SAN FRANCISCO — The Golden State Warriors are a team looking for silver linings. Jimmy Butler’s torn ACL has forced the team to reconsider its short-term and long-term plans. The Warriors are signaling they will not make drastic moves at the trade deadline and that decision will disappoint Steph Curry, who is turning back the clock with a career year.
Warriors Will Disappoint Stephen Curry With Trade Deadline Decision
A Season That Fell Short of Expectations
The Warriors sit eighth with a 25–21 record. Entering the season, optimism ran high. Golden. State aimed to build on last year’s success. After acquiring Butler in February, Golden State went 23–7 with him in the lineup to close the regular season. The Warriors have not matched that dominance this year. They have gone 23–15 with him.
Front Office Priorities
Butler will miss at least a year. He is dealing with a serious knee injury at age 36. This situation puts immediate pressure on the front office and coaching staff. They must find a replacement. The front office is focused on landing a superstar, à la Giannis Antetokounmpo.
“Our picks always will and have been in play,” GM Mike Dunleavy said Tuesday night, via NBC Sports Bay Area. “To give up our picks, it’s got to be meaningful to get something back. For that reason, only so many players warrant putting that on the table.”
Dunleavy continued: “But we’re looking at everything. Joe Lacob is our owner, so you’re always exploring all possibilities. You’re willing to do any type of deal.”
A Summer Play, Not a Deadline Move
Reading between the lines, the Warriors will only pursue a franchise cornerstone. They will not chase marginal upgrades. They have been linked to Trey Murphy III and Giannis. Their teams will require massive offers. New Orleans has made Murphy unavailable. Milwaukee and Giannis appear destined for a split. That move seems likely to happen in the summer.
The Warriors control their future. Golden state own all their first-round picks except 2030, which they owe to Washington. They plan to make a splash in the summer. In the meantime, they will likely tank the rest of the season. That path gives them the best chance to build a stronger contender. They can secure a lottery prospect in a historically deep draft. They can also prepare for a blockbuster summer trade.
The downside remains clear. This approach wastes one of Curry’s greatest statistical seasons. He averages over 27 points, about five assists, and four rebounds. Curry shoots 47 percent from the field. He shoots over 39 percent from three. Steph Curry has always been the consummate teammate and leader for the Warriors, so even as the Warriors will disappoint Steph Curry, it is unlikely he will voice that disappointment publicly.
© Kevin Jairaj-Imagn Images