In Sunday night’s game against the Portland Trail Blazers, the Golden State Warriors suffered a five-point loss, dropping them to 13-14 on the year and 0-3 against Portland this season.
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Stephen Curry looked like his old self, scoring 48 points and making 12 three-pointers, but it wasn’t enough to get the job done. Golden State believed it had a competitive enough roster to go out and compete in the Western Conference, but age may be a factor.
The team is paying Jimmy Butler $52 million this year, and Sunday appeared to be a non-factor. He connected on just three of eleven field goal attempts and relies heavily on scoring his points at the free throw line. Jonathan Kuminga remains on the bench while healthy, and the rest of the team hasn’t been enough to get him to the next level.
Now that players are eligible for trade, Blue Man Hoop’s Jack Simone believes the Warriors could make an effective conference move to attract more support for Curry.
“(Derrick) Jones Jr. has been one of the best defenders in the league this year. He’s absolutely elite on that end of the floor, and while he doesn’t pose the same scoring threat as Kuminga, his off-ball awareness would be an improvement. Jones could immediately impact the win in Los Angeles,” Simone said Monday.
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Meanwhile, while (Brook) Lopez hasn’t been amazing for the Clippers this year, he would give the Warriors great size at the center position, something they lack outside of Quinten Post.”
In the proposed trade, Golden State would receive Brook Lopez, the Brooklyn Nets’ all-time leading scorer, Derrick Jones Jr. and Kobe Brown. The Los Angeles Clippers would get Kuminga.
This trade works because, with Kuminga out of the rotation, the Warriors desperately need the wing versatility that Jones brings. Players like Herbert Jones and Patrick Williams are options, but probably unrealistic. Alongside Jones is Lopez, who fits the Warriors’ timeline, and a young man to improve the team’s energy.
The Clippers could move away from these players and target Kuminga, who has shown more than enough potential. This trade solidifies the Warriors’ game plan and gives the Clippers another route if this is the final year of their championship run.
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