For many Warriors fans, it would be unthinkable for the franchise to trade away Steph Curry and Draymond Green, but one NBA insider is arguing that it’s completely necessary.
After watching the Warriors get absolutely embarrassed and dominated on their own home court by the Celtics, O’Connor had a thought.
“The path Boston took to become the powerhouse it is today is the exact lesson Golden State needs to learn,” he wrote.
“Almost 12 years ago, Danny Ainge made the kind of ruthless, franchise-defining move that separates good front offices from great ones. He traded Paul Pierce and Kevin Garnett to Brooklyn for a treasure chest of picks. At the time, it wasn’t obvious that trading Celtics royalty for those picks would morph into Jayson Tatum and Jaylen Brown, the foundation of a team that’s now a perennial contender. But that’s the point: Ainge didn’t wait for things to fall apart. He made the tough call before it was too late.”
The Warriors seem to be in a similar situation right now. Even the thought of trading away Steph is almost too much to bare.
But when the Celtics did it with Pierce and Garnett, it was viewed in the same way, and Boston are still reaping the rewards to this day.
The front office as Golden State has to seriously consider their options, because if they don’t, the dynasty they have spent so long building will “crumble in slow motion”, O’Connor believes.
“…As of today, Curry and Green are both still great enough and signed under contracts for long enough that returns could be significant.”
The insider even proposed a mega-trade between the Warriors and Rockets, which would stand the Dubs in good stead for the future, while giving Houston an absolutely stacked, win-now team.
Rockets receive:
Stephen Curry
Draymond Green
Buddy Hield
Lindy Waters
Warriors receive:
Reed Sheppard
Cam Whitmore
Expiring salaries (Fred VanVleet, Steven Adams, and Jae’Sean Tate)
Four unprotected firsts (one in 2027 via Suns, two in 2029 of the most favorable from the Mavericks, Rockets and Suns, and one in 2031 via Rockets)
Three first-round swaps (2025 rights via Suns, 2027 rights via Nets or Rockets, and 2028 rights via Rockets)
It certainly is an interesting prospect to consider, but it’s difficult to see team owner Joe Lacob give up two players that have brought him so much success over the years.
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