Before Jimmy Butler tore his ACL, the Golden State Warriors were clear "buyers" at the upcoming trade deadline. Joe Lacob and Mike Dunleavy Jr. were in a position to add talent for the homestretch in hopes of springboarding the Warriors to one final deep playoff run before the inevitability of time passing finally caught up with an aging dynasty.
With Butler out, do those plans stay the same? I suggested recently that the Warriors might need to hope for a Luka-style shock trade at the deadline for a player that teams don't even know is available. If that's possible, of course, do that. But if that type of deal isn't available and small moves to beef up the roster's depth are all the Warriors can pull off, then it's probably fair to ask the looming question: where do the Warriors head now?
This dynasty has lasted so long in part because of the franchise's ability to pivot. In 2019, the team finished 15-50, got serious luck in the draft lottery, blew the pick, and still won the title two years later. That's probably a mix of blind luck and having Steph Curry on the team, but still; the "rebuild" year ended up being a flop and this team was still able to get back to elite in just a few years.
But now, with the clock ticking on the Warriors' dynasty, the assumption that this team can get back to that level is gone. Small moves aren't going to accomplish anything when there's a behemoth at the top of the West.
When teams are rebuilding, the worst place for them to be stuck is in the middle. Either go all-in or prioritize the future, fans plead. The Warriors, somehow, have found themselves in a similar situation after over a decade of dominance. If that shocking star trade isn't available, the best plan of action at this deadline is probably to look toward the future, instead of holding on to the past and hoping it can still get the job done in the present.
In other words, pick a direction. It sucks that an injury has forced this decision upon the franchise, but here we are.
Is it worth going all-in without Jimmy Butler?
The "two timelines" approach for the Warriors has mostly worked out for the Warriors. Jordan Poole was somehow a contributor on a championship team, and the team has been able to give young players chances to develop while the team overall has competed at a high level.
In the current iteration of that approach, Moses Moody has developed into a good player, there's still reason to believe in Brandin Podziemski as a long-term starter for the Dubs, and Will Richard has been a pleasant surprise.
That's about as far as the Warriors "hope for the future" goes, though. And that's a problem, because when Steph Curry and Steve Kerr aren't around anymore, someone will have to take the reins of this franchise, and no one has emerged yet as a potential candidate. That's why acquiring draft picks and upside swings might be the smartest approach over the next two weeks.
Sometimes dynasties end with a bang. For the Warriors, it's fizzled out. Standing by and watching it happen will not set this team up well for the future — a future that is approaching faster than Warriors fans want to admit.