The Golden State Warriors emerged victorious on Saturday night against the Orlando Magic, but their need for another center option was evident as they were beaten up 24-3 in offensive rebounds.
Magic center Wendell Carter Jr. played a big role in that nearly game-defining element, showing the Warriors firsthand why they should puruse a trade for the veteran big man in the coming weeks.
Wendell Carter Jr. shows Warriors why they should trade for him
With Steve Kerr choosing to play Charles Bassey for only 11 minutes despite his impressive recent form, Draymond Green was once again left to play a big chunk of minutes as the small-ball five in an undersized Golden State rotation.
Carter took advantage with six offensive boards as part of an 11-rebound performance, while he also showcased his offensive skillset with 19 points as the visitors rallied back from a 16-point half-time deficit to force the more favored Warriors into overtime.
Carter was a constant presence on the glass and often cleaned up what was another poor shooting night from Orlando. The Magic's +21 offensive rebound differential meant they got up 33 more field-goal attempts, leaving the hosts fortunate that they came away with a 126-119 win.
It was also the scoring element where Carter proved why he'd be such a valuable target as the Warriors look to resolve the Kristaps Porzingis situation. The 27-year-old went a perfect 3-of-3 from three-point range, taking his percentage up to a very impressive 47.8% on the season to date.
It's evident that Kerr still holds immense trust in Green, while also deciding he and Bassey can't play together because of the lack of offensive spacing. That's why acquiring another stretch five to replace Porzingis is important, and why Carter could be really important as someone who can also give you double-digit rebounds (averaging 9.6 per game).
Warriors may have just pushed Magic closer to big move
The other benefit to Golden State eventually prevailing is that it's another loss for Orlando who are now 2-7 on the season. It's starting to feel like a big move is a matter of when not if for a team pushing up against the second tax apron.
The Warriors are uniquely placed to help out the Magic and their financial situation in a win-win trade. A deal centered around Carter and Porzingis would give Golden State a starting quality center, while giving Orlando much-needed financial relief this season and moving forward once the Latvian agrees to a significant buyout.
The Warriors would likely still need to include a pick or two to make it work, but it's a trade that continues to make sense for both teams and even more so after Carter's performance on Saturday night.
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