Now that LeBron James has signed, the urgency appears to be on for the Golden State Warriors.
Stephen Curry is approaching the twilight of his career, and he's extension-eligible this offseason. If the Warriors want to give him a chance to contend, a major move needs to be on the horizon.
James might have been that move. The price was certainly right. But now that that's off the table, Golden State will need to look elsewhere.
Anthony Davis will be a name that's floated in the coming weeks, at least until he signs his extension with the Washington Wizards. But beyond that, Trey Murphy III remains their clearest fit and their most tantalizing trade option.
However, it doesn't appear as though the New Orleans Pelicans have backed down from their asking price of three first-round picks and a young piece for the 26-year-old wing. It's unlikely the Warriors will ever be willing to mortgage their future to that extent.
But if things go south in New Orleans again this season and the Warriors are able to wait patiently until the trade deadline, they may have a real shot to win the sweepstakes in the long-term.
That's a pair of pretty big ifs, though.
Trey Murphy III is the Warriors' best trade target— but any pursuit is going to require patience
According to Brett Siegel at ClutchPoints, it seems as though the Pelicans have stayed staunch in their asking price for Murphy.
The wing is certainly a coveted young player, having averaged 21.5 points, 5.7 rebounds, and 3.8 assists while shooting 37.9% from beyond the arc across 66 games last season. He's the type of piece that could put the finishing touch on a contending squad or help complete a veteran core like the Warriors'. But is he truly worth three first-round picks?
Desmond Bane went for four last offseason, but that was a result of his (theoretically) perfect fit with the Orlando Magic. No team, at least not with the way the current lottery is set up, is likely going to be willing to part with that package for a complementary piece like Murphy— the Warriors included.
What will it take for New Orleans to come to terms with reality?
They finished last season with a 26-56 record— but they were the only team among the bottom-five that weren't outright tanking. They weren't in possession of their first-round pick, and they got relatively healthy seasons out of Murphy, Zion Williamson, and Herbert Jones.
Until now, the vision of a fully healthy Pelicans team competing in the Western Conference has been intact. But there are too many questions with that roster— including the fit between Williamson and Derik Queen— to truly see a path forward in that direction as it's currently constructed.
They have the rights to their own pick in 2027 plus swap rights with Milwaukee and Atlanta. If they finish within the top-four, they have a chance to claim both their and the Bucks' selections next offseason. Perhaps, if it becomes clear by the trade deadline that things aren't working out under new head coach Jamahl Mosley, New Orleans will be willing to lower the price on Murphy.
The painful fact is, though, that it's likely not happening this offseason. If the Warriors want to get Murphy, they may need to wait for the sweepstakes to actually begin on a realistic scale. But as the Western Conference continues to crystallize, who knows if they'll be able to hold off that long?
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