The NBA trade deadline is fast approaching and the Golden State Warriors are running out of time to make a move ahead of the 12 PM PST deadline on Thursday. All of the buzz is currently surrounding Milwaukee Bucks star Giannis Antetokounmpo, but it will take a pretty bold offer to get a deal over the line.
As of right now, it does not seem like the Warriors have a clear plan B if they come up short in the Giannis sweepstakes. They have all their eggs in that basket, meaning it's shaping up to be a "Giannis or bust" trade deadline for the franchise.
Warriors may be wise to stand pat at trade deadline
If the Warriors do miss out on Giannis, which wouldn't be a shock given the Bucks obviously hold all the cards in those negotiations, then they should probably just sit on their hands.
It's doubtful that they would get much of anything for Jonathan Kuminga at this point. The young forward has barely played since the start of the season, and when he has he's been inconsistent, meaning teams aren't stumbling over each other to acquire him.
Even if the Warriors don't make a move, they will probably be able to be a Play-In team as long as they don't completely collapse over the remainder of the season. That's not what they were hoping for at outset of the season, but it's not a horrible outcome considering Jimmy Butler's injury.
This season is likely a wash if they don't trade for Giannis, but they should simply try their best, let Kuminga play to see if he can raise his value, and give some of their younger players a shot to see what they have going forward.
In the offseason they'll have time to reassess things and see how they can improve the roster. They can decide if players like Brandin Podziemski and Moses Moody are really a part of the team's future, or if they're expendable and could be moved for more impactful pieces. Plus, if Giannis ends up not being traded anywhere at the deadline, they can really badger Milwaukee in the offseason to try and get a deal done.
It's so easy to want the sugar rush of a trade when other teams are making deals at the deadline, but unless it is a Giannis addition, the Warriors may be best served by being patient and waiting until the offseason to make some big moves.