The Golden State Warriors dropped their 24th game of the season on Friday, Jan. 31. They lost to the Phoenix Suns, 130-105. Steve Kerr’s team is currently 11th in the Western Conference. They’re one spot out of the play-in tournament and five spots out of the sixth seed.
However, there are only four games between the Warriors and the LA Clippers, who currently hold the final playoff spot as the sixth-seeded team in the West. As such, there’s still plenty of time for Golden State to turn its season around. Therefore, Mike Dunleavy Jr. is likely feeling the pressure to be aggressive heading into the Feb. 6 trade deadline.
When speaking to the media as part of his postgame news conference, Steve Kerr admitted the Warriors aren’t positioned to choose to ‘stand pat’ ahead of the trade deadline.
“We’re not in a position where we can just say, ‘Nah, we’re good, let’s stand pat,’” Kerr said. “That’s the reality of where we are.”
Golden State has been linked to numerous players in recent weeks. It’s clear that they’re lacking size and talent at the big man position. Furthermore, they need a second star-level talent to pair with Stephen Curry following Klay Thompson ‘s departure during the summer.
Bobby Portis Could Emerge as Warriors’ Target
Given their lack of size, it makes sense for the Warriors to explore opportunities to add depth and talent to their frontcourt. According to a Jan. 31 report from Clutchpoint’s Brett Siegel, Bobby Portis could emerge as a potential trade target for the franchise.
“Outside of talks surrounding [Jimmy] Butler and [Zach] LaVine , the Warriors have also been keeping an eye on multi-team deals that could happen around the NBA,” Siegel reported. “With all the noise surrounding the Bucks recently, Bobby Portis’ future has come into question. If Portis were to be moved, the Warriors would certainly consider getting involved to land him, as he’s a fan of Kerr’s and the front office, sources said.”
Portis, 29, has NBA championship experience, having won with the Milwaukee Bucks in 2021. He has also played for Kerr before, spending time with the Warriors head coach during their 2023 FIBA World Cup campaign in Manila, Philippines.
In 41 games this season, Portis is averaging 13.4 points, 7.9 rebounds and 2 assists. He’s shooting 46.6% from the field and 36.4% from deep. The veteran forward would bring physicality, toughness and positional versatility to the Warriors rotation. However, at 6-foot-10, he wouldn’t be the ideal fix for their issues at the center position.
Warriors ‘Have Concerns’ About Jimmy Butler
One player who is unlikely to be heading to the Bay Area is Jimmy Butler . The veteran All-Star recently requested a trade from the Miami Heat. However, Yahoo Sport’s Kevin O’Connor has reported that both Kerr and Curry are concerned about the potential impact Butler could have on the locker room.
“My league sources say that Stephen Curry, specifically, has concerns about Jimmy Butler’s fit in the locker room,” O’Connor said via his ‘The Kevin O’Connor Show’ podcast. “And Steve Kerr shares those feelings. So, Golden State’s indecision about trading for Butler seems to be largely tied to Steph and Kerr’s worries about a personality fit…It should surprise nobody if the Warriors end up holding onto their pieces and waiting for the summer.”
A Butler deal would likely cost the Warriors a significant amount of their tradable assets. When factoring in Butler’s age (35) and his reputation for being a disruptive force, it’s likely the front office looks elsewhere for upgrades.
Still, with less than a week to go until the trade deadline, Dunleavy doesn’t have much time left to upgrade Kerr’s roster and give the Warriors a chance to fight for a playoff spot.
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