A lack of size has been a legitimate issue for the Golden State Warriors. For years, Steve Kerr’s team has leaned on speed and skill to paper over what they lacked in rim protection. Yet, as the roster gets older, the need for a talented big man has become clear.
In a recent trade proposal from Clutch Points’ Jedd Pagaduan, the Warriors finally fix their biggest weakness. The proposed deal looks like this:
Golden State Warriors Get: Jarrett Allen and Craig Porter Jr.
Cleveland Cavaliers Get: Moses Moody, Gui Santos, Trayce Jackson-Davis and the Warriors’ 2026 and 2028 first-round draft picks, both protected.
“Allen is a 27-year-old double-double machine who will make life easier for the Warriors in the regular season,” Pagaduan wrote. “There will be no need for Draymond Green to be overtaxed…Matchups against behemoths will require the team to cover less ground defensively since they won’t have to send aggressive double-teams with Allen around…Trading away three young players in Moody, Jackson-Davis, and Santos will be rough. But such is the cost of acquiring a perennial double-double threat who can drastically change things for the Warriors on the interior.”
Allen is among the best rim runners in the NBA. He would drastically improve Golden State’s defense and provide an above-the-rim lob threat on offense. His vertical spacing could theoretically open up additional space for Stephen Curry and Jimmy Butler to operate.
Trading Warriors’ Picks Could be Wise
Under Steve Kerr, the Warriors have rarely embraced talent development. The head coach’s remit has always been clear: compete for championships. As such, younger talents have often struggled for consistent playing time. Jonathan Kuminga and Moody are both examples of this.
Therefore, including two draft picks that will be available in the near future is logical. Kerr would likely glue those young players to the bench. In a recent episode of FanDuel TV’s “Run It Back,” DeMarcus Cousisns took aim at Kerr’s limited interest in building up the next generation of the NBA.
“He just doesn’t handle young talent well,” Cousins said . “He doesn’t develop young talent…we’ve seen one guy develop under Steve Kerr. The Warriors ran him off, that was Jordan Poole.”
By swapping two future picks for Allen, the Warriors would raise their championship ceiling while continuing to push their chips all-in to the current drive toward another championship.
Kerr Gets Real on Kuminga’s Role
Kuminga is heading into restricted free agency. He could potentially be moved in a sign-and-trade deal. His role with the Warriors has been inconsistent in recent years. During an appearance on the “TK Show” podcast, Steve Kerr outlined why Kuminga has struggled to crack the rotation.
“All I do is I coach the team every year and try to put the puzzle together the best I can,” Kerr said. “I’ve, you know, it’s a tricky one because Jonathan obviously is gifted and wants to play a bigger role and wants to play more. And, I’ve been asked to win. Right now, he’s not a guy who I can say that I’m going to play 38 minutes with the roster that we have…Doesn’t mean he’s not a really good player. Doesn’t mean he’s not talented. It just means the fit. And with the roster that we have, it’s tricky…We can talk about spacing, usage rate, and all that stuff. But the game is about puzzle fitting. It’s about five guys complimenting one another at both ends of the floor. So all I do is, you know, I try to win.”
Clearly, Kerr is better suited when coaching NBA-ready talent. Someone like Allen would slot seamlessly into the rotation. Finding a way to flip Kuminga for a veteran that can immediately contribute would be smart for Golden State. Furthermore, it would finally give Kuminga an opportunity to begin flourishing and making good on his undeniable potential.
So, while Pagaduan’s trade proposal doesn’t include Kuminga, it does solve an area of need and get the ball rolling in terms of offseason moves. Whether the Cleveland Cavaliers would sign off on that trade, would remain to be seen, though.
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