hopes over the next few seasons.
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